13 Best Full Coverage Drugstore Foundations

There’s no doubt about it. Full coverage foundations address many skin concerns. Whether it’s redness, uneven skin tone, scars, or dark circles – a full coverage foundation can be a complexion savior.

Full coverage foundation gives you a very high level of makeup coverage. This type of foundation excels at covering up blemishes, scars, and other imperfections on your skin. It can also be used to even out your skin tone if you have discoloration or hyperpigmentation.

Today, I want to share with you my thoughts on the best full coverage drugstore foundations that provide excellent coverage while being budget-friendly.

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13 Best Full Coverage Drugstore Foundations

The drugstore has upped its game when it comes to full coverage foundations (and foundations in general).

Today’s formulas are lightweight and long-lasting and provide buildable coverage that can leave your skin looking flawless.

You don’t have to settle. You can choose from formulas suitable for your skin type and skin concerns.

Drugstore beauty brands now offer foundations that will not only cover blemishes, hyperpigmentation, and redness, but many are formulated with skin-loving ingredients that will also improve the look of your skin over time.

Here are my picks:

The oil-free formula won’t clog your pores and leaves a natural-looking matte finish. Warming it up with your fingers will allow for a smooth application that absorbs easily.

The coverage is buildable and doesn’t look heavy or too makeup-like on your skin.

Maybelline Super Stay Active Wear Foundation comes in 24 shades to match different skin tones.

This Maybelline foundation is transfer-resistant, water-resistant, and sweat-resistant, and suitable for all skin types.

The liquid applies smoothly to even out your skin tone and won’t transfer. It also controls shine and mattifies your skin throughout the day.

This foundation comes in the most extensive shade range of full coverage foundations in this post: 45 shades, so you’re sure to find a shade that matches your skin tone.

The formula is lightweight but buildable, so you can get the coverage you want.

The creamy liquid offers a matte finish that flatters all skin tones while lasting up to 24 hours.

It’s non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog pores and is suitable for normal, combination, oily, and sensitive skin types.

The airy, creamy, oil-free foundation dries to a matte finish that lasts up to 24 hours. The lightweight cream is sweat-resistant, heat-resistant, and transfer-resistant.

The matte finish helps to reduce the look of pores and hide imperfections like blemishes.

The foundation comes in 22 shades.

More L’Oreal Full Coverage Foundations

L’Oreal has more excellent Infallible foundations that provide full coverage and cater to different skin types:

If you have dry, mature skin or deal with dullness, L’Oreal also offers L’Oreal Infallible Pro Glow Foundation that has medium-to-full coverage and provides a dewy finish, ideal for normal to dry skin types.

Infallible Pro Glow also comes with SPF 15 sunscreen. It has a limited shade range of 12 shades.

If you have difficulty finding the right shade for your complexion, you can try L’Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation.

This medium to full coverage foundation comes in a wide range of 40 shades and has SPF 25 sun protection.

This foundation will reduce the look of imperfections while moisturizing your skin.

The foundation color will stay true on your skin, and you won’t deal with any greasiness or ashiness. It comes in 24 shades.

The foundation pairs well with NYX Total Control Pro Drop Foundation Hue Shifters, which come in 4 shades.

Shift the hue of your shade with Hue Shifter Warm or Hue Shifter Cool. You can also lighten or darker your shade with Hue Shifter Dark or Hue Shifter Light.

There are also NYX Total Control Drop Foundation Illuminators in Cool and Warm options that add a pretty glow to your skin when mixed with your foundation, worn alone, or on top of your foundation.

These Hue Shifters allow you to create a truly customized foundation at a very affordable price.

The mousse-like texture blends easily into your skin and dries to a matte finish.

Ideal for combination and oily skin, this foundation provides outstanding coverage and doesn’t look cakey on your skin.

This Revlon ColorStay foundation evens out your skin tone while hydrating and protecting your skin with moisturizing glycerin and Lactobacillus/​Eriodictyon Californicum Ferment Extract, also known as Yerba Santa Glycoprotein.

The tube allows for easy on-the-go application. The foundation comes in 16 shades to match a variety of skin tones. This Revlon foundation made my list of the best affordable drugstore foundations for high-end makeup.

NOTE: I have been using this foundation for years, and it’s one I always return to for its excellent coverage and matte finish. I love this foundation!

It contains mattifying powders to reduce the look of pores while reducing excess oil. The formula is transfer-resistant and lasts up to 12 hours without looking cakey or dry on your skin.

Ideal for normal to oily skin, this foundation is buildable, so you get the coverage you want.

The shade range is an impressive 40 shades that are sure to match every skin tone.

This is one of my favorite drugstore foundations, as it is very affordable and does an amazing job at controlling oil and shine all day, making it ideal for oily skin types.

The most noticeable benefit of this foundation is that it provides a natural, almost second-skin-like effect on your skin.

Ideal for normal to oily skin, the foundation provides a natural matte finish that wears well for several hours.

The foundation is formulated with niacinamide, a popular skincare ingredient that keeps oil in check and supports a healthy skin barrier.

Some even claim that this high coverage foundation is a great affordable alternative to Fenty’s liquid foundation, which is over 3x the price of Catrice!

It was tested under seven different lighting conditions, with and without flash:

• Clear Blue Sunlit Sky
• Outdoors PM
• Indoors PM
• Electronic Flash
• Fluorescent Light
• Bathroom Light
• Nightclub Light

The foundation dries to a matte finish and perfects your complexion by diffusing light. The rich coverage reminds me a lot of Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation.

Ideal for oily and combination skin types, the foundation comes with a spatula applicator that makes it easy to apply the foundation. As a bonus, the foundation is so affordable!

It has a strong scent when you open the bottle, but it goes away once you apply the foundation to your skin. This matte makeup comes in 20 shades.

It provides a luminous, dewy finish.

The lightweight formula is natural looking but has plenty of coverage to help even out your complexion. It has medium-to-full buildable coverage and blurs imperfections for a bright, fresh makeup look.

Even out your skin tone and cover imperfections with a formula enriched with nourishing glycerin and antioxidant vitamin E.

The foundation comes in 15 shades and a white foundation mixer, which you can mix with your summer shade to create your own unique winter shade.

Related Post: Best Under Eye Setting Powders

Dream Urban Cover provides a smooth, even finish while also protecting your skin from the sun with its high SPF 50 protection.

This foundation is enriched with antioxidants and anti-pollutants to help protect your skin from environmental factors. The foundation easily hides redness, pores, and uneven skin tone while looking skin-like and never cakey.

The foundation comes in 16 shades and provides a natural finish that lasts all day.

It has a lightweight, buildable formula that covers redness, under-eye circles, imperfections, and blemishes without feeling heavy on the skin.

This foundation is oil-free, waterproof, sweat-proof, and long-lasting, making it perfect for all-day wear. It has a natural matte finish that works well with combination and oily skin types.

The best part? It comes in a whopping 45 shades to match a variety of skin tones.

This foundation has an impressive shade range of over 50 shades, including different undertones to match every skin tone. It has a lightweight, buildable formula that allows you to customize the coverage you want.

The foundation is oil-free yet doesn’t crease or dry out your skin. It’s highly pigmented, too, so you don’t have to worry about touch-ups throughout the day.

I like the large doe-foot applicator that deposits the foundation exactly where you want it.

It has a lightweight, creamy liquid formula that blends seamlessly into the skin without settling into fine lines or pores. It also offers buildable coverage, so you can go from medium to full coverage, depending on your preference.

This foundation comes in 40 shades and is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. It’s enriched with glycerin to nourish and hydrate your skin while providing excellent coverage.

And the price? So low that you can buy multiples to mix and match shades for every season of the year!

The Bottom Line: Best Drugstore Full Coverage Foundations

The best full coverage drugstore foundation for your skin will work with your skin type, texture, and tone.

If you prefer a thicker, mattifying foundation, go with a whipped foundation like Revlon Colorstay Full Cover. If you want lightweight coverage, go for a liquid foundation like Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation.

Luckily, you have many options that will work within a reasonable budget. Experiment with a few to find your perfect match!

Thanks for reading!