There’s no need to break the bank to find your perfect base…
For most of us, foundation is one of the most important items in our beauty bag. We love it for its ability to help reduce redness, add a glow and even skin tone. The best base products deliver good coverage for a smooth finish that lasts all day. And nowadays, many of the best foundations are also affordable – costing less than £15 in fact.
“There are some incredible high street foundations out there that give your luxe foundations a run for their money,” says Mira Parmar, a pro make-up artist. It’s true, you needn’t spend a small fortune to find the right foundation formula for you. Many high street foundations now combine good coverage and lightweight textures with kind-to-skin ingredients that promote healthier-looking complexions.
Don’t believe us? Here, we round up the best affordable foundations available at Boots. From matte to glowy, there’s a purse-friendly pick for every skin type and need.
How to find the best budget foundation for you
According to Mira, there are two factors to consider – your skin type and your preferred foundation finish.
She says: “Do you like a dewy, radiant finish or are you after something more matte?” Your answer will steer you in the right direction. As for skin type, “a matte base will balance shine, which is ideal for oily skin types,” says Mira. “Liquid formulas are great for dry skin, while powder foundations suit normal and combination skin types, delivering a real-skin finish.
“The right foundation should feel like a second skin, evening out skin tone and acting as the perfect canvas for the rest of your make-up.” While it may take a little trial and error to find the one, once you do, you’ll never go back.
How to find your foundation shade
Many of the best budget foundations come in a wide range of shades, spanning cool, warm and neutral undertones. “To work out your skin’s undertone, look at your veins,” advises Mira. “If your veins are blue, it indicates cool, if green, this indicates warm, and both indicate neutral.
“Once you determine your undertone, then you can look for your shade.” To test the shade on skin, “always apply a little bit on your jawline and then leave it on and see how it looks in daylight to make sure it’s a match”, adds Mira.
How to get more bang for your buck
“In winter, you might want more coverage, so foundation alone is great,” says Mira. In the summer, you might want to go for something lighter, or try mixing your foundation with highlighter or moisturiser to make it more hydrating and luminous.
Looking for a lightweight base? Check out our guide to the best summer foundations to find your perfect match.
Another top tip? Use concealer wisely, especially if you’re not keen on applying foundation to your entire face. “Concealer is your best friend when it comes to perfecting – apply it where needed before going in with foundation for any final touch-ups,” advises Mira.
Finally, “if using a blending sponge to apply make-up, ensure it’s damp so your foundation will stretch out further,” says Mira. Try Boots Beauty Awards 2022 winner – Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.
For more tips and tricks, watch our tutorial on how to apply foundation for a perfect finish. Glowing, natural-looking coverage has never been easier to get right.
10 of the best affordable foundations under £15
From matte to glowy, light to full coverage, here are 10 of our teams top budget foundations for all skin tones and types that deliver big results for a smaller price tag.
Best for combination to oily skin
Try: Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Liquid Foundation
• Size: 30ml
• Medium-coverage foundation
• Matte finish
• Oil-free
• Vegan-friendly*
This purse-friendly pick is a great match for oily skin. The lightweight, oil-free liquid has been formulated with micro-powders to help take down shine and blur pores for a smooth, natural-looking skin finish. And while the finish is matte, skin never looks cakey or flat (a big tick).
Best for a lightweight, glowy finish
Try: L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion
• Size: 40ml
• 4 shades
• Suitable for all skin types
• Dermatologically tested
Dreaming of a your-skin-but-better finish? Lumi Glotion hydrates and luminates skin for an all-over glow that’s perfect worn alone, under make-up or as a highlighter. Its luminous pearls and subtle colour tint enhance skin’s natural glow, while glycerin and shea butter work in harmony to deliver up to 24 hours of skin-loving hydration.
Best for full coverage
Try: Revolution Conceal & Define Full Coverage Foundation
• Size: 23ml
• Available in 50 shades
• Oil-free
• Demi-matte finish
• Vegan-friendly*
• Cruelty-free
If you’re looking for the heavy-duty stuff, look this way. Oil-free and easy-to-build, this creamy foundation lends skin highly pigmented coverage for a flawless finish that stays put all day and night long. Swipe on using the doe-foot applicator, before blending in with a brush or a beauty blender for a more diffused look.
Best for mature skin
Try: No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED All in One Foundation
• Size: 30ml
• 5 shades
• Medium coverage
• SPF50+ protection
Looking for an all-in-one foundation that’s powered by skincare benefits? This revolutionary pick combines vitamins E and C with an antioxidant complex and MATRIXYL 3000 PLUS™, a collagen peptide-based technology, to deliver buildable, flawless skin that’s protected against free radicals and UV rays.
Best for staying power
Try: Collection Lasting Perfection Matte Foundation
• Size: 27ml
• Full coverage
• 28 shades
• Up to 16-hour wear
• Matte finish
• SPF30 protection
If you’re looking for a foundation that’ll take you from a morning at work to a night on the town, then reach for this one from Collection. Packed with niacinamide to help control excess oil and vitamin E to nourish the skin, this lightweight formula has a smooth and velvety texture that refines pores, leaving skin looking flawlessly matte with no touch-ups in sight.
Best compact foundation
Try: Rimmel London Lasting Finish Compact Foundation
• Size: 10g
• Available in 12 shades
• Medium coverage
• Matte finish
• Sweat & water-resistant
• Vegan-friendly*
• Cruelty-free
Come summer, we love a foundation that stays put and takes down shine without caking or creasing. This vegan-friendly foundation does exactly that. The finely milled powder blends in effortlessly, absorbing excess oil for a soft matte finish that stays put for hours.
Best for combination skin
Try: NYX Professional Makeup Bare With Me Blur Tint Foundation
• Size: 30ml
• Available in 22 shades
• Medium coverage
• Matte finish
• Lightweight
• Vegan-friendly*
• Cruelty-free
No longer do you have to choose between lightweight and longevity, because the best foundations do it all. Lending skin a hint of tint, this medium-coverage formula is buildable and blends in like butter for a perfected complexion that lasts. It also contains a bunch of hydrators, such as glycerin, matcha and niacinamide, to help moisturise skin and boost radiance.
Best for multitasking
Try: Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-In-1 Foundation
• Size: 30ml
• Available in 19 shades
• Full coverage
• Natural finish
• Water-resistant
• Cruelty-free
Streamline your make-up bag with Milani’s two-in-one foundation and concealer. Created to help conceal and perfect, this multitasking formula brightens dark circles, conceals redness and smooths skin for a more even-looking complexion. It’s also very easy to use – we recommend applying a light layer, focusing on the centre of the face, before blending outwards for a natural finish.
Best for dry skin
Try: Collection Hydra Serum Foundation
• Size: 30ml
• Available in 14 shades
• Light to medium coverage
• Glowy finish
• Vegan-friendly*
Searching for something hydrating that won’t do a disappearing act by lunchtime? This is the formula for you. Jampacked with moisturising ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, glycerin and vitamins E and B5, this must-try foundation leaves skin feeling refreshed and looking radiant all day long.
Best for dewy radiance
Try: e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter
• Size: 31.5ml
• Available in 8 shades
• Medium coverage
• Glowy finish
• Vegan-friendly*
• Cruelty-free
This stuff is a.m.a.z.i.n.g! Seriously silky, this can be mixed with foundation, moisturiser or worn alone for a dewy, radiant-looking complexion. It’s also blended with hyaluronic acid and squalane to leave skin feeling smoother and looking more supple. We’re hooked.
