To the inexperienced eye, the world of beauty is like the sea: big and beguiling.
From skincare and makeup to haircare, the £39bn market is awash with varied and specially formulated products to answer every whim and solve any woe.
Need a spot to disappear fast? There’s a patch for that. Lacklustre skin dimming your inner glow? A hydrating mask will sort your complexion out. And the right makeup can change your look with the flick of a makeup brush.
Within makeup, foundation is a subsection with oodles of variety with a plethora of formulas and finishes answering any skin type.
“Every type of foundation has its place in someone's routine, it's mostly a matter of preference and skin type,” explains Athina Ioannidou, National Makeup Artist for Sephora UK and Sephora Europe Pro Team Artist.
If you prefer a natural look, water-based foundations are your best bet. Such foundations are packed with hydrating properties and are thinner, which allows you to build layers to a level you’re comfortable with, Ioannidou says.
There’s more to foundation than simply slapping it on. We put our water-based foundation FAQs to the beauty expert.
What skin type are they good for?
“Water-based foundations are great for all skin types but particularly great for oily to combination skin or dehydrated skin.”
What's the best way to apply a water-based foundation?
“Water-based foundations tend to separate in their jars, so always give the bottle a good shake to ensure the pigment blends seamlessly. I'd also pair them with a water-based primer to keep the base looking smooth and avoid peeling.
As their consistency is so thin, they tend to be very easy to apply. Steer away from a sponge as these can absorb more of the product. Instead, a buffing brush (like the multitasker brush by Sephora Collection) will get you an even and seamless application. For areas that require a little more coverage, wait for the first layer to set, then apply more with a smaller flat head brush to pinpoint coverage.”
Any recommendations?
“Sephora Collection Care Glow Foundation has a beautiful finish and boosts complexion radiance, effortlessly creating an even and natural-looking base, as well as feeling incredibly weightless on the skin.”
Sound like your bag? We’ve rounded up the best water-based foundations to splash out on below.
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Diorskin Forever Undercover
Shade range: 25 shades
If you are looking for a high-performance, full coverage foundation, the Diorskin Forever Undercover may just be what you have been searching for.
The water-based formula is highly pigmented and leaves a workable texture with real staying power. Despite feeling lightweight on your skin, the almost camouflage-like foundation covers marks and hyperpigmentation with a natural-looking matte finish.
Buy now £29.60, Escentual
Chantecaille Future Skin Oil-Free Foundation
Made of 60 per cent water, Chantecaille's foundation is something of a revelation, especially given its gel consistency. It's packed with light-reflecting pigments to blur problem areas, delivered on a super lightweight texture that feels like you've barely got anything on. The formula is buildable, so you can add on more in the evening if you're headed to a special dinner and want to look fresh.
Buy now £64.00, Cult Beauty
Pixi H20 Skintint
Don't be fooled by the cream consistency: Pixi's product is water-based with aqua appearing first in the ingredients list. The tube is very travel-friendly with a pump at the top to dispense just the right amount and ensure it won't leak all over your handbag. The cooling and refreshing foundation leaves skin looking flawless yet is lighter and more breathable than traditional foundations. Take a few pumps and dot cheeks, forehead and chin before blending well.
Buy now £24.00, Boots
Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
Celebrity-backed makeup brands are two a penny these days but Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty proves it’s worth the hype. The serum-like solution is made to be used sparingly - the brand suggests a single dab to cover the entire face - containing nourishing ingredients like white water lily, lotus and gardenia to aid breathability.
Buy now £29.00, Space NK
NARS Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation
Known for superior coverage, NARS has moved away from its heavier formulas with its Light Reflecting Skincare Foundation. This water-based foundation, made up of 70 per cent skincare ingredients, smooths over flaws and imperfections like acne marks, dark circles and redness, all while allowing the skin to breathe underneath. The vegan formula is gentle enough to wear all day, even on top of breakouts.
Buy now £32.80, Boots
L'Oreal True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum
It feels like a serum but covers like a foundation. If you have yet to try L'Oreal's True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Skin Serum, you're in for a real treat.
The bottle contains 1 per cent pure hyaluronic acid, which may not sound like very much, but will quench skin in moisture, helping plump and radiance levels. The tint is sheer, which is good news if you're not someone who likes to look 'made up' daily. That said, you can build it up easily when you want skin to appear more polished.
Apply it like you would serum: a few drops on a clean palm, press together, then smooth onto the face.
Buy now £11.99, Boots
Saie Glowy Super Skin
Saie’s collection of makeup heroes puts clean, skincare-like formulas into your cosmetics bag. It’s known for its glow-giving properties and this latest unveiling follows suit. The ultra-wearable water-based foundation brings luminosity with every swipe of a brush.
It is powered by a trademarked Hybrobounce formula that is predominantly made from a serum that combines hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, treating your skin to the hydrating, soothing benefits, while imparting the tint. This means it feels lightweight on the skin, offering a medium level of coverage that can be built up if you want a more polished look.
Buy now £27.20, Cult Beauty
MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation
The name says it all, doesn't it? MAC has nailed the art of a lightweight base with this water-based foundation which is designed to be applied lightly with a foundation brush or fingers. Non-caking and non-streaking, the dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested foundation offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 30 with a finish that, though light, will stick around all day.
Buy now £34.00, Selfridges
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter
The last thing you want on a beach is flying sand sticking to your foundation. Ditch the mess and keep the glam with Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter. The water-based product is somewhere between a primer, highlighter and skin tint, giving you an incredibly breathable megawatt glow.
It can be used on its own for light coverage or worn under a heavier foundation, its glow-giving properties shining through.
Buy now £31.20, Cult Beauty
Glossier Stretch Fluid Foundation
The Glossier Stretch Concealer launched back in 2016 and was so loved by its community that, for many, it works double duty as a foundation too. While this provided instant camouflaging results, it wasn’t made for the kind of longevity you’d expect from a base. The brand listened to the demand for an all-over formula and after much anticipation, unveiled its Stretch Fluid Foundation, turning the perceptions of such makeup on its head.
This foundation has been designed for movement, and made to be indistinguishable from your skin. It’s a gel-cream product that feels like skincare and indeed, the base is made from 89 per cent skincare ingredients. The texture feels hydrating thanks to the squalane included in the formula. There’s also balancing rosehip and plankton extract which can be used by all skin types.
Half a pump gives sheer coverage, but it can be built up as needed. Thirty-two shades are divided into seven categories and with five undertones so you can easily find the one to best match your natural tone.
Buy now £34.00, Glossier
