As a beauty editor, it's my job to share the beauty products I love. Whether it's mascara, moisturizer, or hair masks, I generally don't gatekeep. There's only ever been one exception to the rule—a little-known foundation I've used for over three years.
I discovered it in a random Instagram video during a late-night, pre-bedtime scroll. I decided to roll the dice and order it. When it arrived, and I applied it with my trusty Beautyblender ($20), I knew I had found one of my all-time favorite formulas. It disguised my dark circles, covered my redness, and made my post-breakout scars all but disappear. It did all of this with a natural-looking, almost undetectable finish.
Three years later, my obsession hasn't stopped, and neither have the compliments. The last time I wore it, a friend exclaimed, "Your skin looks so good!" I begrudgingly sent her the link. Her response? "More people should know about this." That's when I decided I'd officially stop gatekeeping. Keep scrolling!
Here's the foundation I've been gatekeeping for years: Il Makiage's Woke Up Like This Flawless Base Foundation. Even though the brand has been around for a long time, and has a loyal following on social media, I've found many people aren't familiar with it. Whenever someone compliments my skin, and I tell them it's because of *this* foundation, I'm often met with, "I've never heard of it."
I used to revel in that response. It meant it had little chance of selling out. Even though I've talked about it briefly before, I think I've been incredibly discreet, considering I've worn it on and off for over three years.
So, what makes it so great? It has a texture that's somewhere between a liquid and a cream. Once applied to the skin, it's almost undetectable. It has a natural matte finish that looks velvety and luminous, but not shiny. It has medium coverage that disguises everything (rosacea, breakouts, dark circles, and hyperpigmentation included). Thanks to optically-corrective powders and light-diffusing spheres, it actively blurs the skin. As if that's not enough, it's spiked with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E for a hydrated, comfortable feel. If this sounds like a gushy love letter… well, it is. I love this foundation. Check out my before-and-after pictures (below) for proof.
Before
After
As you can see in the pictures, my main issue is redness. I have rosacea, so my skin is almost always flushed. I also have uneven skin tone on my nose and cheeks and some dullness on my forehead and chin. This foundation covers it all, without looking like a foundation at all. Can you see why I'm utterly obsessed?
I have to mention the concealer as well. I've been using it for just as long as I've been using the foundation, and I'm equally as happy with the results. It has medium-to-full coverage, it's long-lasting, yet it looks so incredibly natural that I'm still shocked whenever I use it. I can apply this in the morning, work eight hours, go get happy hour drinks, grab dinner, and head home at 11 p.m., and it still looks flawless. It's my go-to concealer to cover dark circles, breakouts, redness, you name it.
9 More Foundations & Concealers I Love
I have an ongoing love affair with this foundation, and I don't think it's ever going to stop. In my opinion, it has the perfect amount of coverage (light-to-medium yet buildable) and a flawless finish (not too dewy and not too matte). The first time I wore this out, I had three different people compliment my skin.
I love a concealer that has skin benefits. This one covers dark circles, breakouts, and redness like a dream. Plus, it hydrates, de-puffs, and protects the skin from environmental stress. What's not to love?
No surprise! I love Haus Labs' Triclone Skin Tech Foundation too. I don't know what kind of magic Lady Gaga and her team worked to create this, but it looks so fresh and flawless on my skin. The medium-coverage formula has a featherlight feel, and it even helps reduce my redness thanks to fermented arnica.
This drugstore foundation competes with formulas that are twice—even triple—its price. It offers medium coverage, a natural-looking finish, and a wide range of on-point shades. I've always been impressed by how this looks like my skin (but better).
Celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta recently released this foundation under his namesake brand. The formula is hydrating and the finish is fresh and dewy. I feel like I have supermodel skin whenever I wear this one.
Another glow-boosting foundation I love, Make Up For Ever's HD Skin Hydra Glow Foundation is flexible. What I mean by that is that it doesn't highlight texture or settle into the fine lines around my nose and mouth. That's rare for a dewy formula.
This concealer is called the Airbrush concealer, and I can see why. It covers imperfections—including dark circles—quickly and easily. Once it dries down, it has a soft-matte finish that looks blurred and (you guessed it) airbrushed. Because of this, I rarely set it with powder. It simply doesn't need to be.
As far as I'm concerned, Makeup by Mario can do no wrong. This foundation offers more coverage than I usually go for, yet it maintains a natural, luminous look. It's not powdery, cakey, or obvious, unlike other foundations I've tried.
The solid five-star rating for this best-selling foundation balm says it all. The formula effortlessly blends into the skin and is easy to layer for customized coverage. Unlike most foundations, it actually looks better the longer it sits on your face.
