If You Hate Foundation, Then You'll Love These 5 Lightweight Alternatives For Glowing Skin

Until now, foundation has always been a staple in my makeup bag. Growing up with acne meant that my relationship with makeup was initially centred around a need for coverage and concealment—so foundation was a true staple. I used to spend (what felt like) hours layering my foundation over colour-correcting primers and concealers. Oh, and I never worn anything less than a full coverage foundation. Of course, this approach certainly worked in helping to hide my breakouts and tone down redness, but I wore it solely for practicality, not because I particularly wanted to or enjoyed doing so.

Over the years, my relationship with foundation has taken a complete 180—mostly as I've become more confident and comfortable with embracing my natural skin. I still experience breakouts and am dealing with years worth of scarring, but I no longer feel the need to hide it away beneath layers of thick, heavy makeup.

Instead, I've turned to the likes of skin tints, concealers, BB creams, tinted moisturisers, and bronzing drops. Products that offer a light and (if needed) buildable coverage, without caking my skin, clogging pores, or looking mask-like. If you're also looking for a lighter and more natural-looking alternative to foundation, read on to discover my favourite recommendations for what to wear instead.

Shop the Best Foundation Alternatives:

• The Best Concealer: Merit The Minimalist
• The Best Tinted Moisturiser: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser
• The Best BB Cream: Erborian BB Creme
• The Best Skin Tint: Ultra Violette Daydream Screen
• The Best Bronzing Drops: Oskia Nutri-Bronze Adaptive Sheer Tinted Serum

1. Concealer

Back in the day, I used concealer to cover each individual breakout, and I layered it on both under and on top of my foundation. Now, I've learned to use concealer in a whole new way—as an alternative, rather than an accessory to, foundation.

For days when I don't want a full coverage base but maybe still need a little stealth concealing, a concealer does just the trick. I apply it to the areas where it's most needed, and then blend and buff it out, so it appears totally undetectable.

2. Tinted Moisturiser

Those with dry skin types may notice that foundation clings to and emphasis areas of dryness—which is where a tinted moisturiser comes in handy. They provide enough pigment to subtly even out skin tone and cancel out redness, but are formulated to hydrate and nourish the skin at the same time. The result? Skin looks (and feels) glowy and hydrated.

3. BB Cream

A K-beauty staple, BB creams offer a lighter and more natural-looking finish to foundations, while also helping to conceal breakouts and deliver skincare benefits—after all, BB stands for 'blemish balm'. Ideal for low maintenance people and those who don't want to look or feel like they've got makeup on, BB creams can be applied with your fingers or a sponge.

4. Skin Tint

Skin tints are usually thinner and more serum-like in texture than tinted moisturiser and BB creams. They're great for those who want a truly weightless finish, but are also surprisingly pigmented, so will go a long way towards concealing and covering everything from breakouts and sun spots to redness and hyperpigmentation.

5. Bronzing Drops

If you truly want to avoid wearing makeup altogether, consider trying out bronzing drops—which were my go-to all through the summer. These ultra-pigmented drops can be applied directly to your skin or can be mixed into your moisturiser, so can you can basically create your own bespoke tinted moisturiser. They're a great option if you want to really tailor the amount of coverage of your base.