If Your Foundation Is Detectable, I'd Trade It In for This Sleeper Hit

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(Image credit: @eggcanvas)

As a beauty editor, there's nothing I hate more than seeing a visible film of foundation sitting atop my skin. I'm talking about cakey texture, creasing, and smudging. When any of these things happen (or, at the very worst, all of them happen), I experience a very real and visceral frustration. I'd rather not wear foundation than put up with it, which is why I'll often just wash it off with my nearest makeup remover.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of subpar foundation formulas that look like, well, foundation. But don't let that deter you, because there are also a lot of exceptional foundations that blend into the skin beautifully—remaining discreet and undetectable no matter how long you wear them. And many of the latter happen to be Korean foundations. Thanks to innovative formulas with skin-benefiting ingredients, they tend to look seamless on the skin. Is she wearing foundation, or is her skin just that good? We'll never know. Ahead, check out the seven best Korean foundations, according to editors and the internet.

Our Top Picks for the Best Korean Foundations

Best Overall: AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact SPF 50

Best for Dry Skin: Joah Luminous Peptide Foundation

Best For Oily Skin: Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Perfect Finish Foundation

Best Full Coverage: Jung Sae Mool Essential Skin Nuder Cushion Foundation

Best Long-Wearing Formula: Etude Double Lasting Foundation SPF35/ PA++

Best BB Cream: Erborian BB Cream With Ginseng

Best CC Cream: Cle Cosmetics CCC Cream

What Sets Korean Foundations Apart?

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(Image credit: @peonylim)

Korean foundations are very skin-focused. In fact, Korean brands were some of the first to incorporate skin-benefitting ingredients into their formulas, which is why so many of them contain hydrating and soothing ingredients—not to mention SPF. In other words, they do double duty, covering imperfections while treating the skin with active ingredients.

Coverage can range from light to full. Some of the most popular Korean foundations offer buildable, dewy coverage with a lightweight feel, thanks to an emphasis on cushion compacts. Of course, coverage and consistency will change depending on the brand and product. The only thing that remains constant? They rarely crease, settle, or smudge.

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.

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Kaitlyn McLintock
Associate Beauty Editor

Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.