Skin-smoothing coverage, hydrating ingredients, and maximum radiance: The best dewy foundations get it all done in a few swipes. Made to mimic the finish you’d get from mixing your daily moisturizer with makeup, these formulas contain ingredients you’d typically find in your favorite serums and creams like “hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and glycerin, which work to help improve your skin’s barrier as they hydrate,” says Ron Robinson, a cosmetic chemist and founder of BeautyStat based in New York City. (He’s also a fan of dewy foundations with “squalane, jojoba oil, or avocado oil that can moisturize while helping deliver glow.”)
Our Top Dewy Foundations
Balancing skin care-level hydration with foundation-worthy coverage is a tricky formula to master, but these 10 get it right. Ahead, we break down the best dewy foundations that deliver that lit-from-within finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation
Why it’s worth it: Some beauty products come and go, but Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Foundation has been an icon for decades. “One of the best foundations ever created, it’s the literal definition of perfect when it comes to long-lasting, fresh, glowy-looking skin,” says Kierra Lanice Wray, a makeup artist based in Lansing, Michigan, who uses this foundation on both herself and her clients. The formula’s luminous, second-skin finish delivers just the right amount of radiance without ever veering greasy, while its medium coverage evens out skin tone. Lightweight silicones help it glide on seamlessly, while glycerin—a powerful humectant—keeps skin hydrated. Even after launching 25 years ago, it still sets the bar high for what a dewy foundation should be.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“In college, I used to go to the department store and collect free samples of this foundation to tide me over—I’ve been using it that long. It’s the perfect foundation: It gives me enough coverage to conceal breakouts and dark spots, but never feels heavy or looks overly matte on my skin. I do experiment with other formulas now, but this is my ride-or-die.” —Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: glycerin, cyclopentasiloxane (silicone), isododecane
- Who it’s for: everyone, especially those with mature skin
- Coverage: medium
- Shades: 40
Best for Mature Skin: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
Why it’s worth it: Do you want your skin to look lit from within? No matter your skin concerns, we’re guessing the answer is yes. Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation is a silky, hydrating formula (thank you, glycerin and meadowfoam seed oil) that melts into skin to smooth fine lines, blur pores, and instantly brighten dullness with its light-reflecting pigments. The light-to-medium coverage evens out dark spots and redness while keeping your natural radiance front and center. And even though it can last up to 12 hours, it’s so lightweight you forget you’re even wearing anything.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“I’m a sucker for a lightweight, dewy base and Chanel Les Beige delivers every time—it contains 40% water, after all, so no wonder it has that melt-into-my-skin texture I’m always looking for. I go in with my (clean!) finger at first, warming it up as I spread before buffing everything in with a foundation brush. It truly feels like I have nothing on and my complexion looks, well, perkier.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: glycerin, meadowfoam seed oil, vitamin E
- Who it’s for: anyone who wants light coverage and a natural finish
- Coverage: light to medium
- Shades: 39
Best Drugstore: e.l.f. Cosmetics Soft Glam Satin Foundation
Why it’s worth it: When it comes to foundation, we have high expectations—after all, most of us wear our complexion products for hours (if not all day). So it’s fair to wonder: Can a drugstore formula really keep up? Our pros say e.l.f. Cosmetics Soft Glam Satin Foundation is a budget-friendly option that absolutely can. “The formula has medium but buildable coverage and gives you a radiant, satin finish,” says Wray. With glycerin to keep skin hydrated and fruit extracts like hibiscus, pomegranate, and blueberry to help nourish and balance, it’s a budget-friendly find that performs like a luxury foundation. “It lasts all day and looks so pretty on the skin—it gives ‘fresh dew in the morning,’ but still looks skin-like,” says Wray. Plus, it comes in 36 shades for the sweet tune of $9 a bottle.
Tester feedback from associate manager of audience development Melanie Curry
“I’m a skin tint girlie through and through, so foundations aren’t really my go-to, but this e.l.f Cosmetics pick is the exception. It’s lightweight and hydrating, plus it gives the perfect amount of coverage. Not too much, just enough to cover my discoloration and even my skin tone.” —Melanie Curry, associate manager of audience development
More to know
- Key ingredients: hibiscus complex, pomegranate, blueberry, and goji berry extracts
- Who it’s for: everyone, especially people with oily skin
- Coverage: medium
- Shades: 36
Best for Sensitive Skin: Saie Glowy Super Skin Tint Liquid Foundation
Why it’s worth it: Saie chases glow with all its products, but the Glowy Super Skin Tint Liquid Foundation takes it to the next level. This makeup and skin care hybrid is packed with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and polyglutamic acid (three powerful humectants) to attract water and drench skin in lasting moisture, while rice bran peptides help smooth texture, fade dark spots, and brighten tone. Squalane seals it in for radiance and bounce. The texture is so lightweight and serum-like that it just sinks right in, giving you easy, light-to-medium coverage that looks like your skin—just glowier.
“The glow is real with this one. I’ve got dry skin and a fair amount of melasma (thanks, post-pregnancy), and while it takes a bit of extra blending with my brush compared to the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation on this list—which I also love for dewiness—it gives me more buildable coverage and the prettiest sheen. I usually rely on a layer of cream bronzer and highlighter to top off my look, but I feel like I can skip them with this foundation.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
More to know
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, rice bran peptides, polyglutamic acid, glycerin
- Who it’s for: everyone, especially people with dullness or uneven skin tone
- Coverage: Light to medium
- Shades: 36
Best for Dry Skin: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Serum Skin Tint
Why it’s worth it: Uneven texture can happen for a variety of reasons—dry patches, leftover breakouts, fine lines, or just skin being skin. Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation smooths it all out while giving your complexion that naturally radiant, healthy-skin glow. “It’s light-to-medium coverage, corrects imperfections, and the formula is so hydrating it feels like skin care,” says Wray. Speaking of skin care, it’s packed with ingredients you’d normally find in a luxe serum: vegan collagen peptides to refine texture and plump fine lines, ceramides to strengthen and repair your barrier, and sodium hyaluronate for deep hydration. Cactus extract calms irritation and adds antioxidant protection, while vegan squalane locks in moisture for an all-day, soft-focus finish. It’s no wonder this formula earned a 2024 Best of Beauty Award—it’s skin care and makeup in perfect harmony.
Tester feedback from beauty closet associate Edward Horgan
“This skin tint has the perfect balance of coverage and glow that covers up my redness while still leaving my skin looking like my skin! It has a lightweight feel to it and works so well with any other product I layer on top of it; it’s my go-to for a reason.” —Edward Horgan, beauty closet associate
More to know
- Key ingredients: ceramides, peptides, squalane, cactus extract
- Who it’s for: people with uneven texture from dry skin, acne, or fine lines
- Coverage: light to medium
- Shades: 20
Best with SPF: Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
Why it’s worth it: Is it SPF? Is it a tinted moisturizer? Is it a serum? Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is somehow all three—and that’s what makes it so special. This multitasking formula blurs the line between makeup and skin care, delivering a dewy, hydrated glow with the bonus of broad-spectrum SPF 40 protection from 12% zinc oxide. The formula stars squalane, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid that team up to smooth texture, brighten tone, and lock in lasting moisture. “It’s dewy in the way that you’re dewy after a bit of light exercise—just a soft, gentle glow. With a sheer finish and zero shimmer, this lightweight tint is what I reach for when I want skin to feel enhanced and perfected,” says Fiona Stiles, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles.
Putting the word ‘serum’ in the name wasn’t a lie; this stuff oozes, goozes, and slathers just like a thick, somewhat oily serum—and that’s exactly what lends itself as a seconds-long, rub-in application and instantly hydrating effect.” —Nicola Dall’Asen, senior news editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: squalane, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid
- Who it’s for: all skin types and anyone looking for a light, serum-like foundation with SPF
- Coverage: light to medium
- Shades: 30
Best Full Coverage: Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Foundation
Why it’s worth it: Don’t confuse a dewy finish with only sheer coverage—some foundations, like Haus Labs by Lady Gaga Triclone Skin Tech Foundation, pull off a glowy, second-skin effect and deliver way more coverage than you’d expect. This 2025 Best of Beauty Award-winning liquid foundation feels weightless and hydrating yet still delivers serious payoff, covering redness, concealing hyperpigmentation, and smoothing uneven texture with ease. Despite its medium coverage, it never looks cakey or heavy—the silky formula feels more like a serum, infused with skin-loving ingredients like vitamin E, glycerin, and Centella asiatica extract to moisturize and calm as you wear it.
While I much prefer a medium-coverage foundation, on days when I need something a tad lighter, I reach for the Haus Labs foundation. Even though it’s buildable, I usually only apply a single layer (with my fingers) and after my concealer is on, I’ll go back in with a makeup sponge (love you, Beautyblender) to even out the dewy finish. It wears well, but I always notice near the end of the day, it starts to sheer out, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for something super long-wear. Shade-wise, I know it’s the bare minimum to expect a brand to have my exact shade, but I really like that this foundation is a perfect match for my fair skin and neutral undertone. (I’m shade 120 Light Warm, by the way.)” —Sarah Kinonen, Allure associate beauty director
More to know
- Key ingredients: vitamin E, glycerin, and Centella asiatica extract
- Who it’s for: people who want medium, buildable coverage
- Coverage: full
- Shades: 51
Best Buildable Coverage: Nars Light Reflecting Foundation
Why it’s worth it: Is it possible for a foundation to actually look better as the day goes on? Nars Light Reflecting Foundation makes a strong case. Packed with skin-loving ingredients, this dewy formula not only delivers buildable, medium coverage and a radiant finish—it also works to improve the appearance of skin clarity over time, even after makeup is removed. Oat helps soothe and reduce redness, Japanese lilyturf strengthens the skin barrier for lasting hydration, and cacao peptides plus milk thistle defend against blue light and environmental stress. In other words: Skin looks instantly smoother and more luminous, and continues to feel even better the more you wear it.
“Every time I move onto a new foundation, I immediately miss this one. It’s glowy (but not greasy), it’s lightweight, and truly brings out my skin—just with less acne and hyperpigmentation.” —Angela Trakoshis, former shopping market editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: biomimetic oat, Japanese lilyturf, cacao peptides, milk thistle
- Who it’s for: anyone who struggles to find a dewy foundation that lasts
- Coverage: medium; buildable
- Shades: 51
Best Shade Range: Fenty Beauty Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Longwear Foundation
Why it’s worth it: With some foundations, you have to settle for a “close enough” shade—but with Fenty Beauty’s Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Longwear Foundation, there’s a perfect match for you thanks to an impressive 50-shade range. The silky, medium-coverage formula blends seamlessly and leaves skin looking naturally radiant, not shiny. Hydrating ingredients like glycerin and butylene glycol keep skin smooth and comfortable all day, while brightening kakadu plum and balancing cyperus root extract help improve tone and texture over time. While it’s definitely more hydrating than the brand’s original Pro Filt’r Matte Foundation, it doesn’t feel greasy and easily holds up on all skin types.
“Fenty Beauty’s Soft’Lit is the hydrating, glowy counterpart of the original Pro Filt’r Matte Foundation that I was waiting for. Just two pumps of the lightweight formula give my skin a luminous finish, without looking greasy or glittery.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
More to know
- Key ingredients: kakadu plum extract, cyperus papyrus leaf cell extract
- Who it’s for: all skin types
- Coverage: medium
- Shades: 50
Best Dewy Foundation Stick: Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick
Why it’s worth it: We’re always here for a travel-friendly foundation, but Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick is in a league of its own. Unlike most foundation sticks that skew matte, full coverage, or both, this one feels like a dewy skin tint in stick form. It’s infused with hyaluronic acid and pearlescent filters that catch the light just right; the brand claims it’s like carrying a built-in ring light (and our tester would fully agree). Daikon radish seed oil and vitamin E keep skin hydrated and happy, so the glow looks fresh. And while it’s definitely more of a tint than full coverage, the stick format makes it super easy to touch up on the go whenever you need a little extra glow.
“I’m typically more of a tinted moisturizer gal, which is probably why I love this stick. The lightweight formula offers just enough coverage to minimize the redness on my cheeks and around my nose while still making my skin look like, well, skin.” —Dianna Mazzone Singh, features director
More to know
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, daikon radish seed oil
- Who it’s for: anyone who wants an easy-to-apply, travel-friendly dewy foundation
- Coverage: light to medium
- Shades: 20
Frequently Asked Questions
Which foundation is best for a dewy look?
Any non-matte foundation with hydrating ingredients can give you a dewy look, but we recommend sticking to this list for the best foundations we’ve tested. Decide what kind of formula you want—liquid, cream, or cushion—and your ideal level of coverage, and go from there. While a few of our picks deliver medium-to-full coverage (like Fenty and TirTir), many dewy foundations tend to be sheer. You can always pair light-coverage dewy foundations with concealer anywhere you need extra coverage.
Remember: Application is just as important as choosing the right formula for you. “Dewy makeup requires skin prep to perform at its ultimate potential,” says Kirin Bhatty, a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City and Los Angeles. “Make sure your skin is hydrated, exfoliated, and primed to ensure your dewy makeup lasts and gives you the results you want.”
Can those with oily skin wear dewy foundation?
The short answer: Yes. If you have oily or combination skin, you have two options for dewy foundation. The first is picking a formula designed for all-day wear, like Fenty Beauty’s Soft’Lit. You can also pair it with products that absorb oil and extend the wear time of your foundation. “People with oily skin can definitely wear dewy foundation, but the secret to wearing it well is utilizing things like a mattifying primer to make sure that your skin doesn’t eat your makeup,” says Bhatty. “This will also ensure that you glow in the places that you want to glow and stay matte where you need to be matte.” Used as a base layer, a mattifying primer won’t cancel out the dewy finish of your foundation. “It will just extend the wear,” she explains.
What is the best long-lasting foundation with a dewy finish?
The dewy foundations with the best wear time on our list are e.l.f. Soft Glam Satin Foundation, Nars Light Reflecting Foundation, Fenty Beauty Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Longwear Foundation, and Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation.
That said, you can extend the wear time of any dewy foundation with makeup primer. “I often use a hybrid of primers like a mattifying primer on the nose, forehead, and chin and a hydrating primer everywhere else,” says Bhatty. If you have oily skin, stick to a mattifying primer on your entire face.
Robinson says skin prep is also key to ensuring your dewy foundation wears longer. “A gentle cleanser will remove any residual dirt and oil,” he says. “Then I recommend using a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin.” These two steps will help create a smoother base for your foundation. Before you apply your makeup, finish with a moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. If you have dry or dehydrated skin, this will also prevent your foundation from clinging to dry patches.
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best dewy foundations, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, cosmetic chemists, and professional makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Get the 4-1-1 on even more glowy products for dewy devotees:
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.allure.com