What Is Melasma?
Melasma is a type of hyperpigmentation that develops brown or dark-greyish patches/spots on the skin. These discolored patches are harmless and are also known as pregnancy patches as they are common amongst pregnant women. Other reasons that cause melasma are constant exposure to UV light, sun rays, or it can also occur due to genetic predisposition or hormonal changes too. But don’t let those dark spots get to you! Get ready to conceal them as we’ve rounded up some top and well-loved choices on the market for you. Check out our list of 10 best foundations for melasma below.
10 Best Foundations For Melasma For Spotless Radiance!
1. Best Sweat-Resistant:L’Oreal Paris Infallible Up To 24 Hour Fresh Wear Foundation – 511 Maple
With medium-to-full buildable coverage, here’s a light, natural, and breathable foundation that’ll stay put for up to 24 hours! The texture is ultra-thin and blends seamlessly to impart a second-skin-like matte finish. So, if you are going for a healthy-looking complexion, this one is an ideal makeup product to cover dark spots or melasma and leave a radiant glow. Besides this, its broad-spectrum SPF 25 will protect your skin from harmful UV and sun rays too. Check out this review for a detailed understanding about the product. Pros
Sweat-resistant Water-resistant Transfer-resistant Non-comedogenic Available in 40 shades Suitable for all skin types
Cons
Some may find the formula slightly heavy
2. Best Non-Comedogenic:Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact Makeup Foundation – 40/Nude
Light as a powder and smooth as a cream, this compact makeup for melasma is ideal for quick touch-ups and coverage for a few hours. Non-greasy and easy to blend, the foundation offers skin-nourishing and antioxidant protection with ingredients such as vitamin A, B5, C, and E. However, what makes this compact a must-try if you step outdoors often is the powerful UVA/UVB protection it guarantees! Formulated with Neutrogena Helioplex technology, the foundation protects with broad-spectrum SPF 55, the strongest ever in a compact. Give it a try! This video review will help you understand more about the product. Pros
Natural finish Non-comedogenic Buildable coverage Silky-creamy texture Prevents skin damage Dermatologist-tested
Cons
May not offer long-lasting wear
3. Best Transfer-Proof:Smashbox Studio Skin 24hr Hydra Foundation – 2.15
Apply once, and forget about touch-ups for the rest of the day! Smashbox Studio’s hydrating and oil-free foundation is all you need for a spotless and radiant look. It lasts for up to 24 hours while controlling oil and shine, and this extra-long wear foundation does not oxidize. It has a smooth and velvety texture that turns matte upon drying and will correct uneven skin tone without settling into fine lines or open pores. Infused with hyaluronic acid, it keeps the skin hydrated while fighting the signs of again. Ideal for covering melasma, dark spots, acne scars, and more, its medium-to-full buildable coverage will make your wow out loud for its super-concealing effects. If you are still unsure, check out this honest review. Pros
Transfer-proof Sweat-resistant Humidity-resistant Healthy-looking complexion Available in 40 shades Suitable for mature skin
Cons
Slightly expensive
4. Best Vegan:Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation – 48 Light
Infused with optimized-coated pigments, this foundation is known for its legendary full coverage and flawless skin. An ideal foundation to cover melasma, dark circles, birthmarks, and even tattoos, watch it conceal it all in just one droplet! Its lock-in feature will keep the foundation intact all day without touch-ups. So, if you are dealing with hyperpigmentation, this foundation is all you need to go back to your glam makeup days. Pros
Vegan Cruelty-free Blends easily Intense color payoff Transfer-resistant Available in 44 shades
Cons
Slightly expensive
5. Best Natural Finish:Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup – 1n3 Creamy Vanilla
Estee Lauder’s camouflage makeup foundation may be slightly heavy on the pockets, but its imperfection-hiding coverage totally makes up for it. With 30% pigment, the liquid-crème texture will conceal hyperpigmentation, sun spots, scars, veins, and even tattoos flawlessly like they were never there! Enriched with natural ingredients like soybean oil and aloe leaf extract, the foundation keeps the skin moisturized throughout the day and keeps it protected from environmental aggressors. It also protects the skin with broad-spectrum SPF 15 and will stay intact without touch-ups for up to 24 hours. A great full-coverage foundation for people with melasma, give it a try to enjoy a flawless matte look all day. Pros
Soothing matte foundation Waterproof Natural-looking Non-comedogenic Dermatologist-tested
Cons
Expensive
6. Best Matte Finish:BareMinerals BarePro 24HR Performance Wear Liquid Foundation – Natural
Here’s a foundation that’ll cover up skin imperfections and care for your skin, all at the same time. Formulated with mineral lock long-wear technology, it keeps the foundation intact for 24 hours. The creamy liquid contains bamboo stem extracts and papaya enzymes to improve the skin’s texture. High on performance, breathable, and delivering a flawless full coverage, it blurs out imperfections such as melasma, scars, sunspots, and more effortlessly. It provides adequate protection with SPF 20 and is also heat, humidity, and sweat-resistant. And that’s not all; the formula is safe for your skin and free from harsh chemicals such as talc, gluten, parabens, synthetic fragrances, tree nuts, and SLS. Still, want to skip it? Pros
Vegan Cruelty-free Non-comedogenic Natural matte finish Water and transfer-resistant Available in 35 true-to-color shades Contains mineral sunscreen
Cons
Some users found that it dried quicker than expected
7. Best Creamy Formula:Clinique Even Better Makeu SPF 15 Foundation – CN 74 Beige
One of the best dermatologist-tested brands, this foundation by Clinique will cover up and reduce stubborn age spots, sun spots, and scars in 12 weeks. Now, that’s something worth trying, right! Loaded with natural ingredients like birch bark extract, grapefruit peel extract, murumuru seed butter, and yeast extract, the foundation will stay true-to-color on the skin, brighten your complexion, hydrate intensely, and protect with SPF 15. Safe and healthy for your skin, it’s also free from harsh chemicals such as denatured alcohol, gluten, talc, SLS, and synthetic colors. Pros
Creamy formula Flawless natural finish Humidity-resistant Sweat-resistant 24-hour long wear Available in 56 shades Suitable for dry, combination, and oily skin
Cons
May look cakey after several hours
8. Best For All Skin Types:MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation -Y245 Soft Sand
Why should you try this Ultra HD invisible Cover Foundation? Because its finish is undetectable, imperfection-hiding, and intensely hydrating! The foundation blurs blemishes, melasma, and other imperfections to leave a skin-like natural-looking glow. Its medium coverage is buildable to suit your concealing needs, and its weightless formula contains adaptive pigments that fuse with your complexion to leave a flawless finish. Besides this, it contains hyaluronic acid that hydrates and improves texture while you flaunt your selfie-worthy look all day. Pros
Transfer-proof 24-hour wear Superior blendability Available in 50 shades Skin fusion technology Suitable for all skin types
Cons
Contains fragrance
9. Best Luminous Finish:Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect Foundation – Golden Beige
Are you still using a filter to erase blemishes in every selfie you take? Conceal them on your skin with this full-coverage foundation instead. Revlon’s stunning airbrushed effect will leave your skin poreless, blemish-free, and photo-ready with its undetectable finish. The texture has soft-focus pigments that use revolutionary light-filtering technology to erase the imperfections under the light and give your skin a natural and radiant glow. Don’t believe us? Give it a try, and get ready for close-ups with this one! Pros
Creamy formula Luminous finish High-resolution color SPF 20 sun protection Medium to full coverage
Cons
Not available in too many shades
10. Best Lightweight:La Bella Donna Compressed Mineral Foundation – Marta
If you are dealing with acne or redness, this mineral foundation will be a blessing in disguise owing to its skin-loving and coverage benefits. It contains mineral components that counter stubborn acne and reduce swelling, redness, melasma, allergies, and rosacea. And in addition to that, the compact foundation has jojoba ester and kaolin clay to deliver the stunning matte look that hydrates internally. Suitable for sensitive skin along with oily and dry skin types, it is also free from harmful chemicals such as alcohol, fragrance, oil, talc, and synthetic dyes. Pros
Lightweight Travel-friendly Natural coverage Can be used dry or wet
Cons
Expensive
Now, are you ready to cover up and glow, gorgeous? There you go, those were the 10 best foundations for melasma that you must try for a spotless and radiant look. And if you are still wondering how to pick the best foundation or apply it, we have some tips and tricks for you in our buying guide below.
How To Choose The Best Foundation For Melasma?
Look out for the following features before buying the product:
Skin tone
Pick one shade lighter than the dark spots or discolored areas for good coverage. Never choose a shade similar to the melasma or dark patches, or else your overall makeup will end up looking darker rather than natural. And if you’ve never bought a foundation online, choose a shade closest to your undertones (warm, cool, or neutral) for the best experience.
Skin type
It’s a given that the foundation should be suitable for your skin type. Besides this, you must scrutinize the ingredients list to know what you are applying to your skin. Active ingredients such as vitamin E and hyaluronic acid are great for hydration, whereas mineral-based foundations are ideal for acne-prone skin. Besides this, look for ingredients that should not be in your foundation, such as paraben, sulfates, talc, gluten, synthetic fragrances, and more that can be harmful to your skin.
Texture
For good coverage, you must pick the right texture. Powder foundations have a light texture that is buildable and may provide sheer-to-moderate coverage. They are great for touch-ups and concealing imperfections for a few hours. Liquid foundations provide moderate-to-full coverage, are buildable, and ideal for all skin types. Cream foundations are highly pigmented and deliver a stunning full-coverage look, but they are suitable for dry to normal skin types.
How To Conceal Melasma With Makeup?
When it comes to melasma and hyperpigmentation, good coverage is imperative. Here are some makeup steps that you can follow:
Start with your daily skincare routine — washing, toning, moisturizing, and sunscreen. You can skip the sunscreen if your foundation is SPF-based. Prep your skin with a primer to create a smooth base for the foundation. Use an applicator of your choice depending on the finish you want (for example, sponge blender for a natural finish or stifling brush for optimal coverage) Begin with a small amount of foundation and dab on the areas that need coverage. To avoid a heavy or cakey feeling, start with a thin layer, then build it up later if you need more coverage. Blend the foundation outwards, especially the edges, for an even and smooth look Lastly, finish the makeup look with a setting or loose powder for a long-lasting stay.
Why Trust Stylecraze?
The author of this article, Chaitra Krishnan, is an avid makeup enthusiast. She understands that skin conditions like melasma require much more effective makeup products. In this article, she lists the best foundations to use on your skin if you have melasma. She spent many hours checking out each of these products and vetting their reviews to bring you the best and most effective foundations. These products offer good coverage, smooth texture, SPF protection, and more. What causes melasma? Melasma is a common type of hyperpigmentation common amongst pregnant women. However, it can occur due to hormonal changes, genetic disposition, or extreme exposure to harmful sun rays or ultraviolet lights. How do you get rid of melasma? There is no medical treatment as such to get rid of melasma. However, you may see a difference if you follow a good skincare routine and use a powerful sunscreen to keep the melasma from worsening. There are topical skin creams and laser treatments that help in the reduction of the appearance of melasma, but the results may vary. Hence, many women turn to a good and full-coverage foundation for temporary relief. What color makeup can cover melasma? Peach color concealer is highly effective in canceling and hiding brown melasma patches. How can I cover melasma without foundation? • Apply a peach-colored concealer to the melasma spots. • Use a high-coverage pressed powder to set the concealer and cover the spots. Does vitamin C help with melasma? Yes, vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant that effectively treats melasma naturally. It inhibits tyrosinase, which produces melanin in the skin. Will melasma ever go away? Yes. Although no definite treatment exists to remove and control melasma, it can fade away naturally with time if you protect the skin from the sun and other light sources.
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