Our Fave Liquid Foundations Under $30
If you've listened to our podcast, you'd know by now that I'm a self-proclaimed bougie b*tch. I love my expensive skincare and my $110 crystal water bottle, but I'm also a sucker for a bargain foundation.
Affordable brands are improving their formulas day by day, so the image of me orange-faced with cakey foundation on at my Year 10 formal is no longer necessarily synonymous with a $20 foundation (although if that Dream Matte Mousse still exists, I'm triggered).
In fact, when I discovered the Designer Brands Hydrating Luminous Foundation, it quickly became a staple in my foundation rotation (I made that concept up). It closely mimics the finish of my favourite luxe foundation, and the light to medium coverage is exactly what I look for in a foundation.
But how do you pick a winner on a budget? I've picked out my top recommendations below.
Designer Brands Hydrating Luminous Foundation
As I said, I bloody love this foundation, especially given it's $19.99 price tag. It's got a reasonably versatile shade range, and just creates the most beautifully dewy, radiant complexion. I'd recommend it for normal to dry skin types, it's probably too dewy for oilier skins - and it has a light to medium coverage with hydrating ingredients. Oh, and it's curelty-free and vegan-friendly.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation
This super lightweight foundation has a serum feel (as the name suggests) and comes in 21 shades. At a ridiculously cheap price of $12.70, you can't go past this one for a medium coverage, semi-matte finish. It pairs really well with The Ordinary's primers, and reviewers liken it to a BB cream.
L'Oreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation
40 shades! This cult classic has been around since I can remember, and now comes in an extensive variety of shades from very fair to deep skin tones. This super-blendable liquid foundation has been designed to adjust to different skin textures, hiding imperfections with its fine, creamy texture. It's also oil-free and non-comedogenic.
Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation
Another one with a great shade range, but this one is particularly for oilier skin types. The liquid formula features micropowders to control shine and blur the appreance of enlarged pores. It offers medium to full coverage, with a mattifying finish that'll last up to 6 hours without shine. It's also non-comedogenic and oil-free which is a bonus for blemish-prone skin types.
