The Best Mineral Foundations For Natural and Healthy Coverage

Best Mineral Foundations

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If you’ve noticed, the more we diversify something, the more we end up going back to basics. As consumers, we’re more educated about the ingredients than ever! That means we know about the harsh chemicals, additives, fragrances, and irritants in makeup products. That’s why, in spite of the several full-coverage, water-proof, and flawless finish foundations out there, most of us are in search of something simple, clean, and natural. That’s how the best mineral foundations rose to the occasion.

Mineral foundations consist of grounded minerals. The most common ones are titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and mica. As your foundation plays an important role in your overall makeup, the skin benefits of a mineral foundation are too good to ignore.

Mineral foundations don’t contain harsh chemicals, preservatives, fragrances, mineral oils, or alcohol. So, they usually don’t cause breakouts or irritation. They feel and look light and natural.

These benefits make mineral foundations highly convenient for a lot of people. People who prefer clean beauty, people who have acne-prone skin, people with mature skin, and rosacea sufferers are the ones who would benefit from mineral foundations the most.

How To Choose a Mineral Foundation

Below are things to keep in mind before buying a mineral foundation.

Decide if you want a mineral foundation or a foundation that contains minerals. There’s a big difference between mineral foundations and minerally-enriched foundations. The two are not the same thing.

Remember that loose powder is the original form of mineral makeup. That’s the optimum formulation to make sure your foundation qualifies as a mineral one.

Liquid, stick, or compressed mineral foundations require preservatives to maintain that consistency. And that may cause the foundation to stray away from a mineral foundation towards a regular foundation. This is all up to you and your personal choice. But it’s something to keep in mind.

Even though mineral makeup is good for the skin, you can’t rely on it to care for your skin. The best they can do is not irritate your skin. They can’t treat acne or sensitivity.

Mineral makeup has a lot of ambiguity around it. Sadly, it’s up to the consumer to make sure the products are safe. But the only downside to mineral makeup is that sometimes you sacrifice coverage for the sake of clean makeup.

Again, it’s all up to you. But if you’re into mineral makeup only because of skincare benefits, know that you have other options. You can try CC, BB creams, and tinted moisturizers that are good for your skin and more affordable.

The Best Mineral Foundations

Whether you have oily skin or dry skin, find below the best mineral foundations for natural makeup.

1. Bare Minerals Original Loose Powder Foundation

Best Mineral Foundation For Sensitive Skin

Bare Minerals Original Loose Powder Foundation - Best Mineral Foundation

This iconic powder foundation has one of the shortest ingredient lists in the history of makeup. 2 of them provide sun protection, and the rest of the minerals are what give your foundation that soft feel and radiant finish. The refreshingly clean foundation has a surprising number of shades too.

It’s the ideal foundation for people with rosacea, sensitive skin, and acne-prone skin. The coverage is light but can be built up to medium. So if you’re looking for a tried and true formula, this one will not disappoint no matter your skin type.

Coverage: Low/medium
Finish: Natural
Shades: 30
Size: 0.28 oz
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free

2. Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation

Best Mineral Foundation For Oily Skin

Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation - Best Mineral Foundation For Oily Skin

Speaking of acne-prone skin, this compressed foundation is perfect for oily and congested skin that tends to break out often. And it’s all thanks to the addition of clay. Clay is wise to keep in your skincare products if you have oily skin. Because it detoxifies the skin, controls the shine, and absorbs excess oil.

Similarly, in makeup, it prevents the foundation from shining, reduces the visibility of pores, and provides a matte finish. Additionally, the tea plant extract in this foundation is known to increase circulation, helping to even out your skin tone and reduce redness for flawless makeup application. It’s fragrance-free and gives buildable coverage with a matte finish.

Coverage: Low/medium
Finish: Matte
Shades: 20
Size: 0.35 oz
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free

3. L’Oreal True Match Mineral Foundation

Best Drugstore Mineral Foundation

L'Oreal True Match Mineral Foundation - 
Best Drugstore Mineral foundation

Containing some of the most skin-caring minerals, this drugstore mineral foundation is a budget-friendly way to let your skin breathe while looking amazing. It comes with its own brush so you can swirl your way into full coverage.

It’s a long-lasting one that provides a shine-free complexion all day. It’s also safe for sensitive skin as it’s free of fragrance, parabens, mineral oil, and talc. Because of the mineral sunscreen in this one, you can also use it as a sunscreen brush to reapply or amplify your sunscreen over makeup.

Coverage: Low
Finish: Natural
Shades: 12
Size: 0.35 oz
Good To Know: Fragrance-free

4. PUR 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15

Best Mineral Foundation For Aging Skin

PUR 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15

With SPF 15, this is one of the best mineral foundations for those of you who hate layering products. Besides minerals, it has shea butter, retinol, and vitamin E to care for your skin. Even though you can’t rely on those for anti-aging, this one is practically an anti-aging foundation for mature skin. It has a wide color palette both for lighter and darker skin tones.

The foundation is easy to apply and can be used as a concealer under your eyes as well. In that sense, it’s handy for quick touch-ups. You can build it up to medium-high coverage and can cover any blemishes and imperfections on the skin. If you’re interested in diversifying, see our selection of foundation alternatives to get coverage minus the cakey look.

Coverage: Medium
Finish: Natural
Shades: 26
Size: 0.28 oz
Good To Know: Cruelty-free

5. Glo Skin Beauty HD Mineral Foundation Stick

Best Mineral Foundation For High Coverage

Glo Skin Beauty HD Mineral Foundation Stick

Now that the consistency is a little bit thicker, you can expect more coverage. This mineral foundation stick applies like a dream and provides buildable coverage. It leaves the skin looking natural but with a glow from within. The stick loosens up with the heat.

And it simply covers up minor imperfections and gives you an even skin tone. Plus, it has a rich blend of antioxidants to care for the skin. It’s clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and an overall great mineral foundation for people with dry sensitive skin who could use the glow-up.

Coverage: Medium/high
Finish: Natural
Shades: 12
Size: 0.31 oz
Good To Know: Cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free

So these are some of the best mineral foundations out there. Some household names that have been making mineral makeup since forever are the ones that offer the widest shade range. Even though sticking with them is the safest option, things can get pricey. If you’re not ready to splurge, L’Oreal True Match is the one to get started with.

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Read Next: Best Makeup Products For Rosacea

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