Best Foundation For Melasma
Melasma is a skin condition that causes the darkening of the skin. It presents as brown or grey-brown patches typically on the cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin. While some are genetically disposed to melasma, many seem to acquire the condition during and after pregnancy.
This condition, although not life-threatening, can be alarming and overwhelming to manage, and knowing which products to use to cover up is a great step in overcoming the challenge.
If you or someone you know is currently struggling with hyperpigmentation and are wondering what you should buy to cover up, read on, this article covers 15 of the best foundation for Melasma.
Best Drugstore Foundation for Melasma
This L’Oréal foundation is a godsend for both your bank account and your skin. With medium to full blendable and buildable coverage, it has no problem concealing, hiding, and blurring all evidence of Melsam, and what’s more, is breathable and lightweight enough to wear for up to 12 hours.
A great choice if you have oily skin, it’s hypoallergenic and oil-free ensuring your skin stays perfectly smooth and toned without worrying about breakouts.
High in SPF, it acts as a protective barrier against the sun ensuring your skin is nourished and protected at all times.
Key Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Dimethicone, Isododecane
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Best Splurge foundation for Melasma
Don’t be put off by the hefty price tag as this outstanding foundation from MUA Pat McGrath is worth every cent.
This high coverage formula is long-wearing, comfortable, and provides you with a breathtaking radiant finish.
It’s lightweight and breathable making your skin feel like a newborn baby’s and its added skincare benefits Vita-serum Complex - pampers your skin from the inside out.
Formulated with amino acid pigments, you’re able to build up coverage as desired and the Diamond Core Powder technology visibility blurs and smoothes fine lines, discoloration, and wrinkles
Key Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane
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3. Tarte SEA Hydroflex™ Serum Foundation
Best Foundation for Dry skin Melasma sufferers
IF you suffer from dry and hydrated melasma-laden skin then the Tarte Sea Hydroflex Serum Foundation will change your life.
It provides light to medium coverage and a natural overall finish that makes your skin look glowing, even and viability brightened.
Part skincare and foundation, this product delivers instant results and hydrates even the most parched skin for up to 12 hours and its unique Hydroflex Technology ensures that your foundation never creases or cakes. You’ll see dramatic results and will enjoy a pore, line, and wrinkle-free complexion.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide
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4. Dermablend Smooth Liquid Camo Foundation
Best Foundation for Sensitive Skin
If you battle with both sensitive skin and Melasma, finding the right foundation that both hides and doesn’t cause breakouts can take some effort.
Consider trying out the Dramblend Smooth Liquid Camo Foundation. The formula provides a pleasant matte finish and is highly buildable to suit the required level of coverage you desire.
Its patented Camp-pigment technology ensures that you’ll have up to 16 hours of transfer and fade-proof wear that will disguise hyperpigmentation, scars, birthmarks, and more.
As an added benefit you’ll enjoy SPF protection 25 to help guard against UVA and UVB damage.
Key Ingredients: Tridecane, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol
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5. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation
This groundbreaking foundation is garnering up huge fanfare and rave reviews. It’s a skin-care meets makeup foundation hybrid skincare-foundation that contains Magic REPLEXIUM® which helps to instantly reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Ultra-hydrating and lightweight, this foundation offers excellent coverage and is waterproof, sweatproof, and transfer-resistant making it a perfect choice for the girl (or guy) on the move.
You’ll benefit from a gorgeously glowing, pore-free, and even complexion set to boost your confidence to new heights.
Key Ingredients: Replexium and MossCellTec™
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6. Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation
If your skin type falls on the oily side and you desire a matte look that stays put all day then Milk Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation is the best choice.
The product comes complete with a nifty applicator and is free of all oil and silicone to prevent breakouts. Its water-based formula gives you dramatic coverage in a single swipe while its lightweight and breathable feel hides scars, pigmentation, and acne.
For skin that’s literally pore-less, is ultra-soft, and completely even then go ahead and use the Milk foundation to achieve a radiant glow.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E and Bilberry Extract
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7. Estee Lauder Doubleware Maximum Cover Camouflage Cream
Best overall Foundation for Melasma
This is probably one of Estee Lauder’s most iconic and well-loved products. This thick and highly pigmented foundation is perfect for those who suffer from severe discoloration.
A little goes a long way and most discoloration can be disguised with a single swipe of this foundation.
This soothing liquid-creme foundation conceals all skin imperfections, including surgical and acne scars, birthmarks, tattoos, sun spots, and even varicose veins. With added SPF 15 enjoy 12-hour wear that’s comfortable, non-transferable, and a complexion that stays put.
Key Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate
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8. FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Powder Foundation
Best Powder Foundation for Melasma
Fenty is carving out a huge name for itself in the world of makeup thanks to their high quality and naturally derived products. Their powder foundation is an excellent choice for Melasma suffers as it provides a non-cakey yet blurred finish sans flashback. Coverage is buildable placing you in full control in terms of how much to apply and it’s also sweatproof, crease-resistant, and long-wearing.
Key Ingredients:Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Kaolin, Isoamyl Laurate
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9. NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation
Best Foundation for Combination Skin
The Nars Natural Longwear Foundation is Available in whopping 34 skin-matching shades that can fit almost any skin tone and undertone.
Its unique formula duplicates your natural skin tone and adjusts accordingly to give you the best possible match. Its sweat and transfer resistant and does not oxidize or fade throughout the day allowing your skin to look perfect regardless of the weather or season.
Free of sulfates parabens, formaldehyde, and formaldehyde-releasing agents it’s a good choice for those who are wary of chemicals
Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, Water, Phenyl Trimethicone
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10. KVD Beauty Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Hydrating Foundation Balm
The foundation that has literally gone viral and taken the world by storm. This exceptionally well-crafted formula is infused with apple extract to soothe and hydrate while the non-comedogenic foundation eliminates large pores, smooth skins and provides a full coverage finish that’s dewy.
Promising a no-cake finish that’s free of flashback this formula will instantly cover even the most severe melasma which will give you an instant confidence boost.
What’s more is that the product is free of parabens, sulfates and is good for the planet in that its innovative packaging is free of magnets, metals, and glass making it fully recyclable.
Key Ingredients: Apple extract
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11. TOM FORD Traceless Foundation Stick
Best Melasma Foundation for Combination skin
If this product has you questioning whether or not to sell a kidney to achieve the perfect skin, off the bat, is an exceptionally high-quality product brimming with high-end ingredients.
The big price tag is indeed worth it as many claims this miracle product has helped them to live with their melasma thanks to its outstanding results.
This portable stick is incredibly versatile and provides a sheer to medium or full coverage that’s virtually undetectable and ultra-natural. You can use it as a foundation or concealer and it y yields instant results in eliminating all traces of discoloration from your skin.
You’ll have a glowing and flawless complexion that’s both comfortable and intensely hydrated.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
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12. Dior BACKSTAGE Face & Body Foundation
If you wish to achieve a flawless face and body then the Dior Backstage Foundation comes highly recommended. Its waterproof and lightweight formula can withstand high temperatures and humidity giving you an even, radiant complexion.
Free from sulfates and parabens among others, its active mineral oil helps to keep skin hydrated without breaking you out.
With Dior, you’re able to camouflage imperfections all over your body whether they be on your legs, neck,and shoulders.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin Complex
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What is the best way to color correct melasma?
Color correcting is a great way to disguise melasma but can be a time-consuming task. Although there are plenty of color-correcting cosmetics on the market, most don’t have time to complete a seven-step makeup routine on a daily. A great full coverage foundation is the best and most efficient way to quickly and evenly hide all traces of hyperpigmentation.
Best products to treat melasma.
Products that contain Hydroquinone- a skin-lightening work well because they inhibit the skin's pigment-producing cells. Look for products that contain this ingredient to help combat melasma.
Causes and risk factors of melasma
Pregnancy, birth control pills, and hormone therapy are all factors that can trigger melasma. Other causes like stress and thyroid disorders are also contributing factors as well as prolonged exposure to UVA rays which affect the pigment cells within the skin.
Is melasma permanent?
Depending on the individual, melasma might resolve and go away on its own. It could also worsen and become a permanent fixture in your life. However, which ever-way, Melasma can be treated and concealed, and looking after your skin properly and protecting it from the sun will aid your overall skin health.
Wrap Up
If you’re looking for that one special holy grail product, the reviews speak volumes.
Estée Lauder's super popular Double Wear foundation is a true icon and trailblazer in its class given its budge-proof formula that works well with all skin types. This foundation is incredibly buildable and blendable and with a whopping 60 shades, you’ll be sure to find your perfect match.
In terms of value for money, Estee Lauder ticks all the boxes. A little goes a really long way and a single tube will last you a very long time.
As a go-to item for both MUA’s and celebrities alike, you won’t go wrong with Estee Lauders Double Wear and it will definitely help you to conceal and disguise even the darkest and most uneven skin tones.
