Despite having a fairly rigorous skin care regime, I prefer to keep my makeup game on the low-maintenance side. Barring big events or a glam night out, it’s rare to see me sporting more than the bare minimum: I’m simply not trading precious sleep time for primping. That said, I’m certainly not stepping outside the house with my skin looking anything less than ethereal, which is where a stick foundation comes in extra handy.
Stick foundations are convenient and incredibly easy to use, even for makeup newbies. Below, I’ve rounded up a few of the best stick foundations available. For the most part, they have expansive shade ranges that provide a variety of options for all skin tones. We also included some options that offer comparatively fewer shades but remain popular with customers.
ILIA Beauty Skin Rewind Complexion Stick
Combining skin care with makeup, this Complexion Stick from ILIA provides buildable coverage that actually nourishes your skin while wearing it. There are 42 available shades, all packed with a ceramide-peptide complex, winged kelp extract and butterfly lavender extract.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish foundation stick
One of my personal favorites, Hourglass' foundation stick has a lovely full-coverage finish that is perfect for special occasions or those who simply prefer a more even look. I often use it just as a concealer or spot treatment, and even when I want a full face of coverage, a little goes a long way, making it worth the investment. It is available in 32 shades, has a weightless waterproof formula that lasts all day long and couldn't be easier to apply.
Merit Beauty The Minimalist perfecting complexion stick
Westman Atelier Vital Skin full coverage foundation and concealer stick
I've been itching to get my hands on Westman Atelier's foundation and concealer stick. It's a high-quality, ultra-luxe foundation that gives skin a clean, natural and glowy finish. It provides medium coverage and is available in 21 shades.
Nudestix Nudies tinted blur stick
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover stick foundation
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation stick
This five-in-one stick foundation from Lancome has a built-in kabuki brush for easy blending on the go. It's long-lasting, lighweight and has a seamless and lightweight silky texture. Conceal, contour, cover, highlight and blend. It's available in 22 shades.
Bobbi Brown Skin foundation stick
Stick Versus Liquid Foundations
As opposed to liquid foundations, stick foundations have a slightly thicker, creamy consistency that easily blends and is highly versatile. They can be used for full face coverage or as a concealer if you only need a bit of a touch-up on small areas, like when you want to cover up pimples or random patchy redness.
I find that stick foundations have a more natural-looking finish and are easier to layer on if you want more coverage in certain areas, making it possible to customize your glow and matte levels. You can use a small amount of well-blended and sheered-out stick foundation one day for minimal, dewy coverage, and add a bit more of the same foundation another day for a thicker, matte finish.