10 best stick foundations for sheer, medium and full coverage

Best: Overall

Rating: 10/10

Despite being billed as high coverage, the reason we loved this foundation stick was because of its blendability. It has such a creamy formula that you can use the bare minimum and it’ll just melt beautifully into skin, and despite supposedly having a matte finish, we found it actually had more of a radiant glow. But if you do prefer a heavier finish, whether in certain places or all over, you can easily build it up while still being confident that your skin will still look like skin rather than being cakey.

The longevity of it was seriously impressive too; there were zero touch-ups required throughout the day and we found that it didn’t move around either, not even under a face mask. It does have an in-built kabuki brush which could be useful if you’re applying on the move, but we preferred to use our regular foundation brush for ease. Plus, it’s available in 22 shades.

Best: For shade range

Rating: 9/10

We striped this super creamy stick directly onto our cheeks, forehead and across the chin before blending it out and over the nose with a foundation brush. It was really easy to stipple in and we found it melted into skin like a liquid formula. It’s not at all drying or matte, and it leaves a natural-looking dewy finish which we were a big fan of.

Available in 42 shades (which, yes, we had to double and then triple check to make sure we hadn’t miscounted) – which is amongst the most impressive available out of all the foundation sticks we tested – it lasted well throughout the day and only required really minimal touch-ups around the nose and mouth. Our one tip? Always remember to twist the product back down before trying to force the lid back on. We learnt the hard way.

Best: Value

Rating: 9/10

Call us cynical, but judging by the price of this we didn’t expect much at all, but in actual fact this was our second favourite foundation stick of the bunch, only narrowly pipped to the post by Lancome simply because there were a few more shades available (Revolution has 18, Lancome has 22). We found that a little bit of the incredibly creamy formula goes a long way, and it was a joy to blend into skin with a foundation brush. It really worked to help even everything out and perfect without ever looking or feeling too heavy.

It lasted really well, and didn’t require any top-ups during the day, nor did it cling to any dry patches. It was comfortable to wear, and all our usual cream-based products applied well on top of it. We reckon this one is definitely worth a try if you’re in the market for a new foundation but don’t want to spend a fortune.

Best: For oily skin

Rating: 7/10

This one’s formula is definitely more on the dry side compared to others we tested, and because of that, we think it’s more suited to those with oilier skin. It comes with an in-built application sponge on one end, and at first, we tried to use that to blend the product in, but found it easier when we switched to our regular foundation brush. While we only tried it as an all-over foundation, it’s also suitable to use as a targeted concealer or, if you buy it in darker shades, you can also use it to contour.

The overall finish was nice – it wasn’t too matte but it wasn’t too dewy, either. It just appeared to look like skin, and we liked that it didn’t feel like we were wearing a mask, but it covered imperfections and small blemishes well and didn’t look heavy in the sli ghtest. However, it would probably be harder to layer up just because the formula didn’t seem to blend quite as easily as some. Available in 16 shades, this one also falls on the affordable side of the spectrum.

Best: For dry skin

Rating: 8.5/10

At first, we thought this formula was a bit too drying but once it had warmed up on our skin a little bit it actually turned out to be super blendable and extra creamy – it felt entirely weightless on the skin but perfectly evened out our skin tone. We were impressed by the sheer amount of pigment that’s packed into this stick, too, along with how little product was needed to cover our full face. However, if you prefer fuller coverage you can amp this up as much as you like, it’s just a case of adjusting the application technique – plus, thanks to the vast range of shade options (there are 32 in total), it could also be used as a contour stick if you wanted.

We especially liked that it’s billed as a foundation, concealer and powder in one and that the formula is waterproof – plus it worked well to cover dark circles and the few blemishes we had. It claims to have 12 hour wear, and that’s something we can definitely attest to; it didn’t move, fade or disappear throughout the day.

Best: For multi-use

Rating: 7/10

Upon initial application, the formula felt satisfyingly creamy and it was easy enough to blend out, but ironically it made our skin feel dry while we were wearing it. In future, we’d probably apply a moisturising primer or cream pre-application to help negate that issue – but despite that, it did last well and it had a nice satin finish that was neither too matte nor too dewy.

This stick can also be used as a concealer and contour stick, too, but we felt slightly disappointed by the lack of shade range – while there are 20 available, to us that felt a little unjust especially when Fenty Beauty has an impressive 60+ shades available in its liquid foundation line up. However, brownie points should go to the magnetic packaging which is super clever and innovative, and makes travelling with this and other magnetised products in the range even easier.

In terms of longevity, this stick did actually last fairly well – it only needed a minimal amount of touch-ups and it felt lightweight on skin.

Best: For buildable coverage

Rating: 7.5/10

While this loses points for only having 12 different shades, it regains a few of those because of the in-built SPF20; and while you should always be wearing a separate sunscreen (with at least SPF30), that extra protection gained from this is worthwhile.

Lightweight, blendable and buildable for natural-looking coverage, we found it never looked too heavy or cakey, meaning you can apply as much or as little as you like. It was also supremely long-wearing, and unlike some long-wear foundations, it remained feeling breathable the whole day. However, we would recommend applying a light but hydrating moisturiser underneath to add a bit of extra moisture to skin, especially if yours is more prone to dryness.

Best: For hydration

Rating: 8/10

This is by far the most hydrating formula we tried, and it gave an extremely good glowy finish which we loved (even when powder was applied over the top the radiance still shone through). The water-based formula is entirely vegan and combines all the moisture-giving benefits of the brand’s best-selling complexion rescue tinted moisturiser, but this stick has a slightly heavier, buildable coverage yet still feels lightweight on skin. It’s super creamy and melted into skin effortlessly and seamlessly.

It lasted relatively well, although a few touch-ups were needed throughout the day (but that could also have been a combination of the delightful wind and rain we encountered). We also liked the fact that it’s formulated with mineral sunscreen for extra added protection – although, despite being SPF25, we would still recommend wearing a separate sunscreen underneath.

Best: For full coverage

Rating: 8.5/10

In true Huda Beauty style, this foundation stick formula was the one we found easiest to seamlessly layer up in order to create a super full coverage finish. The lightweight formula – which is much lighter than we initially expected from Huda, who’s known for her Instagram-inspired makeup looks – blended nicely, and it’s also worth noting that if you do prefer a more sheer finish, you shouldn’t necessarily disregard this one straight away as, from our experience, it really can deliver any sort of coverage level.

It’s long-wearing, too, but doesn’t feel drying despite also being waterproof, humidity and sweat-resistant – instead, it actually felt quite hydrating on the skin. It did need a little bit of touching up, especially the nose and mouth areas, but that wasn’t a problem. We actually preferred this formula to Huda Beauty’s #fauxfilter liquid foundation, not just because the stick version is fragrance-free, but we found it created a more flattering, skin-like finish in comparison.

Best: For a natural finish

Rating: 9/10

Available in a seriously impressive 43 shades – the most out of every foundation stick that we tried – this Bobbi Brown foundation stick boasts “real skin coverage” and that’s something we can attest to. Easy to swipe on, it gives long-lasting medium-weight coverage that can be layered to create to full coverage if you prefer.

It’s formulated with a skin-friendly, hydration-boosting blend of shea butter and olive extract, but there’s no need to worry if you think that sounds too heavy for your skin; we actually found they made the product itself creamy, blendable and moisturising. It really works to even out the appearance of skin, and its wear time is impressive, too. A little bit goes a long way and it was easy to blend out with a foundation brush, however, it does leave a fairly dewy finish so we had to use quite a bit of powder, although if anything that just helped extend the life of it – as proven by the fact it didn’t require any topping up while we were out and about.