No-Breakout Makeup: Non-Comedogenic Foundation Reviews
By: Curology Team
Tags: Makeup Tips, Skincare, Product Reviews, Foundation, Makeup

Whether you buy your makeup at a drugstore, department store, Sephora, or other retailer, it’s important to take a look at what’s in it—lest you end up with breakouts or dry, irritated skin. So we’ve rounded up a bunch of popular foundations, from high-end to inexpensive drugstore brands, to find out which are safe for acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Psst… whether or not high-end foundations are worth the premium is totally up to your personal preference — and depends on the ingredients in each product. High-end makeup products aren’t necessarily “better” for you!

How to find out if a foundation is safe for your skin

Step 1

Head on over to CosDNA.com and search the product name.

Step 2

If it isn’t on there, have the ingredients list handy. The manufacturer’s website should have an ingredients list. Alternatively, you can check makeup resources like MakeupAlley or websites that sell the product, such as Ulta or Sephora.

Step 3

Copy the ingredients, then paste them into the text box under “Analyze Cosmetics,” and click “Analysis.” Look in the “acne” column — if there are any 3’s, 4’s, or 5’s, we’d recommend avoiding it if you have acne-prone skin. If there are only 0’s, 1’s, or 2’s, the product can be used on acne-prone skin, and is considered “non-comedogenic.” We’d also recommend avoiding any products with 3’s, 4’s or 5’s in the irritant column if you have acne (or sensitive skin).

Irritation = Acne

One rule of thumb: avoid foundations and any product that contains denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol actually doesn’t clog pores (it’s non-comedogenic), but it can be very irritating and drying — especially to pimples that are already red and inflamed. Denatured alcohol is rated a “5” under the Irritant column on CosDNA.com. As with the Acne column, we’d recommend avoiding any products with 3’s, 4’s or 5’s in the irritant column if your skin is acne-prone.

A note on foundation with SPF

Some foundations contain SPF—which is great!—but don’t let that fool you. You probably still need to wear sunscreen underneath your makeup. SPF 15 may be enough sun protection for everyday use (like if you’re just going to be indoors at work most of the day), but if you plan to spend any time in the sun, consider wearing sunscreen underneath your foundation. We recommend SPF 30 at least. If your foundation does have SPF 30 or higher, remember that SPF isn’t a one-and-done deal: you need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day for it to keep working.

What’s the deal with mineral makeup?

In general, mineral makeup contains ingredients like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica, iron oxides. Mineral foundation tends to have fewer ingredients, which is a good thing for people with sensitive skin. But if you have oily skin, sometimes the mineral powder combines with oil and can appear caked or clumpy.

Enough preamble—on to the reviews!

High-End Foundations: The Good

Alima Pure Satin Matte Mineral Foundation — $28

Photo Credit: Alima

Light to medium coverage

45 shades

Vegan, nut-free, gluten free, cruelty free (but pricey)

BareMinerals Blemish Rescue Loose Powder Foundation — $29

Photo Credit: bareMinerals

Contains acne-fighting salicylic acid

Powder allows for light yet buildable coverage

bareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 — $31

Photo Credit: bareMinerals

Contains only 5 ingredients

Glo Skin Beauty Pressed Base Foundation — $50

Photo Credit: Glo Skin Beauty

Talc-free

Contains Vitamin C and Vitamin E

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+ — $39

Photo Credit: IT Cosmetics

Great built-in sun protection

Long ingredient list, so maybe avoid if you have sensitive skin (or if you’re a minimalist).

Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation — $36

Photo Credit: Kat Von D

Full-coverage, matte, might need setting powder

Cruelty-free

MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 — $31

Photo Credit: MAC

Medium-to-full coverage

Matte finish

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation — $31

Photo Credit: MAC

Medium coverage

Matte finish

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation — $43

Photo Credit: Make Up For Ever

Buildable pigment to achieve medium-to-full coverage

Natural, skin-like finish

PÜR 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15 — $29.50

Photo Credit: PÜR Cosmetics

Long-lasting, matte finish

Built-in SPF

Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation — $40

Photo Credit: Urban Decay

Full coverage with a matte finish

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup — $40

Photo Credit: Urban Decay

Lightweight feel, per its name!

Drugstore Foundations: The Good

e.l.f. Acne Fighting Foundation — $6

Photo Credit: e.l.f.

Contains salicylic acid (BHA) to combat acne while wearing makeup

Vegan and cruelty-free

e.l.f. BB Cream SPF 20 — $6

Photo Credit: e.l.f.

Reviews mention it does leave a sheen/glow, probably not ideal for oily skin

La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur — $29.99

Photo Credit: La Roche-Posay

Only has 10 ingredients (most foundations have 20-30!)

SPF 20

Maybelline Fit Me Dewy + Smooth Foundation — $7.99

Photo Credit: Maybelline

Formulated for normal to dry skin

Mineral Fusion Pressed Powder Foundation — $32.99

Photo Credit: Mineral Fusion

Vitamins C and E for antioxidant protection against free radical damage

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free All-in-1 Cushion Foundation — $16.59

Photo Credit: Walgreens

Great if you have a talc allergy!

SPF 50

L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup — $10.95

Photo Credit: Wal-Mart

Wide range of shades to match skin color and undertone (cool vs. warm)

SPF 17

The Not-So-Good

A few ingredients to avoid — some of these can be irritating/drying for inflamed acne or irritation-prone skin. If you have a foundation with these ingredients and your skin feels irritated, you may want to stop using it!

Myristic acid

Denatured alcohol

Algin

Polyglyceryl-3-Diisostearate

Isopropyl Palmitate

Potassium chloride

Isostearyl Neopentanoate (an emollient that can clog pores)

Clogged pores, nasty breakouts, irritation, and redness can result from using foundations with any of the ingredients listed above. If you’re trying to recover from a foundation that did you dirty, Curology has your back with dermatology providers and a custom prescription cream to help restore your skin back to health.

Makeup breakup

We know it isn’t easy to choose a foundation that checks all the boxes: the right texture, color, consistency, finish (matte or glowy?), and safe ingredients. But take it from the experts: the safety of a product’s ingredients should be your #1 concern before putting anything on your skin! Especially if you’re prone to acne or irritation.

If all these choices seem overwhelming, or your skin doesn’t seem to react well to any foundation, remember: there’s absolutely no shame in forgoing foundation! It can be beneficial to give your skin a break from makeup and let it breathe. Try just a little concealer, a tinted moisturizer, or a BB cream (check out our guide to BB and CC creams on the blog). And if you’re ready to break up with makeup altogether, try the minimalist approach: just slap on a non-comedogenic sunscreen in the AM, and you’re golden. Your skin will thank you — and you’ll have more time to snooze.

Just a reminder: we aren’t affiliated with any brands. Our product reviews are always based on what’s best for you and your skin!