While there are many factors to consider when choosing a foundation (think creams, powders, and tinted moisturizers), the best stick foundations sometimes come out on top thanks to their ease of use and transportability. With the fear of spilling your precious pigments taken out of the equation, it's easy to pop your foundation into a bag and grab it whenever the need presents itself.
"Stick foundations are generally selected for convenience," confirms celebrity makeup artist Kasey Spickard. This type of packaging makes the product compact and easy to travel with and apply. Unlike liquid formulas, you can apply the stick formula directly to the face, which can be a bit messier." Also, stick foundations are versatile and, due to their format, can be used as concealers for convenient touchups.
They come in many different formulas and a variety of price points, but the common thread is pretty great coverage, making them ideal for people with acne, notes celebrity makeup artist Tobi Henney. "The creamy consistency makes breakouts easy to cover," she shares.
Ahead, these brilliant artists (and more!) will tell us about the best foundation sticks on the market.
The Best Stick Foundations
- The Best Foundation Stick Overall: ILIA Skin Rewind Blurring Foundation and Concealer Complexion Stick
- The Best Luxury Foundation Stick: Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick
- The Best Waterproof Foundation Stick: Hourglass Vanish™ Seamless Finish Foundation Stick
- The Best Nourishing Foundation Stick: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Full Coverage Foundation and Concealer Stick
- The Best BB Cream Stick: Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint
Spickard and Henney list ILIA's Skin Rewind Complexion Stick among their favorite foundation sticks, coupled with celebrity makeup artist Renée Loiz's approval, and it's a clear winner overall. While Spickard loves its good-for-skin ingredients and everyday wearability, Henney appreciates the creamy formula and how easy it is to blend. "Not only does it provide fantastic coverage, but it also doesn't clog pores or feel heavy on the skin. It's skincare-focused, helping to soften wrinkles and reduce redness over time. Plus, with 42 shades available, it's incredibly versatile," adds Loiz.
Pros: Makeup artist-approved; Beautiful finish; Extremely wide shade range
Cons: Some reviewers find it dry
Henney loves Tom Ford's creamy and versatile Traceless Foundation Stick for its shade range (you have 13 options here) and coverage. "A lot of my model clients love the formula," she adds. Use it as a concealer for a flawless, soft-matte finish, or keep building for light, medium, or full coverage. The finish is also perfectly dewy.
Pros: Makeup artist-approved; Easy to apply; Moisturizing
Cons: More expensive than other options
Spickard is a fan of Hourglass's Seamless Finish Foundation Stick, a medium-to-full coverage, waterproof option that he says gives skin "an airbrushed, flawless glow" with a straightforward application. "The shade range is also incredible, so you'll be able to find the perfect shade for your skin tone!" he adds. (Important to note: this just so happens to be Sofia Richie Grainge's "favorite, holy grail, can't live without" product, which is the ultimate seal of approval.)
Pros: Makeup artist-approved; Impressive shade range; Great coverage; Glowy finish
Cons: Some find it drying
Westman Atelier products rule my list of favorites time and time again for good reason. Besides the gorgeous packaging, founder Gucci Westman puts her heart into creating products that are both nourishing and high performing. Available in 21 shades, this richly pigmented foundation stick goes on like a cream and blends easily for a buildable coverage.
Pros: Skin-loving ingredients; Blends easily
Cons: More expensive than other options
The newest edition to Anastasia Beverly Hills' legendary lineup is famously not a stick foundation—but it still deserves a place on this list. Instead, it's a BB cream in stick format, and I officially can't live without its hydrating, blurring genius. Ever so silky in both its application and blending capabilities, it feels like nothing's on my skin while making my face look like a million bucks.
Pros: Skin-loving ingredients; Silky texture; Natural finish
Cons: Lighter coverage than some may prefer
Also Recommended
With a fascinating cream-to-powder, five-in-one formula, NUDESTIX's Tinted Blur Foundation Stick promises to work as a skin tint, blurring skin primer, setting powder, highlight, and contour—as long as you find the right shades (with 10 options, your choices aren't as wide as with some other products on this list, but it's absolutely possible). My only advice? Use a sponge for blending; blending it with my fingers is a little hard.
Pros: Lightweight; Nice coverage
Cons: Some reviewers find the formula too oily
Available in 39 shades, HUDA BEAUTY's #FauxFilter Foundation Stick features a super creamy texture and is impressively blendable. Fragrance-free, transfer-proof, waterproof, and humidity- and sweat-resistant, it's the foundation stick for you if you want to put something on and forget about it until it's time to wash your face.
Pros: Long-lasting; Wide shade range; Goes on smoothly
Cons: Some find it too heavy
A true savior when covering anything, MAKE UP FOR EVER's Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation promises a long-lasting and buildable foundation effect. Unsurprisingly, reviewers can't stop talking about its coverage, noting that it feels like a second skin as it hides blemishes, redness, texture, and the like.
Pros: Great coverage; Long-lasting
Cons: Some find it too thick
An excellent foundation for a natural finish, BASMA's aptly named The Foundation Stick comes in 40 shades and features a lightweight, buildable texture. It's also infused with skin-loving ingredients like aloe vera extract to visibly improve the skin's elasticity and vitamin E to facilitate hydration.
Pros: Impressive shade range; Skin-loving ingredients
Cons: Some reviewers report pilling
Marie Claire beauty editor Samantha Holender named MERIT's beloved Complexion Foundation and Concealer stick the best cream product in her recent mega roundup of the best foundations. Beloved by Cameron Diaz and thousands of five-star reviewers, this natural-finish formula is excellent for both concealing redness and creating an all-over base.
Pros: Good for spot correction; Blendable; Nice shade range
Cons: Some reviewers report the stick falling out
What Finish Does a Foundation Stick Offer?
"Stick foundations provide a satin-matte finish, making them suitable for oilier or acne-prone skin," shares Loiz. You can also find foundation sticks that dry down as a powder for a matte finish.
What Coverage Will I Get From a Foundation Stick?
Another stick foundation highlight? Their coverage. Loiz calls them a "great choice for those seeking a heavier coverage option," while Spickard notes that most supply medium-to-full coverage.
What Foundation Stick Should I Use for My Skin Type?
While plenty of people with sensitive skin love a stick foundation for its coverage, celebrity esthetician, Erica Marie Gatt suggests being very particular when making your product choice. "You should consider your skin's specific needs and select products that provide coverage while being gentle on sensitive skin," she shares. Also: always, always patch test.
How to Use Stick Foundation
Using a stick foundation is pretty straightforward. Spickard also recommends prepping your product by warming the foundation on the back of your hand before applying it to the face. "However, you can feel free to apply directly to the face," he adds. "I recommend starting at the center of the face and working outward. Buff it in with a damp beauty sponge or dense foundation brush."
For heavier coverage or to conceal blemishes and discoloration, Loiz recommends applying the stick directly to the face, then blending by tapping with a brush in a stippling motion.
Meet the Experts
Renée Loiz is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and groomer. Her industry expertise and artistry are regularly tapped by publications such as InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Essence, L’Officiel, Who What Wear, Vanity Fair, and Allure. Loiz’s celebrity clientele includes Quinta Brunson, Cynthia Erivo, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Sherry Cola, Adele, Chelsea Peretti, Uzo Aduba, Danai Gurira, Thuso Mbedu, and Jaylon Barron. Loiz has collaborated with global brands such as NARS, Beauty Blender, Charlotte Tilbury, Chanel, Sephora, J.Crew, Disney, Target, and Adidas. She is the founder of Color May Vary - the ultimate guide to the best black-owned brands for beauty enthusiasts. Color May Vary is recognized by Ulta Beauty in an initiative to celebrate inspirational Black voices and is a recipient of the Refinery29 Beauty Innovator Award.
Tobi Henney is a bicoastal makeup artist who originally hails from Sydney, where she was previously the L'Oréal Paris Makeup Director for Australia. She is known for flawless, glowing skin and signature red carpet looks created for clients such as Megan Fox, Ashley Graham, Charlotte Lawrence, Poppy Delevingne, Ellie Golding, Sara Bareilles, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Barbara Palvin, Georgia Fowler, and Shanina Shaik. Henney’s worked with major brands including Diane Von Furstenberg, Victoria's Secret, Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, L'Oréal Paris, Clinique, Maybelline, Nike, Anthropology, and Coach, and her editorial talents can be seen in Vogue, L’Officiel, RUSSH, Elle, Grazia, Harper’s Bazaar, Schön! and more. Henney is a natural on camera, sharing tutorials and how-to videos frequently with outlets such as Byrdie Beauty and Who What Wear.
Kasey Spickard is a New York based makeup artist. Kasey has a decade-long history in the beauty industry working with global beauty powerhouses L'Oreal, Shiseido, Estee Lauder, and COTY. His clients include comedian Heather McMahan, MTV’s Kamie Crawford and Ciara Miller from Bravo’s Summer House to name a few. You can see his work across your TV screens on Bravo, NBC's The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Watch What Happens Live. You can also see some of his campaign work for brands like Laneige, Maybelline, Milani, and Lelet NY!
Kasey also sits on the Reddit Beauty Council, and works with brands on product development, brand positioning, and strategy.
Skin health guru Erica Marie Gatt's decades worth of experience working as an aesthetician and makeup artist has shaped her foolproof, fuss-free beauty philosophy. She believes that curating thoughtful, streamlined skincare regimens for her clients is key to achieving effortless natural beauty and an overarching sense of empowerment, confidence and well-being. As someone who loves the outdoors and being active, Erica recognizes the link between health, wellness and beauty and embraces a holistic approach that puts equal emphasis on both an inner and outer glow.
Erica honed her talent and channeled her passion under the tutelage of celebrated Los Angeles esthetician Gina Mari after having spent years as a makeup artist.
In 2019, Erica launched her business EM SKIN, bringing a Beverly Hills medical spa sensibility to the South Bay.
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