The 9 Best Foundations for Dry Skin Over 40 in 2025
I've worked in the Marketing Team at Adore Beauty for almost a year now and love love love skincare! I'm all about vegan products and 5 plus step skincare routines. Recently I've been growing out my coloured hair and focusing on strength/length with hair masks and treatments.
With so many different foundations out there to choose from, it can be easy to get a little lost.
Do you go for sheer or full coverage? A matte or dewy finish? And then what about skin type?
If you've got dry, mature skin, the wrong foundation can unfortunately settle into fine lines, cling to dry patches, and leave skin looking dull and aged.
So, we thought we'd pick out a few of our favourites to help you find the best foundation for you...
Side note: Our lovely Megan gives us her thoughts on 4 of the bestselling foundations at Adore Beauty in the video below...
The 9 Best Foundations for Dry Skin Over 40
An Illuminating Foundation To Blur Imperfections and Smooth Skin Texture
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation has gained cult status in the beauty industry. A favourite amongst makeup artists, the makeup is known and loved for its radiance-boosting and natural finish. Perfect for all skin types, including ageing skin, this nourishing foundation blends seamlessly into the skin, imparting a soft-focus glow, blurring imperfections, and smoothing uneven skin texture. This foundation is perfect for dry and ageing skin. Why? It’s been created with exclusive Micro-Fil Technology, which ensures a smooth finish on application, never settling into or accentuating fine lines and wrinkles. Micro-Fil Technology means each pigment is micronised before blending and milling for an illuminating and airbrushed look. Skin is left with a soft-to-touch finish and a gorgeous, youthful glow.
A Full-Coverage, Hydrating Foundation Formula To Revitalise Dull and Dry Skin
M.A.C Cosmetics Studio Sculpt SPF15 Foundation is a gel-based liquid foundation that applies seamlessly to the skin for a satin-finish, full-coverage base. The hydrating formula is perfect for dry and dehydrated skin types. This makeup reverses dull and lacklustre skin tones while smoothing over uneven skin texture, making it a makeup must-have for mature and ageing skin. This nourishing foundation is infused with micronised pigments coated in silicone, so it glides effortlessly onto the skin, covering imperfections while filling in enlarged pores, fine lines, and wrinkles. With a stay-true colour, this long-lasting foundation provides a natural and dewy base that lasts from morning to evening, never looking heavy or changing colour. To keep skin looking younger for longer, the makeup base also contains broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection to fight age-accelerating sun rays.
Want to know more about M.A.C foundation? Check out our guides Find Your Perfect M.A.C Foundation and Concealer Match and How to Apply M.A.C Foundation
A Hydrating, Medium Coverage Foundation
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat All In One Glow Foundation is the ultimate makeup base for radiant skin. With a natural, dewy finish and bursting with hydrating and protective ingredients, this nourishing foundation is perfect for boosting dull and lacklustre skin, especially normal to dry and ageing complexions. Containing a blend of 70% Water and Hyaluronic Acid, this foundation provides an instant refresh to the skin and long-lasting hydration throughout the day. The foundation also contains antioxidant Vitamin E, which soothes inflammation while protecting skin against age-accelerating free-radical damage. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat All In One Glow Foundation has a lightweight feel, providing a medium coverage and dewy finish without the heaviness of traditional foundations.
A Natural, Skin-Like Finish While Concealing Imperfections
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15 has been designed to offer weightless coverage to normal to dry skin types while allowing your skin to still look like skin. The long-wearing formulation minimises the appearance of pores, imperfections, and discolouration. Even better, this hydrating foundation blends seamlessly into the skin for a natural and comfortable look and feel all day long. As well as providing skin-like medium coverage, the foundation is infused with broad-spectrum UV protection. Enriched with hydrators, this makeup base will also leave your complexion feeling cushioned and plumper. Product won’t settle into dehydration-induced fine lines and wrinkles. Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15 is suitable for all skin types but best for combination, normal, and normal to dry skin.
A Long-Lasting and Full-Coverage Makeup Base for Ageing Skin
Clinique Even Better Refresh & Hydrating Makeup is a nourishing foundation that’s been developed with dry and ageing skin in mind. As skin ages, it becomes drier, easily forming fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation. This deeply hydrating foundation from Clinique is infused with anti-ageing ingredients to combat the signs of ageing while delivering a flawless, full-coverage base. Hyaluronic Acid is one of the most effective hydrating ingredients, holding moisture up to 1,000 times its own weight and keeping skin nourished throughout the day. This 24-hour foundation not only contains high concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid but blends skin-smoothing Peptides and resurfacing Salicylic Acid for a completely revitalised complexion. Skin will look plumper and softer, with imperfections carefully concealed. This fopundation provides full coverage with a natural, skin-like finish. It’s best for normal to dry and dry, ageing skin.
A Skin-Loving BB Cream Bursting With Antioxidants and Anti-Ageing Ingredients
Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream is as much skincare as it is makeup, creating a flawless finish while caring for your complexion. Perfect for all skin types, Glow Time is particularly beneficial to dry, dull, and mature skin. This nourishing BB cream smooths fine lines, brightens dark spots, tones the skin, and improves uneven skin texture for a completely rejuvenated complexion. Containing antioxidant-rich Grapefruit Extract, this anti-ageing BB cream protects the skin against harmful environmental aggressors while brightening pigmentation for a radiant finish. The makeup base is also infused with Apple Fruit Extract to soothe and hydrate the skin. The Alpha-Hydroxy Acids in Tamarind Extract remove dead skin cells for a smoother and softer feel to the skin. Due to its mineral extracts, which attract and maintain moistu
The Perfect Makeup Base To Illuminate and Soothe Dry and Sensitive Complexions
Designer Brands Hydrating Luminous Foundation has a gel-like formula, smoothing over even the driest patches of skin to deliver a flawless, medium to full coverage finish. Infused with gentle and nourishing skin-loving ingredients, this hydrating foundation is the perfect makeup base for dry and sensitive skin types. Containing high concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid, the foundation instantly hydrates the skin for a natural radiance. Hyaluronic Acid then goes a step further, providing long-lasting hydration to keep skin feeling comfortable and looking healthy throughout the day. Luminous Foundation also contains antioxidant Aloe Vera and Green Tea, which soothe, nourish, and protect the skin from free radical damage. Vitamins A, C, and E improve skin tone and texture. The product’s even application will create a radiant makeup base without causing discomfort and irritation.
A Hydrating Foundation to Revitalise and Replenish Dry and Lacklustre Skin
Youngblood Liquid Mineral Foundation is more than just a makeup base. Providing optimal hydration for dry and dehydrated skin types, this foundation replenishes fatigued and ageing skin for a flawless, long-lasting finish. This nourishing foundations contains Reduced Deep Sea Water to provide intense hydration to parched skin. This superstar ingredient is rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, and copper, which work to restore tired and lacklustre complexions. Liquid Mineral Foundation is also infused with botanical extracts such as Calendula, Cucumber, Cactus, and Green Tea, which protect the skin from age-accelerating environmental aggressors while calming inflammation. With its sheer and dewy finish, this lightweight tint can be worn alone or under Youngblood Loose Mineral Foundation for fuller coverage.
A High-Definition Foundation With Longwear Buildable Coverage
M.A.C Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation is a long wear, matte foundation that provides a highly pigmented, medium-full coverage finish. Yet, it won’t settle into dry patches or dehydrated-induced fine lines and wrinkles. Instead, this high-performance foundation is infused with perfecting ingredients, perfect for a subtle matte complexion in normal to dry and dehydrated ageing complexions. Minimising the appearance of pores and imperfections, this matte foundation ensures long-lasting and comfortable wear on even the most sensitive and damaged skin. The non-acnegenic, oil-free formula leave the skin feeling soft and smooth, while offering a soft focus effect you'll love. Due to its formulation, M.A.C Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 Foundation is a favourite amongst makeup artists and has become a cult classic in the beauty industry. Providing medium to full coverage, this high-definition foundation is best for normal to dry and ageing skin.
Looking for more guides on foundation and primers? Check these out.....
- If you have warm skin tones and are looking for a foundation with a yellow base, be sure to have a read through our guide The 9 Best Yellow Undertone Foundations 2025
- If you're using makeup brushes don't forget to clean them properly! Here are The Best Makeup Brush Cleaners to keep your brushes sparkling.
- Read all our tips and tricks on how to set your under eye concealer
- Find out the best way to cover pesky grey hairs in your eyebrows.
Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.
Shop the Best Foundations for Dry Skin Over 40 Here:
Jane Iredale Glow Time Pro BB Cream$92.00 $73.60
Youngblood Liquid Mineral Foundation$87.50
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15$89.00
Designer Brands Luminous Hydrating Foundation SPF 15 30ml$24.99
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation$120.00
Clinique Even Better Refresh & Hydrating Makeup$72.00
M.A.C Cosmetics Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 30ml$72.00
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