What’s the Difference Between $16 and $50 Foundations?
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As a longtime beauty writer, I’m often asked aboutdrugstore beautyproducts:Do I really need to spend money on products to get good results? Are the inexpensive versions just as good as what I get at a department store? Would you wear a drugstore foundation?I recently had the idea of trying similarfoundationson my face side by side to sort out the practical differences. For my experiment, I paired up four different mass-market and prestige products with similar textures, finishes, ingredients, and benefits. In fact, I walked around all day with a different serum foundation on each side of my face, and the difference between the two was so subtle that no one would ever know. (My detailed testing notes are included below, by the way.) The very similar results left me with even more questions. So I reached out to Marisa Plescia, a cosmetic chemist and the president of the board of directors for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and Ashlee Glazer, celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert, to finally figure out the difference betweendrugstoreand fancy foundations.
My top three foundations after testing
Is there a difference in formulations between drugstore and luxury foundations?
In short, not really. “From a chemist standpoint, the process of creating afoundationfor mass or prestige is really the same,” says Plescia. “It just depends on what the product is supposed to do.” Many mass-market brands are owned by the same parent companies behind luxury labels and have access to the same research, development, and manufacturing expertise. “Consumers may notice a difference in texture or finish, but that doesn’t mean the one formula is objectively better than the other,” says Plescia.
How are mass brands able to keep their costs down, then? They produce products at enormous scale. Manufacturing millions of units, sourcing ingredients in bulk, and using established factory systems can significantly reduce costs per bottle.
So what actually makes certain foundations more expensive?
That said, there are some formulation differences that can increase the cost of making a foundation. Skin-care-inspired ingredients likeniacinamide, hyaluronic acid, andbrightening agentscan add to production costs, as can more refined emulsifiers and emollients that contribute to a smoother, more “luxury” texture on the skin. “The colorants themselves can be quite expensive,” says Plescia. “So if you’re looking at more pigmented products, you’re going to have materials in there that are more expensive.”
Certain types of formulas cost more than others too. Serum foundations and products with balm-type textures often require more specialized formulation work to achieve that lightweight, skin-like finish. But when you consider that drugstore brands are coming out with these innovations, too, price doesn’t guarantee superiority, says Plescia.
Sometimes you’re paying for the experience (and, yes, packaging)
Beyond formula, sleek packaging, expensive branding, and sensory experience play a role in price. Luxury foundations are often designed to feel elevated from the moment you pick them up. The prestige factor also carries weight in professional makeup settings. Celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert Ashlee Glazer says she recently used a L’Oréal product on a model during a television appearance instead of a prestige alternative and was impressed with the result. “I didn’t notice a difference,” she says. But in her personal kit, brand perception matters. “As a professional makeup artist, I’m a snob and want the prestige ofArmaniin my kit,” Glazer says. “I’m charging clientsXamount of dollars, and I think the person wants to see that.”
The biggest difference often comes down to your own skin
Some of the most common foundation complaints — oxidation, separation, patchiness, and uneven wear — aren’t necessarily tied to whether a product is prestigious or drugstore. “That can be the formulation, but it also has to do with your skin, the skin-care products layered underneath, the environment, and your application,” says Plescia. Your skin beingdehydrated skinor heavilymoisturizedcan make your foundation behave differently.
The takeaway: The line between expensive foundations and their cheaper counterparts is blurry
In many ways, mass-market foundations regularly match, and in some cases rival, prestige innovations in texture, wear, and finish. Broad shade ranges used to belong to the prestige category, but now we’re seeing extended shade options across mass-market lines.
Which foundation is better often comes down to personal preference: what you like, what works well with your skin, and what you value. “The type of foundation I like might be totally different from the type you like — it all depends on what you want,” says Plescia.
My drugstore vs. foundation testing
I did some side-by-side comparisons of top-selling prestige and mass-market foundations in similar formulations. Here’s how they compared:
L’Oréal Paris True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum vs. m.ph by Mary Phillips Le Skin Weightless Serum Foundation
Texture/finish:The touch, feel, and slipperiness were all very similar. They both had that fluid, serumlike feel.
Ingredients:Both formulas contain hydratinghyaluronic acid.
Coverage level:Both foundations offer light-to-medium coverage.
Shade range:L’Oréal Paris True Match Nude Hyaluronic Tinted Serum comes in 14 shades, while m.ph by Mary Phillips Le Skin Weightless Serum Foundation comes in 35.
Packaging:Both foundations come in a glass bottle. L’Oréal has a dropper applicator; m.ph has a pump.
The verdict:The shades I had were pretty perfect matches, too, so no one would even know I was wearing two different brands. Both had a very realistic skinlike finish. After wearing one on each side of my face for several hours, the biggest difference I noticed was that m.ph had more of a soft glow to it, but L’Oréal held up well, too.
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Milani Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Skin Tint Stick vs. Jones Road Your Skin Foundation Stick
Texture/finish:Both foundation sticks have a silky texture and glide on the skin.
Ingredients:Milani has moisturizing murumuru butter. Jones Road is made with ceramides, squalane, and shea butter.
Coverage level:Milani has light-to-medium coverage, while Jones Road is medium-to-full. Both are buildable.
Shade range:Milani comes in 25 shades. Jones Road is available in 30.
Packaging:The packaging is a major difference. Milani is in a plastic tube, while Jones Road comes in a weighted metal with a magnetized cap, which feels both substantial and practical.
The verdict:Milani is a little more matte, while Jones Road has that almost balmy, your-skin-but-better look the brand is known for. Because Milani doubles as aconcealer, I find it offers more coverage (despite it being billed as light-to-medium). In fact, I have a bruise on my face that it covers quite well. After a couple of hours, the Jones Road coverage held up and looked like real skin. The Milani needed touch-ups.
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E.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter vs. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
Texture/finish:Technically, Flawless Filter is not a foundation; it’s a creamy fluidhighlighterthat can be worn alone as an all-over sheer tint. E.l.f. Halo Glow can serve as a foundation (or a highlighter) and is a well-known dupe of Flawless Filter.
Ingredients:E.l.f. contains hyaluronic acid and squalane. Charlotte Tilbury has a hydrating oil. Both contain finely milled powders and polymers to catch and diffuse light and give skin an airbrushed look.
Coverage level:E.l.f. is sheer-to-medium coverage, while Charlotte Tilbury is sheer-to-light.
Shade range:E.l.f. comes in 15 shades. Charlotte Tilbury comes in 11.
Packaging: They’re both in glass bottles with similar sponge-tip applicators.
The verdict:Both have similar coverage levels, but I find E.l.f. blends seamlessly into my skin and looks more natural than Charlotte Tilbury.
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NYX Professional Makeup Make ’Em Wonder vs. Dior Forever Skin Wear Blurring Natural Matte Foundation
Texture/finish:Both foundations are considered soft mattes, which means they have a very natural skinlike finish, not flat and cakey like traditional mattes. Both formulas promise 24-hour wear.
Ingredients:Both contain hyaluronic acid. Dior also has niacinamide and peptides for plumping, while NYX adds vitamin C.
Coverage level:NYX has sheer-to-medium buildable coverage. Dior is medium-to-full coverage.
Shade range:NYX comes in 45 shades. Dior Forever comes in 42.
Packaging:NYX is plastic with a squeeze-tip applicator. Dior comes in glass with the brand logo in bold down the front.
The verdict:NYX has more slip to it as I blend it into skin. After wearing them for a couple of hours, Dior had more of a natural, skinlike radiance to it, while NYX appeared more like a true matte. In this case, I prefer the finish of Dior.
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