Thought you’d worn foundation for the last time because it’s just too thick and noticeable on your skin? Think again. Welcome to foundation 2.0 – the makeup trend you’ll want to wear every day.
After years of ‘no makeup’ makeup dominating the beauty conversation, the industry is seeing a subtle shift: foundation, long abandoned by some, is making a comeback – smarter, lighter, and infused with skincare benefits.
Perhaps surprisingly, it’s actually your classic foundation heroes that have been leading the charge, including Estee Lauder’s iconic Double Wear and Armani’s red carpet-ready Luminous Silk. These clever reformulations, teamed with new launches, are quickly making foundation one of the most exciting items in your makeup bag again.
Here’s how to embrace the new-age foundation trend.
Why did we all stop wearing foundation?
So, what happened to the foundations of old? Once the unquestioned anchor of a makeup routine, they began to feel optional, even faintly outdated, at the back end of the 2010s.
The reasons are pretty multifaceted, but the trend for ‘no makeup’ makeup certainly played its part. This bare skin-like finish took the industry by storm, a backlash, in part, against the Instagram “full beat”, which was perfect for the Instagram grid (or reality TV) but came complete with an opaque base that looked heavy and cakey off-camera.
Covid accelerated the shift. Lockdowns disrupted the daily rituals that had required foundation in the first place: namely, work and social plans. For many, skin had time to breathe again; for others, the habit simply stopped and was never picked up again.
New trends such as ‘glass skin’, popularised in South Korea, accelerated things further, demanding a ‘lit-from-within’ skin glow, not coverage. Meanwhile, skincare innovation kicked off to meet that demand, with prescription retinoids, barrier-repair creams, and high-tech LED devices promising results that once required layers of makeup to simulate. Foundation, in its older matte, full-coverage incarnations, simply couldn’t compete. Why cover when you could correct? Our routines evolved.
How reformulations are changing the game
So why the return to foundation? Let’s be clear, this isn’t a regression to full-coverage opacity – though if you love that finish, please go right ahead!
Instead, it’s about adaptability, something that is neatly demonstrated by the fact that foundation’s renaissance is mainly being powered by the old becoming new, through the art of reformulation.
Truth be told – and our beauty director’s cosmetic science training compels her to say – there have been some changes to ingredient regulation and availability for makeup recently, which will have ‘forced’ some brands to tweak their foundation formulas. But, most importantly, they haven’t just simply switched out the necessary ingredients.
There’s more at play here, and that’s why, while reformulations can normally make beauty lovers nervous about their current favourites being changed, there’s real excitement among beauty editors here. What is clear through these new foundations is that skin, not coverage, comes first in 2026.
More specifically, the new supercharged formulas respect skin’s texture rather than erasing it, with hybrid textures engineered to move with your skin rather than sitting on top of it. These latest products certainly offer the coverage you want from your foundation, but with a more buildable application so that your finish is much more customisable. The effect is less “made up” and more “made better”.
Many brands are making their coverage skincare-rich too, with the inclusion of ingredients such as hyaluronic acid for hydration and niacinamide for clarity. Tinted moisturisers have been doing that for a while, but foundations have the advantage of being able to provide those benefits while better concealing blemishes and evening out skin tone more effortlessly. Shade and undertone ranges are finally expanding beyond the narrow spectrums of the past, too.
That means the foundation category has finally evolved from a one-size-fits-all mask into a wardrobe of textures and finishes.
The best new-age foundations
So, don’t worry, the rebirth of foundation isn’t a return to heavy makeup; it’s an evolution to smarter makeup instead. Here are four formulas that encapsulate that shift…
Anyone who wore the iconic original Double Wear foundation back in the day knows that it was designed to 'stay put' – offering unbeatable wear that really did last as long as you did (albeit with a really full coverage finish). This evolution has got many beauty hearts fluttering because it resonates with those who want coverage without the look of coverage, and it mattifies without masking the texture of your skin beneath. Best of all, it feels lighter on your skin, and doesn't cake or settle into fine lines.
Armani's ability to give you a lit-from-within glow just got even better with its newly updated Luminous Silk foundation (a best-seller for the brand for the past 25 years). The formula now contains an infusion of nourishing skincare ingredients, including more hydrating glycerin, multitasking niacinamide and skin firming floral extracts, which help your skin shine through while blurring imperfections. The 44 shades have some updated undertones too, ensuring an even better skin match for a super natural-looking, yet complexion-perfecting medium coverage finish.
CF's beauty director was a big fan of the original Dior Forever foundation, and she's pleased to report that the new iteration is better than ever. Providing a natural matte finish that blurs away imperfections without leaving a noticeable mask on your skin, it's still as long-lasting but now incredibly buildable so you can customise the finish easily for flawless-looking skin. Best of all, it's also now packed with a trio of skincare ingredients – hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptide – the idea being that wearing it can leave your skin more radiant without makeup over time!
Want some more 'proof' that foundation is really back? Celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips has launched a new makeup brand, m.ph and her weightless foundation is an essential in the collection. Available in 35 buildable glow-boosting shades, you can also trust that your skin is in good hands if you want oh-so-subtle but oh-so-effective evening makeup looks, as Mary was the expert who popularised 'underpainting', the technique that helps you sculpt your features with ease.
Becki Murray is Citizen Femme’s Beauty and Wellness Director. As one of the only UK journalists to hold a Distinction-grade diploma in cosmetic science, she combines her unique knowledge with an editor’s eye to help you make smarter choices about beauty, wellbeing, and aesthetics. Becki also heads up CF’s spa guide so you could say she’s an expert in the science of relaxation too…
Lead image: Armani Beauty
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Any Questions or Tips to add?