Foundation sticks are lightweight, easy to use and convenient for travel
Lately, I’ve been loving my makeup in stick form. Ever since I traded my powder blushes for blush sticks, I’ve loved the convenience of a product that can be applied and blended with fingers (rather than a brush), is less prone to cracking or spilling and is easy to travel with because it doesn’t count against the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 3-1-1 rule for flying with liquids.
Most recently, I started incorporating foundation sticks into my beauty routine, and I’m already a big fan. Although I’ll likely still keep a liquid foundation and a powder foundation on my vanity for certain occasions where more heavy-duty makeup is required, a foundation stick is my new go-to over the other forms for daily use.
In this article: MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick, Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Eaze Drop Stick Blur + Smooth Tint Stick Foundation
Why I’m loving foundation sticks for summer
Here’s the math: Summer = heat = sweating = not a great environment for my makeup. While I tend to get the best coverage out of a liquid foundation topped with a bit of powder, in the summer, it can feel quite heavy on my face, which is not ideal when you’re spending time out in the heat. Instead, I prefer a more lightweight solution like a foundation stick during the warmer months. Although formulas vary, in general, I’ve found that foundation sticks don’t feel as heavy on my skin as liquid or powder foundations.
Another reason foundation sticks are great for summer is because they’re super easy to apply. They can be applied directly to my face and blended with my fingers or a brush. I use a brush when I’m applying a foundation stick that has fuller coverage, but when I’m using a light-coverage foundation stick, I simply blend it out with my fingers. It makes the process quick and easy, so I can spend more time on my summer activities and less time at my makeup vanity. It also means it’s easy to toss my foundation stick in my purse and reapply as needed while I’m out.
If you have any jet-setting plans on your summer agenda, you’ll appreciate the convenience of packing a foundation stick over a liquid or a powder option. Powders are prone to breaking and cracking, especially in transit, so foundation sticks are a sturdier alternative.
And don’t forget about the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule for bringing liquids in your carry-on, which limits you to 3.4 ounces of fluid or less and the total must fit in a single quart-sized bag. If you’re traveling with liquid versions of your skin care and shower products (such as moisturizer and shampoo), you may find there isn’t much space left for liquid cosmetics. Stick foundations are great because they don’t count against the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. Plus, they won’t leak in your bag like a liquid product could.
Best foundation sticks for easy, buildable coverage
Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick
This new launch from one of our favorite beauty brands has a delightfully radiant finish that gives you a woke-up-like-this, dewy glow. The coverage is light and sheer — it mimics a tinted moisturizer more closely than a foundation. Still, it gives a natural-looking smoothing and blurring appearance. It’s also packed with hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin while you wear it. It comes in 20 flexible shades, meaning a range of skin tones can wear each hue and you may be able to wear multiple shades.
MERIT The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Foundation and Concealer Stick
If you prefer a bit more coverage for your face makeup, this hybrid foundation and concealer stick by Merit is an excellent choice. I like that the product is buildable: I usually apply it all over my face as a foundation, and then I apply a second layer of product to any areas where I want to conceal blemishes. Its slim shape helps make it convenient for spot treatments, in addition to full-face coverage. The product is fragrance-free and it has a natural finish.
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Eaze Drop Stick Blur + Smooth Tint Stick Foundation
At BestReviews, we’re big fans of Rihanna’s beauty brand and its incredible lineup of color-inclusive foundations. This 25-shade foundation is just as well-made as its liquid and powder counterparts, but it’s created with a convenient, easy-to-apply stick formula. It offers light to medium coverage that leaves a natural finish thanks to a creamy, smooth texture that melts into your skin. The crease-proof formula is long-lasting, and it resists fading and transferring quite well.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum Boosted Skin Tint
The oblong shape of this tinted skin stick makes it quick and easy to apply coverage to large areas of the face. Its formula is made with skin-loving ingredients including fatty acids and a peptide complex to protect and restore your skin to promote a more youthful appearance. It provides sheer to light coverage with a natural finish, that’s great for everyday wear or a no-makeup-makeup look.
ILIA Skin Rewind Blurring Foundation and Concealer Complexion Stick
Available in an impressive 48 shades, Ilia’s contribution to the stick foundation category stands out for its skin care-powered formula. It includes a firming ceramide-peptide complex, luminosity-restoring kelp extract and smoothing butterfly lavender extract. The buildable formula has a matte finish that stays put for up to 12 hours of wear. It’s great for a natural, everyday look.
NUDESTIX Tinted Blur Foundation Stick
Nudestix is one of my favorite brands for stick makeup — they have an extensive range of stick blushes and eyeshadow sticks. There’s also this foundation stick, which is aptly monikered for its tinted blurring effect on skin when it’s applied. This cream-to-powder product, which is formulated with nourishing vitamin E, provides light coverage for a natural look.
Ami Colé Skin-Enhancing Lightweight & Blurring Foundation Stick
This lightweight foundation stick is meant to let your skin breathe while you wear it, making it a perfect choice for your summer beauty lineup. The buildable, medium-coverage formula provides a blurred look on skin with a natural finish. It also has a nourishing ingredient list including baobab seed oil (which prevents moisture loss), shea butter (which promotes supple skin) and a soft-focus powder (which diminishes excess shine).
Consider pairing these beauty products with your stick foundations
- Use the MERIT Brush No. 1 Tapered Blending Brush with the MERIT foundation stick to even out and smooth the makeup.
- A primer, such as the cult-favorite Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Foundation Primer, can help extend the longevity of your makeup when worn underneath foundation.
- Set your makeup look with Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray Mini to help prevent smudging and fading.
- Before bed, remove every last trace of foundation with a powerful-yet-gentle makeup-removing cleanser such as the Fenty Skin Total Cleans’r Remove-It-All Cleanser with Barbados Cherry.
- If you like to double cleanse your skin after wearing makeup, use the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water to remove every last trace of your beauty products.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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