Best Foundation for Indian skin 2022

Choosing the right foundation is harder than choosing a life partner! The wrong shade can mess up your entire makeup and ruin your day. Finding the perfect foundation is quite a task as most of the international brands cater to either fair or very dark complexions. Indian skin is quite unique with its undertones of gold, orange, and olive. Since we have a huge population across the country with each region having a unique skin tone, it is important to find those particular brands that can truly cater to us. Get ready to read about the best foundations for Indian skin tone.

If you’ve never used a foundation once in your life, we recommend you try. There is a chance you won’t be going back. With the wide range of brands and a whole other range of shades, you might just find the one. But to be lucky with that, you need to skim through the best of brands that will compliment your skin tone. The perfect foundation for Indian skin has to be inclusive of the components that make it a good blend. 

Top foundation brands for Indian skin tone

Feature	Product
Foundation for dark skin tone	Maybelline New York fit me
Foundation for light skin tone	Lakme invisible SPF finish
Foundation for oily skin	Lakme prime
Foundation for dry skin	Lakme absolute skin natural
Foundation for acne and blemishes	Lakme perfect radiance

Best Brands of Foundation for Indian skin tone

Lakme Absolute Natural Mousse Foundation for Indian skin tone

There might be a lot of International brands stepping foot into the Indian market with their high-end products but if there is one brand that manages to nail it every single time when it comes to understanding the Indian woman and what she truly desires, it is our home brand, Lakmé. Having been born in this country, Lakme does have an edge especially with shades that truly suit the Indian skin complexions.

•  Over the years this brand has steadily improved its quality and won the trust of millions. 
• The natural mousse range of foundations is cream-based, yet not at all heavy. 
• It is very light and spreads beautifully. 
• Use a sponge to spread this evenly. 
• It does manage to cover up some scars and blemishes and leaves your skin silky smooth. 
• We found that this lasts for about 5 to 6 hours on a regular workday. 
• It has an SPF of 8 which doesn’t help much so make sure you use a good sunscreen as well. 
• This foundation can be used for any skin type as it is not very greasy.

Pros

Covers up scars and blemishes. 

Cons

Expensive. 

Maybelline New York Fit Me Foundation for Indian skin  tone

The Fit Me Matte + Poreless range of liquid foundations by Maybelline is specially made to suit the shades of Indian skin tone. 

• The consistency feels a little thick but it spreads quite well if you use the right sponge. 
• With a bit of practice, you can have smooth coverage for your face and neck, making your skin look flawless. 
• This has a matte finish that suits oily skin very well, keeping your face fresh for at least 6 hours. 
• It acts as a good base for more makeup and holds it for a long time. 
• If you have very dry skin, you can use this over a good quality face cream or moisturizer. 
• There are six shades in this range that suit the Indian skin. 
• It comes in a tube that is small, light in weight and is easy to be carried with you in your purse.
•  Priced very nominally, this is a foundation that is quite affordable.  

Pros

Nominally priced. 

Cons

It has a thick consistency. 

L’Oreal Paris True Match foundation for Indian skin tone

L’oreal has been one of those brands that have truly established itself in the Indian market as a premium player. The True Match liquid foundations are light, easily spreadable and blend beautifully into your skin. This is the best foundation for dry skin.  

• You do find your skin to have a pleasant, dewy look once you apply this. 
• They are enriched with Vitamin E to nourish your skin while you have this on, keep it moisturized and prevent harming the skin. 
• These foundations also protect your skin from the sun as they have an SPF of 17. 
• This is great if you’re going to be outdoors for short periods like an hour or so, say while you commute.
•  This foundation stays on for about 6 hours on a normal day. 
• There are plenty of shades, all apt for the Indian skin tone and you can surely find the one that suits you perfectly. 

Pros

It has a wide range of different shades. 

Cons

Not suitable for oily skin. 

Wet ‘n Wild Photo Focus Foundation for Indian skin tone

Wet ‘n Wild foundations are some of our favorites as they have around 17 shades with orange and yellow undertones, all ideal for the different shades of Indian skin. 

• They call this “Photo Focus” as they claim that this foundation is enough to even out your skin, making you “photo-ready” and you need no other makeup or filters. 
• We tried this out and we do agree! This foundation is liquid-based and does spread quite well, offering complete coverage.
•  It is quite light and doesn’t feel like you are wearing it all day.
•  This is not greasy, it gives you a matte finish but doesn’t dry up the skin and therefore can be used by any skin type once you prep your skin a bit first. It does stay on for a whole day, about 6 hours. 
• This is one of those nominally priced brands that perform really well and are highly recommended. 

Pros

It is light and feels natural on the skin. 

Cons

Priced on the higher side. 

LA Girl PRO Coverage HD Foundation for Indian skin tone

Another wide set of foundation shades, all with yellow, olive and gold undertones, this will make Indian women beam with pleasure! LA Girl PRO Coverage HD Foundation will become your favorite when you try it. 

• This is a liquid foundation that is super light and blends in a jiffy with no effort. 
• We love the fact that this has no parabens, which means we can comfortably wear this every day with no worries.
•  Though this is a liquid foundation it leaves a matte finish without drying out your skin. So it is great no matter what type of skin you have. 
• It stays for about 5 hours on a warm day and longer if you are indoors in an airconditioned environment.  

Pros

Matte finish. 

Cons

Not suitable for oily skin. 

Lakme Perfecting Liquid Foundation for Indian skin tone

We have another one from Lakme, but this one is in the budget range to fit in everyone’s pocket. The Perfecting Liquid Foundation is a great base for the rest of your makeup with its lightness. 

• It offers quite good coverage with the way it spreads, covering up any blemishes or dark spots very well. 
• This foundation is enriched with Vitamin E to nourish your skin and keep it youthful and healthy throughout the day. 
• Further, this is water-resistant, so it keeps your makeup intact on a hot and humid day. 
• Though this is a liquid foundation, it is oil-free and so can be used by those with normal or oily skin. 

Pros

Coverage of blemishes and dark spots. 

Cons

Expensive. 

NYX Liquid foundation 

The drop foundation from NYX is a total dream for those girls who want effortless flawlessness on their Indian skin tone. 

• One thing we can assure you is that your blemishes will be well hidden under the gentle spread of this foundation. 
• The liquid light texture is great if you want a subtle glow for a casual night out! 
• What we love most about this foundation is the nozzle and how extremely compaible it is without allowing leakage of any sort. 
• You don’t need to use a sponge for this since it dilutes easy and cannot be applied. 
• One drawback however is that it is not suitable for oily skin since it does not sit well with its dewy texture. 

Pros

Provides a subtle glow to the face. 

Cons 

Not for oily skin. 

Revlon Nearly Naked foundation 

I’m sure you were wondering where Revlon was on the list of skincare products! 

• In spite of being new, the Naked series from Revlon foundation has become very popular in India. The reason for this being, the texture is absolutely dream-like! 
• Every possible feature you’d want in a foundation is being provided by Revlon and for that we are utterly grateful. 
• If the variety is not enough another exciting aspect is how healthy it is for the skin as it deeply nourishes the skin cells and gives a certain sense of glow to the face. 

Pros 

Healthy for the skin. 

Cons 

Not for dry skin 

Foundation for Indian skin tone 2022

Your foundation is certainly the most important makeup product in your kit as the rest build on this. The brands listed above are well known, using high-quality ingredients that safeguard your skin and have won the trust of millions in the past few years. Foundations are like an investment. The list must have made it easy for you to choose the right foundation for you. Read below for some frequently asked questions answered:

How does the foundation help?

A good quality foundation evens out your skin, hiding superficial blemishes, scars, and other unevenness. It gives your skin a smooth appearance. It acts as a smooth base for you to put on other makeup and helps the makeup stay for a longer time. 

How do I choose a foundation for Indian skin?

Choose a foundation from a good brand. The reputed brands put in good ingredients that don’t harm your skin, especially if you like wearing it every day. Some of them also have sunscreen added to protect your skin. Secondly, go for something that is light and spreads easily. Also, if you sweat a lot, it would help to get one that is waterproof or sweat resistant. 

How do I choose the right shade of foundation for Indian skin?

Never buy a foundation without trying it out first. Always go to a store and try it out before placing an order online. Most people try out shades of foundation on their wrists or hands but that is not the correct way to decide on your shade. You will always end up with a shade or two different from the tone on your face. Always try out the foundation on your jawline and match it to the colour of your face. 

Should foundations be a shade lighter or darker than my skin tone?

Neither! Choose a shade that blends with your skin tone, perfectly. Choosing a shade lighter will end up making you look paler while a shade darker will not help either. The perfect shade will act as a good base, evening out your skin for your other makeup. 

Is liquid foundation better than powder-based?

Liquid foundation spreads better and gives a more even look when compared to the powder foundation. It also helps moisturize the skin a little bit, so it helps those with dry skin. A lot of people with very oily skin prefer powder foundation but there are a lot of liquid foundations that give you the matte look as well. 

Secondly, liquid foundations last longer through the day than powder foundations cos they have a thicker consistency and are built that way. Powder foundation can disappear in a few hours, especially if you don’t have more layers on. 

You could try out both to see what you like.

It’s all a matter of preference at the end of the day. 

When do foundations expire?

A liquid or cream-based foundation can last up to 6 months. After that, it is advised that you throw it away as they start breaking down. Store your foundation in a cool, dry place away from direct heat or sunlight. Avoid storing it in the fridge or freezing it. 

What undertones does foundation for Indian skin have?

Unlike the other Asian complexion, the Indian skin tone has a tinge of olive and goldish yellow undertones. The Indian light complexion has a pink undertone whereas the dark Indian complexion has Warm honey almond. Either way, when you choose your foundation it has to look natural and not too made up or artificial. Before you choose a foundation for Indian skin keep in mind the following ; 

• Always choose a foundation that has a yellow tone based. 
• Remember that checking the foundation on your hand is not the same as it will be on the face since the two skin tones are very much different from each other. 
• Apply the foundation to the jawline to do a comparison with the complexion on the neck so that it looks consistent.

By keeping these aspects in mind you will do justice to your Indian skin by applying foundation.