The best foundations with SPF to shop in 2024 reviewed, by our makeup experts

RRP: £59 | Shades: 18 | SPF: 40/30 | Key ingredients: Cordyceps, deep sea ferment, vitamin E

This is one of those products that you can’t wait to get out of your makeup bag in the morning. The pump action is smooth and the foundation is creamy, not runny, so it doesn’t trickle down your hand if you're using that as a palette. Half a pump was enough to cover our testers' face and necks – so one bottle, though undeniably expensive, will at least last well.

The secret is 75% skincare-inspired ingredients. The SPF 40/30 ratings are some of the highest among this list (this one also boasts protection from free radicals, blue light and pollution), but don't affect its silky texture. In fact, of all the foundations here, this one felt the most imperceptible, as if we weren't wearing anything other than a great face cream. Its coverage is on the lightweight side (it lets your natural skin peek through), so if you want something that'll completely cover uneven texture or blemishes, it may not be right for you.

Reasons to buy: Glowy finish; hydrating

Avoid if: You have a smaller budget

RRP: £29 | Shades: 24 | SPF: 20 | Key ingredients: Vitamin E, botanical blend

After wearing this tinted moisturiser for a week, we're also convinced it's one of the best lightweight foundations. It comes in a squeezy tube, which made it easy to apply and blend. However, caution is required so as not to apply too much; we made the mistake of thinking we'd get a moisturiser-like finish when, actually, you get light to medium coverage with a blurring effect – so it's safe to say a little goes a long way.

As for the eexture, it's thicker than a traditional moisturiser but still blends well for a "your skin but better" finish. Along with SPF 20, it's formulated with vitamin E and Rare Beauty's signature botanical blend of lotus, gardenia and white lily – all of which left our skin feeling soft and hydrated. All in all, if you seek a lightweight base with a little added skin protection and radiant results, this could be the one. For a natural, healthy glow, we also recommend applying a rosy cream blush alongside this tinted moisturiser.

Reasons to buy: Moisturises; blurs imperfections

Avoid if: You want high SPF

RRP: £13.99 | Shades: 40 | SPF: 25 | Key ingredients: Vitamin C, oxygen technology

Much as we love the best drugstore foundations, it can be challenging for budget bases to rival their expensive counterparts. This is particularly true when you throw an extra formulation challenge in the mix, like SPF. So when we tested the L'Oréal Infallible Fresh Wear SPF Foundation we were amazed by how flawless and smooth it left our skin, just like some of the high-end options we tried.

L'Oréal claims this foundation lasts for up to 24 hours and, though we couldn't wear it for quite that long, it didn't budge during a 12-hour day, which is still impressive. With its semi-matte finish, we wouldn't be surprised if it did last an entire day and night. It's also buildable, but our blemishes were covered with just one layer and we found we didn't need another. However, you can apply more without it pilling or caking to get fuller coverage.

Reasons to buy: Brilliant shade range, breathable formula

Avoid if: You want a dewy finish

RRP: £37 | Shades: 22 | SPF: 40 | Key ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract

Torn over foundation vs CC cream? A common misconception is that the latter bases lack coverage, but anyone who’s tried IT Cosmetics’ award-winning CC+ Cream will attest to the flawless-looking finish. The Nude Glow edition is slightly softer than the original bestseller but still corrects uneven tone. It's the perfect example of a "skindation" – that is a makeup base with skincare ingredients, which make up an impressive 90% of the formula here.

No doubt thanks to niacinamide, which is revered for its brightening results, moisture-magnet hyaluronic acid and antioxidant green tea extracts, our skin appeared filtered with a smooth and bright finish. It has a subtle, sweet, sherbety fragrance, which we liked, and is ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to wear a sheer skin – the coverage is an excellent confidence boost. It ticks off many of our non-negotiables, including hydrating ingredients, a glowy finish and decent, buildable coverage.

Reasons to buy: 90% skincare-based formula

Avoid if: You want very full coverage

RRP: £46 | Shades: 15 | SPF: 15 | Key ingredients: Hemispherical powders

This formula is quintessentially Chanel – chic, elegant and altogether luxurious. We found it looked best when applied with fingers rather than a brush, as the warmth of our hands seemed to fuse the foundation with our skin to make everything a lot smoother and more even. For us, the coverage was ideal. The blurring effect powders helped obscure any uneven texture, redness or areas of pigmentation in our complexion without caking completely. Our skin still looked like skin, only better (if you want to cover dark spots or acne, you might want to use a separate concealer).

Our dry-skinned tester usually avoids matte finishes, as even the best matte foundations can latch onto dry flakes for a base that looks "off". But Chanel's Ultra Le Teint Velvet is an anomaly. The result – which also has impressive staying power – is creamy, natural and smooth without ever looking flat.

Reasons to buy: Lasts well on combination skin

Avoid if: You want more coverage for blemishes

RRP: £36 | Shades: 71 | SPF: 15 | Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, red algae extract

Now, this foundation's pump used be a separate add-on, which made dispensation trickier if you went without, but did get our approval in that a single pump could be used with all future purchases. However, perhaps due to consumer demand, MAC seems to have reverted to including the pump as standard going forwards. Though more convenient, we do think this is a bit of a shame sustainability-wise.

Despite this, we want to stress that it's still a great foundation. You can build up the coverage from medium to full, so blemishes and dark spots are easily disguised from view, and it's non-comedogenic. It has a modern, matte finish that we'd describe as polished and perfected, with a natural, healthy brightness that we weren't expecting. As well as having an inclusive shade selection – making it one of the best foundations for dark skin in our guide – this looked smooth, creaseless and even for hours. It’s also sweat- and humidity-resistant, so if you prefer a fuller coverage foundation during the warmer months, this will stay exactly where you want it to.

Reasons to buy: Huge shade range; 24-hour wear

Avoid if: You want a high SPF

RRP: £40 | Shades: 24 | SPF: 15 | Key ingredients: Red jania, chicory

If fragrance in skincare and makeup isn't your thing, look away now, because this Clarins number has the most beautiful, fresh aroma that lingers. It was the thickest formula we tested, yet glided across our skin effortlessly. We tend to use the back of our hand as a palette so, being slightly richer a formula, this was easier to control. If you’re after a baby-faced sheen, you might be left wanting; Everlasting Youth Fluid yields a healthy gleam rather than an overly dewy finish.

A big perk here is that the pigments and soft-focus powders disguise any bits of skin you’d rather not reveal. The coverage is also fantastic, while chicory works to create a denser collagen network and improve skin's luminosity and firmness. To help shift any dead skin cell build-up, there's also red jania extract included. We're intrigued to see if we notice the long-term benefits of smoother, more refined skin, but until then, we love this flawless base.

Reasons to buy: Firming effect, lovely scent

Avoid if: You want something very luminous

RRP: £38 | Shades: 16 | SPF: 30 | Key ingredients: Kopara, vitamin C derivative

Housed in a squeezy tube, NARS' Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser formula is a bestseller and another moisturiser we're sneaking in here. Because, as well as SPF, it has surprisingly good coverage for tinted moisturiser (we'd probably describe it as having medium coverage), so it's more than earned its place. And packing hydrating and softening Kopara extract and a vitamin C derivative, there are skincare ingredients at play here, too.

Buffing into the skin with ease, and working well with either a brush or fingers, it yields that healthy "lit from within" glow that instantly perks up the skin, with a kind of satiny finish. However, despite a 16-strong shade range, there aren't many deeper options, so sadly it isn't suitable for all.

Reasons to buy: Decent coverage for a tinted moisturiser, healthy glow

Avoid if: You want something very matte

RRP: £42 | Shades: 28 | SPF: 45 | Key ingredients: Ion-charged water complex, chia seed extract, probiotic technology

With one of the highest SPF ratings on our list, the Estée Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue is a solid choice for a little extra defence against sun damage. And yet its formula is light, breathable and deeply moisturising. It promises a 12-hour radiant glow as if flicking on your complexion like a light switch.

Senior beauty editor Rhiannon Derbyshire loves this Estée Lauder base. “This is one of my all-time favourite foundations; it's lightweight but still has a nice, buildable coverage and gives a flattering, radiant finish. It's also really moisturising, which is a bonus for my thirsty skin. To me, it's the perfect hybrid of a tinted moisturiser and a foundation – it feels super comfy to wear but still gives a flawless finish with great staying power. Truthfully, I didn't realise it had SPF until very recently (some foundations with this can look a bit ghostly), but that just gives it extra points in my book.”

Reasons to buy: High SPF, moisturising

Avoid if: You have oily skin, as it can slip