With the resurgence of maximal makeup trends, some of us are still seeking solace in the minimalist ‘clean girl aesthetic’, featuring a small army of multi-tasking products. If you’re revamping your makeup collection with the same intent, let’s steer you in the direction of complexion sticks. This nifty makeup must-have leaves very little room for errors. With just a few strokes and blending tools of your choice (yes, fingers count, too), you’ll be left with a fresh, glowing complexion. From under-eye brightening to chiselled cheekbones, and everything in between, here are the 10 best foundation sticks for your multitasking, minimal makeup collection.
1. New Launch
What we love: From India’s first-ever homegrown brand, Lakmé has come in hot with their new launch, the Facelift Foundation Stick, which is available in six shades. Though this comes in stick form, it has an effortless slip that blends seamlessly into your skin. If you’re going for a fuss-free, ‘no-makeup’ makeup look, this can act as a good concealer stick for your under-eyes and blemish-prone areas for a skin-like finish.
Who will it suit: Normal-to-dry skin
2. Under INR 200
What we love: Did we mention that this drugstore stick foundation is under INR 200? Aside from its affordability, it delivers a soft matte finish that has a wear-stay of up to twelve hours. It has a thick, creamy texture to help spot-conceal acne scars, and works well for those who are on the hunt for beauty buys on a budget.
Who will it suit: Combination-to-oily skin
3. For Beginners & Minimalists
What we love: Never underestimate the power of minis. These come in handy for multiple reasons. They’re great for beginners who want to improve their base makeup or beauty minimalists looking for a medium-full coverage concealer stick for dark circles. Just like its full-size counterpart, this full-coverage foundation comes with an inbuilt brush to make blending easy and quick. The creamy texture promises up to 12 hours of coverage to ensure a glowing, even-toned complexion throughout the day. Plus, it’s also travel-friendly!
Who will it suit: All skin types
4. The OG
What we love: The Ultra HD Invisible Stick Foundation has retained the brand’s bestselling base product title to this date, since its launch in 2015. Fascinatingly, it also spawned a new-found obsession with foundation sticks among social media beauty gurus. We’re here to echo the same hype! This creamy, full-coverage foundation lends a smooth base that gives an HD-like finish – perfect for important occasions. One of the best full-coverage stick foundations that’s totally worth the splurge!
Who will it suit: Normal-to-dry skin types
5. If You Love Mixing & Matching
What we love: If you’re finicky about getting your foundation and concealer shade right, and resort to mixing and matching to make your customised shade, the Makeup Revolution Mix ‘n’ Match foundation stick duo is your one-stop shop. It doesn’t just stop just there – they can double up as great colour-correcting and brightening under-eye concealer sticks to camouflage discolouration or even masquerade as a contour and highlighting duo.
Who will it suit: All skin types
6. Homegrown Clean Beauty
What we love: This slick-looking foundation stick comes from a woman-owned clean beauty brand that eliminates excess and unwanted ingredients to make mindful formulations. The creamy multipurpose stick boasts 85% natural ingredients like jojoba oil, shea butter, and olive oil to nourish the skin while giving it a natural coverage. To seal the deal, it’s infused with SPF 15 to shield your skin from harmful UV rays.
Who will it suit: All skin types
7. With Love, From Nykaa
What we love: This under-INR 500 beauty essential caters to different undertones, right from cool tones to golden undertones. Whether it’s quick touch-ups or a sculpted look, the shade range makes it possible to achieve an array of looks with just one multi-purpose stick. What we also love is that once it’s applied to your skin, you have enough time to blend the product without it looking patchy.
Who will it suit: All skin types
8. Underrated Gem
What we love: Yet another homegrown and woman-owned brand, O&O Beauty’s Complexion Stick gives high-end foundations a run for their money. This range of nasties-free, multi-purpose complexion sticks has seven spectacular brown-skin-friendly shades, so you won’t have to worry about ending up with an ashy finish. It has a unique powder-to cream formula that’s heat and sweat-resistant. Melt-proof complexion, check!
Who will it suit: All skin types
9. Editor’s Choice
What we love: At first touch, this foundation stick is delightfully creamy thanks to its skin-conditioning ingredients like jojoba oil and shea butter, but people with oily skin need not fret. Once blended into the skin, it turns into a lightweight, grease-free base. The shade Espresso is the perfect chocolate-brown with neutral undertones that gives you a high-definition contoured look.
Who will it suit: All skin types
10. Worth The Splurge
What we love: If you’ve saved up your precious coins for that one prized beauty purchase, you ought to check out the award-winning Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick! With a luxurious-looking black and gold case, it houses a sweat-resistant, full-coverage formula. With skin-moisturising ingredients like olive extracts and shea butter, this foundation glides on the skin like a dream! A little is all you need to cover dark circles and uneven skin tone.
Who will it suit: All skin types
From colour-correcting to sculpting and from a foundation stick for oily skin to a concealer stick for mature skin, we hope our curation helps you find your go-to base makeup must-have. Go on, flaunt that flawless complexion!
