L'Oreal Paris Makeup Infallible Up to 32 Hour Fresh Wear Lightweight Foundation, 455 Natural Buff, 1 Fl Oz, Packaging May Vary

Why it's worth it

L'Oréal's Infallible Fresh Wear gives you buildable medium-to-full coverage, SPF 25 and a 32-hour wear claim across 40 shades, for a fraction of what the prestige bottles cost. It's thin, it layers cleanly, and it resists sweat and transfer better than drugstore foundation usually does.

No other drugstore foundation here competes this directly on wear. Wirecutter's transfer-resistance and longevity trials described it as performing comparably to prestige options costing several times more. The formula leans on three oil absorbers and is built to resist sweat, water and rubbing off on your collar. If money is the constraint but all-day wear is still the standard, start here.

It's an unusually thin liquid, and that turns out to be a feature. One layer looks like skin rather than makeup and dries down quickly. Build a second pass over redness or hyperpigmentation and you're at full coverage without the weight you'd expect. Most people get the cleanest result with a damp sponge rather than a brush.

From our review of 8 full-coverage foundations, by Sarah Wright, Editorial Associate

What we like

• +No other drugstore foundation here competes this directly on wear
• +It's an unusually thin liquid, and that turns out to be a feature
• +SPF 25 is a real bonus, and it's more than most foundations bother with

What to know

• –Forty shades is a solid range, not a great one, and the deep end is thinner than Fenty's or MAC's
• –Coverage tops out lower than the Dermablend or the Estée Lauder