10 Drugstore Foundations with Better Ratings Than Luxury Brands

It's true: Foundation is — quite literally — the base on which every beauty look is built. The right one smoothes, evens, and gives dull skin instant incandescence. The wrong one can turn a perfectly fine complexion ashen, streaky, and flakey just as fast. So it makes sense that foundation got a reputation as the one item in your kit you should splurge big on. The psychology goes something like this: If La Prairie Foundation costs $230 for a tiny little jar, that jar must be filled with beautifying magic.

And to be fair, La Prairie’s super luxe formula does earn impressive customer ratings — 4.6 stars out of 5, to be exact. But here’s the thing... so does CoverGirl Queen All Day Flawless, but for 95 percent less money. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Glow Sheers? It's earned nearly solid 5-star ratings from 400 fans and counting.

The rest of the 10 foundations ahead are just as beloved. Each is available at pretty much every store you could name and none ringing up at more than $13. So feel free to perfect your skin while saving enough cash to invest in a couple pairs of new ankle boots, or a designer handbag, or a cashmere sweater, or any other splurge you've been eyeing.