Maybelline Foundation Line Guide: Is It A Good Choice For You?

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Vegan Beauty Expert at Glamour n Glow

Juliet is passionate about cruelty-free and vegan beauty. She knows how difficult it can be to find quality vegan beauty products, so she's made it her life's mission to help you discover the best vegan beauty products out there!

But What Is Foundation Makeup?

Foundation is liquid, cream, or powder makeup that is applied to the face, helping to create an even, flawless skin tone. This can either be in a dewy or matte texture, depending on what type of finish you want. Some foundations can also act as a moisturizer, sunscreen, or change your skin tone.

Foundations can either be:

Liquid foundation
Cream foundation
Stick foundation
Pressed powder foundation
Loose powder foundation
Powder foundation

In this guide, I will be going through Maybelline’s extensive foundation collection to help you pick your perfect foundation. Currently, they are selling liquid foundations, cream foundations, stick foundation, and their iconic Dream Matte Mousse foundation. Let’s begin!

Best for Oily Skin

1. Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation

Ideal for oily to normal skin types, Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation has an ultra-lightweight formula that is perfect if you want a reliable, long-lasting foundation.

On Maybelline’s website it boasts many benefits that this foundation offers:

A lightweight matte liquid foundation
Oil-free but perfect for normal to oily skin types
Available in 40 shades
Helps blur the appearance of pores using “flexible micro-powders”
Natural finish look that doesn’t look cakey or dry

Sounds perfect! A little goes a long way with this product and can be used with either your fingers, a foundation brush, or a makeup sponge to apply on your face. I would recommend trying out shades in-store to find your perfect foundation shade. With 40 shades to choose from, it is easy to find one that matches your skin tone.

Packaging

The Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation comes in a plastic ‘squeeze out’ bottle with a black screw cap. The bottle is lightweight and it’s easy to get the product out. However, it is quite plain in its design, only using the color black with a sea-blue font. For a cheap price, this foundation is a must-have for those with oily skin if you want good coverage.

Pros

Excellent if you need extra coverage and a glow
40 shades to choose from
Lightweight formula that builds up coverage and blocks out pores

Cons

Bad for if you have dry skin – if you use this product and have dry skin, make sure to moisturize and hydrate your skin first

My Final Rating

9/10 for me – a really good foundation that builds up coverage and is perfect if you have oily skin. Its price is super low as well, which makes it my number one foundation to recommend.

Best SPF Coverage

2. Dream Urban Cover Flawless Coverage Foundation Makeup

With a super-high SPF 50, this is the perfect foundation to use in the summertime. Coming in 20 shades, Dream Urban is best suited for those with normal to dry skin (stay away if you have oily skin!). This is a smooth foundation that is easy to apply and stays on all day. Maybelline boasts of its skin-saving benefits, including:

Ingredients such as Vitamin E, Vitamin B3, and Baicaline (which form as antioxidants, defending skin from pollution)
Suitable for sensitive skin
“Non-comedogenic” – doesn’t clog pores
Locks in moisture

Finishing with a glow, Dream Urban is setting the bar high for those with dry skin. Unfortunately, you do need to use lots of the product to really take in that high SPF foundation coverage. However, it doesn’t make your look cakey at all and still feels lightweight when you use it.

Packaging

In a plastic bottle, this has a silver screw top lid and baby pink design. This design makes it easy to use due to its ‘squeeze-out’ lid. This is one of Maybelline’s more expensive foundations, but it is still affordable if you are on a budget.

Pros

High SPF 50
Works best for sensitive to dry skin
A long-lasting foundation that offers full coverage

Cons

Only comes in 20 shades
Not good if you have oily skin
You need to use a lot of the product to get the benefits

My Final Rating

7/10 purely for its impressively high SPF it offers – great for the summer but best to avoid using during the winter. Make sure to grab this if you have dry or sensitive skin. Keep in mind the limited shades it comes in and having to use a lot of the product when you apply it.

Lasts the Longest

3. Superstay Activewear 30h Long Lasting Liquid Foundation

If you are a busy and active person who doesn’t have time to be re-applying foundation, then look no further. Superstay Activewear 30h Long Lasting Liquid Foundation claims to last 30 hours and Maybelline states that this product is:

Transfer resistant on clothes
Water-resistant
Sweat-resistant

This is a high pigment foundation that provides a light, natural finish. Working as a matte foundation, Superstay uses an oil-free formula that doesn’t clog up your pores. However, this matt foundation can look cakey if you apply too much of the product or don’t use the right primer beforehand.

Packaging

In a clear, glass bottle, Superstay has a white lid and pump to help you get the product out. It’s simple, with “Superstay” bolded in silver capital letters on the white lid. The lid is also sturdy and stays in place, which is perfect if you are taking the bottle on the move with you.

Pros

Suitable for all skin types
Long-lasting wear
Resistant to clothes, water, and sweat

Cons

Only available in 20 shades
Doesn’t always last up to 30 hours
Can give a cakey look

My Final Rating

6/10 – While it is great to have a foundation that lasts hours and hours, you want other benefits too such as SPF, moisturizer, etc. This foundation can also look quite cakey if you put too much product on, but the foundation does not budge, which is perfect if you don’t have time to reapply.

Oily Skin But Want A Foundation That Lasts All Day?

4. Superstay 24h Foundation

Another Superstay! This time Maybelline has a foundation that lasts up to 24 hours instead of its 30-hour one – so what’s the difference?

This foundation is best suited for normal to oily skin types, whereas the 30h Superstay is suitable for all skin types. Again, Maybelline says that this foundation is transfer-resistant, water-resistant, and sweat-resistant. Superstay gives a matte finish and is lightweight on the skin. However, reviewers of the product say this foundation gives a more ‘dewy’ finish; use powder to prevent shine.

Packaging

Again this foundation is presented in a clear glass bottle with a white lid. It has “Superstay” in capital letters again and in a silver colored font. It has an easy-to-use pump to get the product out and is very affordable.

Pros

Works well if you have normal or oily skin
Long-lasting foundation
Gives medium to full coverage
Blocks out pores

Cons

Only 18 shades
Dewy finish instead of matte finish – make sure to use powder to avoid shine

My Final Rating

8/10 – A beauty favorite and a classic, Superstay 24h Foundation is perfect for those with oily skin wanting foundation that lasts all day. But make sure to use a powder to avoid shine as it can give a dewy finish.

On The Go And But Need a Touch-up?

5. Superstay Multi-use Foundation Stick Makeup

Now this Maybelline foundation stands out from the rest due to its ‘stick’ foundation and beauty blender that comes with the product. The “stick” foundation is perfect for if you are on the move and want to quickly cover up any imperfections. Coming from the same “Superstay” line, this foundation offers long-lasting coverage too.

This gives cream to a matte finish and comes with a pointed blender on the opposite end of the stick to help blend out the foundation, whether you are at home or on the go. Do you want a sculpted face? This can also be used as a contour foundation. Maybelline has really stepped up its game offering many benefits to this foundation:

It conceals
It contours
It highlights
And it gives a lightweight coverage

Packaging

Using the same Superstay branding, this foundation stick is white with a small black beauty blender sponge on the other side of the stick. It again has “Superstay” in capital letters and in a large silver font on the foundation side of the stick. This is one of the most affordable Maybelline foundations out there.

Pros

Amazing multi-purpose use (contours, conceals, highlights and gives good coverage)
Comes with a beauty blender that is very useful if you are on the go
A nice cream to matte finish

Cons

Only comes in 18 shades
Not good if you have dry skin as this product clings to dry patches
Lightweight coverage that doesn’t cater to those with blemished skin

My Final Rating

6/10 As much as I love a multi-purpose use foundation, there are some issues with this foundation stick. Compared to the other Maybelline foundation, Superstay Multi-use Foundation Stick Makeup works best for minimal coverage and comes in a limited number of shades. However, if you have clear skin and are looking for a foundation to keep with you when you are out and about then this is the one for you.

The Best Matte Finish

6. Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

Dream Matte Mousse is one of Maybelline’s most iconic foundations and is something I used to use as a teenager. It was commonly known as a foundation that didn’t blend out well but Maybelline has stepped up their game and updated this foundation to give you a flawless, matte finish.

Giving a 16-hour finish, Maybelline’s Dream Matte Mousse has lightweight to medium coverage and offers a shine-free look. Ideal for all skin types, there’s a reason why this has been a fan favorite over the decade.

Using a matte texture, Dream Matte Mousse works well to control oil and cover up any dry patches. This also works as a primer as well as a foundation, but its downside is that it only comes in 7 shades.

Packaging

In a small, cylinder glass pot, Dream Matte Mousse is perfect to have in your makeup bag while you are out. The pot is in the same color as the foundation shade you choose and has the word “Dream” in a bold black font. This foundation is affordable and works well as a matte foundation.

Pros

Works on all skin types
It has great coverage
Works as a primer as well as a foundation

Cons

Doesn’t last all-day
Can be heavier compared to other liquid foundations
No applicator
Only comes in 7 shades

My Final Rating

7/10 I have to say I am impressed with Dream Matte Mousse; gone are the cakey, orange face days I used to experience as a teenager. With the right amount of product and more shades introduced, Maybelline has reinvented its iconic mousse. However, there is still a distant lack of shades and this product does need reapplying after some time.

Dry Skin? The Best Hydrating Foundation

7. Dream Radiant Liquid Medium Coverage Hydrating Foundation

Dream Radiant is perfect if you want that glowy skin look. Offering medium coverage, this lightweight foundation moisturizes skin and leaves a natural look. Maybelline claims it gives you 12 hours of hydration and provides smooth, even-looking skin.

Using Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen to help moisturize and plump your skin, this foundation is perfect if you want a no-makeup makeup look. In 20 shades, Dream Radiant is a favorite among Maybelline fans. However, one negative is that this foundation gives you light coverage, meaning blemishes could shine through easily.

Packaging

In a clear glass bottle, you can visibly see the pump in the see-through lid. Using a light pink shade around the pump, this is a stand-out design from Maybelline.

Pros

Works well if you have dry skin due to its hydrating ingredients (Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen)
Lovely dewy finish
Great packaging with a pump

Cons

Do not recommend if you have oily skin
Only 20 shades
Light coverage
No SPF

My Final Rating

6/10 Given this foundation is meant to be a ‘summertime’ foundation due to its moisturizing and hydrating ingredients, I am surprised by its lack of SPF. It offers light coverage which can put off those with blemishes and visible pores. If you have dry skin, then this foundation is a must and gives you a dewy finish.

A Quick Run-through of the Maybelline Foundation Line

Maybelline has a varied collection of liquid, cream, stick, or matte mousse foundations. Here is a quick run-through of the Maybelline foundations I have gone through to help make your decision on which one is best suited to you and your skin.

Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation – a clear winner for me if you have oily skin and want to find the perfect shade (with 40 shades to choose from).
Dream Urban Cover Flawless Coverage Foundation Makeup – second runner-up if you have dry skin. Dream Urban is perfect to use in the summer due to its SPF 50.
Superstay Activewear 30h Long Lasting Liquid Foundation – one to leave on the shelf due to it leaving you with a ‘cakey’ look.
Superstay 24h Foundation – the best of the “Superstay” collection and perfect if you have oily skin and gives you good coverage that lasts all day.
Superstay Multi-use Foundation Stick Makeup – a must-have if you are always on the go due to its stick and beauty blender end but doesn’t offer the best coverage.
Dream Matte Mousse Foundation – an iconic throwback and offers the best matte finish but is only available in 7 shades.
Dream Radiant Liquid Medium Coverage Hydrating Foundation – I would leave this one and go for the Dream Urban Cover Flawless Coverage Foundation Makeup instead for its SPF coverage.

FAQs

Question: Does Maybelline have a foundation with SPF?

Answer: Yes! Their Dream Urban Cover Flawless Coverage Foundation Makeup has SPF 50 – a high amount of SPF to protect your face from the sun.

Question: How do I make my makeup look smooth?

Answer: Make sure to use a primer before applying foundation and powder after you apply your foundation. These steps will offer you a smooth foundation look. Some foundations offer a primer within the product (Dream Matte Mousse Foundation) or offer a smooth finish (Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation).

Question: Is Maybelline cruelty-free?

Answer: Unfortunately, Maybelline is not cruelty-free.

Final Thoughts

One thing I wish Maybelline did was offer more skin shades to make it more inclusive. Brands like Fenty Beauty have been praised for skin tone inclusivity. However, Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation (and my top recommended foundation) does come in 40 shades, but I wish the other foundations in Maybelline’s collection followed suit.

This brand also isn’t cruelty-free and has a lot of catching up to do to compete with brands such as NYX Professional Makeup and e.l.f. Its foundation line remains popular though and offers a wide range of benefits for people with different skin types.

My top two foundations to recommend would have to be Fit Me! Matte + Poreless Foundation if you have oily skin or Dream Urban Cover Flawless Coverage Foundation Makeup if you have dry skin and want that SPF 50.