One of the quintessential makeup items you should always have is the foundation! It is an easy and efficient way to give your skin that glowing, dewy hue that makes your face look flawless.

But not all foundations are made the same. First of all, foundations are each designed for a specific skin type and tone in mind, so it is important to ensure you get one that matches yours! But secondly, you want to ensure that the ingredients in your foundation are doing your skin better than harm.

The best foundation has a range of natural ingredients that supercharge your skin, rather than dry it out and deplete it. In general, you want to get a foundation whose ingredients you can actually pronounce and whose names you are familiar with!

And just because a foundation is more expensive doesn’t mean the ingredients are better! So the next time you go out to get a foundation, take the time to compare ingredients rather than a price point—because healthy and beautiful natural skin is priceless! Foundation’s goal is to really just enhance that.

So how do you know what ingredients your foundation should have? We’re here to share the top ingredients to look out for when it comes to ensuring you get the best foundation out there.

Zinc

This mineral is a super ingredient that your skin soaks up and loves you for it. Zinc is something that is soothing to the skin and acts as a natural defense against the sun. But not only does it help prevent skin damage, but it is also able to be applied smoothly to ensure that light is picked up everywhere that you apply it—which is why the foundation is key for those photoshoots! Titanium dioxide is another mineral in many foundations that also do the same thing for your skin but is most beneficial for those with extra sensitive skin.

Retinyl Palimate

Looks like a scary chemical, but is really just the scientific name for Vitamin A! This mineral is amazing for getting healthy skin and only a small dose is needed to get a big result. It also allows for better exfoliation to occur and keep things like acne away. So when you are using foundation with Vitamin A, you aren’t just making your skin look flawless, you are also protecting it against any future damage!

Water

What Ingredients Should Your Foundation Have?

This one seems obvious and is key in making the liquid foundation easy to apply to your skin. Plus, the water acts as a way to further hydrate the skin! In order for foundation or any other makeup product to stick to your face and look good, it is important to first ensure your skin is hydrated. Foundation uses water as not just a binding liquid, but also as that final way to hype up the skin and ensure it absorbs the makeup that you apply.

Tocopheryl Acetate

Another scary looking name is actually just the long version of Vitamin E! Similar to its counterpart Vitamin A, this vitamin is best at keeping your skin protected against external agents. Not only does it help soothe out any red or irritated splotches on your skin, but it also acts as an anti-aging agent to ensure your skin stays young and healthy!

Foundation is a must-have in the makeup kit. But it is important that you get a foundation that does more good than harm to your skin. It should further be enhancing and protecting your natural skin rather than simply hiding blemishes you don’t want to be seen. When it comes to the best ingredients, natural ones are certainly the way to go!