The Hands-Down Best Foundations Money Can Buy — Period

"Skin tints" are all the rage right now, but if you want that same lightweight feel of a tint but with a smidge more coverage, that's where the Caliray Freedreaming Clean Blurring Skin Tint ($39) steps in. Our editors can attest: this liquid formula is breathable, buildable, and pretty damn hard to beat.

You know that feeling when you look in the mirror and think, "Damn, I look good," but there's no particular reason why? That's what will happen when you're wearing the Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer SPF 25 ($39). The formula is so lightweight and breathable, you can barely tell you're wearing anything at all, but step back, and you'll notice your skin is instantly more even — and just a touch more glowy, too.

The formula packed inside the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare ($40) is so airy in texture that it's almost velvety to the touch, but its results are even better: one swipe and skin looks brighter, more even, and not at all cakey.

The cult-classic Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector SPF 30 ($48) was recently reformulated with new shades, a higher SPF, more hydrating ingredients, and chic new packaging — but we'd be pressed to say it's better than the OG.

One glance at the Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum ($49) and you might mistake it for a skin serum — pigment lodged within a formula in microencapsulated spheres can do that — but one swipe of this weightless liquid and you'll see what editors are raving about (psst, it's glowy, more even-toned skin).

Smear on the Armani Beauty Neo Nude Foundation ($40) and you might be surprised at its coverage potential. The texture is almost water-like at first, but it leaves behind an ultrasmooth finish that looks natural and can be easily layered.

The best thing about the L'Oreal Paris True Match Hyaluronic Tinted Serum ($15) is that you can build up your desired coverage with each drop. One to two gives you a barely there effect, while three to four covers any breakouts or hyperpigmentation like a charm.

We hate to say it, but TikTok was spot-on with its reviews of the viral Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation ($44): not only is the coverage like a ring light in a bottle, but it's also loaded with hyaluronic acid to give skin an extra dose of moisture (so everyone — from oily skin types to dry — can indulge).

When you want something that covers you up but doesn't feel like it's covering you up, look no further than the Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation ($29). The serum-like formula smooths on like velvet and feels invisible on skin (just add a dab of the pigment onto each area with its handy wand applicator) while simultaneously lending the just-right amount of coverage. What can we say? Selena Gomez knows good skin.

The Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($65) is a bestselling fan favorite for good reason: the liquid foundation yields an impressive pigment payoff and can build from sheer to medium coverage while looking completely natural.

Just when you thought the perfect foundation didn't exist, the newbie Lys Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation ($22) entered the chat. Its medium coverage makes it easy to camouflage dark spots or breakouts, while its hydrating blend of avocado oil and hyaluronic acid ensures it never feels cake-y. It's so good, it even won a coveted POPSUGAR Beauty Award.

A CC cream, but make it extra (in all the best ways). The It Cosmetics Your Skin but Better CC+ Cream With SPF 50+ ($42) works like magic to cover up any rosacea, dark spots, or unevenness, but somehow still imparts a dewy glow that never feels heavy or greasy on skin.

The Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation ($46) goes on smooth like a tinted moisturizer, but adds an amazing amount of coverage like a medium- to full-coverage foundation — so you can get the best of both worlds.

When you're after that lit-from-within glow but want enough coverage to ensure nothing else dims your shine, reach for the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Glow ($13).

The best thing about the Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick ($36) (besides its light to medium coverage and lightweight finish)? A few swipes of the stuff holds up against sweat and shine all day.

It's hard to think of a foundation NARS hasn't done right, but if we had to pick one favorite, it'd be the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation ($49). Available in 36 shades across a range of undertones, you're bound to find a fit — which is a very good thing, because these lit-from-within (but make it full-coverage) results are not to be missed.

When you need to bring out the big guns, the Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation ($40) leaves behind a matte finish that's waterproof and sweat-resistant. Perfect for oily types, this stuff stays put all day.

This Sephora Collection 10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation ($20) contains hyaluronic acid for a smoothing effect, along with vitamin E for added protection against free radicals, so you can treat your skin while you cover up.

The Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation ($8) is best suited for dehydrated skin, with a smoothing concentrate that works with skin's texture for a seamless, luminous finish instead of accentuating any seasonal-induced rough patches.

A great foundation for less than the cost of a Chipotle burrito? That's exactly what CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Foundation ($12) is: it's hydrating, full-coverage, and lasts so long, you'd think you slathered on the primer (even if you didn't).

NARS Cosmetics Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation ($49) gives skin a radiant finish without it feeling too "radiant" — as in, it gets you the coverage you want, while leaving behind a subtle sheen that ever-so-slightly catches the light.

Makeup fanatics are obsessed with the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation ($35) for its semi-matte finish and enormous shade range. It's perfect for anyone who gets a little oily in their T-zone and stays matte elsewhere.