Beauty Q&A: What is a Serum Foundation, and What’s the Best One?

There are many types of foundations in this makeup world — some for oily skinned babes, others for people with dry skin and even some for skin that falls in between. One of the newer foundation formulas to hit the market is the serum foundation, which works a little differently than your average liquid or cream. To get to the bottom of exactly what a serum foundation is and whether you need one, we chatted with Dermablend Makeup Artist Andrew Velazquez to find out who might want to use one and his favorite alternative product.

Coverage Level

So the first thing we were naturally curious about was why would you want to use a serum foundation over other formulas? Velazquez notes it’s because they’re great if you’re looking for a product that blends into the skin — as opposed to covering it up. “They’re really goof-proof and they kind of work for someone that is not aware of full coverage or what types of coverage to use because it’s easy to build and it really melts onto the skin so nicely,” he says. In order to build more coverage with a serum foundation, Velazquez suggests you start in the T-zone and work your way out from the center of the face if you want more coverage.

It’s Spot On For Combination Skin

 Another reason a serum foundation might be your formula of choice is because it works well for oily skin. “I think that’s one of the biggest misconceptions with serum foundations is that people think, ‘oh, I have oily skin I can’t use it,’ but on the contrary, oil breaks oil down so it actually works best for combination skin, too,” says Velazquez. And he’s not wrong; serum foundations (or foundations used with serums) do an excellent job of keeping excess oil at bay.  

MUA Product Pick

If you’re not ready to switch to a serum foundation or it doesn’t sound right for your routine, Velazquez suggests starting with a similar product, like the Flawless Creator by Dermablend. While this is not a serum foundation, Velazquez compares it to one because it works the same way a serum would. “Flawless Creator works like a serum foundation because it’s pure pigment — there are no fillers or water or oils; it’s literally just color, so it melts into the skin the same way,” he says. Velazquez suggests using the Flawless Creator with a mixing medium or a skin care serum to achieve the same *melts-into-your-skin* finish.