Aren’t you tired of always using a filter on your face just to blur out the blemishes just for an Instagram-worthy selfie? Wearing the right foundation does more than give you a post-worthy photo. In fact, it can give you that filtered look throughout the entire day.

And for an Asian woman, looking for the right foundation for your skin tone is like looking for your soulmate. And most brands, although they attempt to create foundations of different color ranges, it’s hard to find one that’s ultimately fitting to the different shades of Asian color. It’s a real shame that many brands consider Asian color as just one or two shades.

To help the Asian community, we’ve come up with a full list of great foundations that have truly captured the essence of the Asian skin tone–or at least close to it.

Why is it hard to choose a foundation for Asian skin?

One of the most prominent issues many Asian women suffer when choosing a foundation is simply looking for one that seems close to their skin color. However, there are always two sides of Asian skin: the skin tone and undertone.

Your skin tone is the obvious color that you’re trying to match the color of a foundation with. Your undertone, on the other hand, is the color underneath that skin that gives your overall hue. What most foundations deem as Asian undertone is warm with a yellowish or golden tone. This isn’t always the case.

Getting a foundation with the wrong undertone  will lead to the following:

• Cakey makeup
• Too orange or too golden
• Face color is oddly different from the rest of the skin

Top Liquid Foundation for Asian  Skin Tone

We’ve chosen seven great liquid foundations that offer an array of hues that

NARS All-Day Luminous Foundation

Let go of the days where you feel stuffy and heavy wearing a thick blanket of foundation on your face. Even out your skin color with the NARS All-Day Luminous Foundation. With 13 hues to choose from more than half of the color range fit different light hues fit for Asian skin. And many of these display a warmer undertone designed to balance out the color of your skin.

NARS is pretty light on the skin. With just a pump or two, it’s enough to provide a smooth coverage on your entire face without making it feel thick or sticky.

This foundation is perfect for combination type skin, the luminous effect balances out the oiliness of your skin while adding luster to your dry zones.

Cons: It may be great for all types of skin but it tends to start drying your skin out as the day continues, it’s best partnered with a mist on the latter part of the day.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation

Estee Lauder is a loved brand that many women love. It’s light and feels like a second skin. What’s lovable about Estee Lauder is that it takes care of every person’s skin especially from breaking out. With Estee Lauder, you’re guaranteed a foundation that you can wear for a long time and for all seasons.

Not only is it waterproof but it also locks in the moisture within the skin making it a great foundation to wear from spring to winter. It also has an SPF10 (though not enough to truly protect you from UV rays) that shields you from the sun’s rays.

Estee Lauder offers a flawless and natural look. With a thin but highly pigmented foundation, it’s pretty easy to forget that you’re wearing any foundation at all. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in Place has over 55 shades considering all types of undertone. It’s nearly impossible to not find a color that will suit your skin.

Cons: This sticks to your skin like glue, so you may need a powerful makeup remover to take it.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation

You don’t have to be Asian to love the MAC. It’s never a wonder why the MAC is a favorite amongst all ethnic colors and skin types, it’s because the foundation itself becomes a great canvas. It is light and very easy to apply because it disperses oil evenly throughout your skin.

It also offers a light to medium coverage giving you a natural tone. With the right shade, you’re sure to look naturally blooming. The matte finish becomes a great canvas for makeup making it easier for the rest of your makeup to stick and stay longer.

On its own, it feels gentle and comfortable on the skin making it a great foundation even just for an ordinary day with less makeup especially for those who have oily skin. It keeps your skin evenly toned and protected from the sun as well. The MAC Studio Fix has an SPF 15 giving you gentle protection against the damaging rays of the sun.

Cons: It’s not great for those with skin on the dry side. If you do have dry skin, you need a good serum or moisturizer before applying the MAC.

ETUDE HOUSE New Double Lasting Foundation

No one understands Asian skin better than an Asian brand. Designed for lighter toned skin, Etude House is a K-Beauty product that never ceases to impress. With 12 different shades to choose from, the variation also includes those who have warm or cold undertones.

What we love about the Etude House New Double Lasting Foundation is that it feels absolutely weightless. Easily absorbed by the skin, the foundation feels like its barely there. It doesn’t have that stickiness or cakey feel that you would often get from foundations.

The Etude House is ideal for those with sensitive skin. Since it is easy to absorb, it is great for those who have very sensitive skin. It’s also the perfect makeup base for those who tend to have multiple layers of makeup on.

Cons: You only need a very thin amount to use on your skin because it is highly pigmented. It also has a bit of a fragrance to it.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation

There’s probably no woman who hasn’t tried Maybelline and loved it. Maybelline is a make-up must-have and many Asians swear by the brand loving the fact that there are 40 different shades to choose from and more than a third of the color range is fit for Asian skin.

The Poreless Liquid Foundation gives you a naturally finished look. It offers a mild to medium coverage that covers most of your blemishes but maintains a natural radiance. We recommend the Matte foundation for Asian skin more than the Dewy foundation. The Matte version comes with clay thus absorbing oil from the skin and dirt from the air.

Cons: You need to know which line you should get, if you have dry skin, don’t ever opt to get the matte finish because it will dry it out even more.

Wet n wild Photo Focus Dewy Foundation

Whether you’re looking for a glass skin or a radiantly refreshing look, go wet and wild! The Wet n Wild Photo Focus Dewy Foundation is a concoction designed to be an all-in-one base primer. Not only is it made to even out your skin tone but it’s also intended to conceal, and add a beautiful finish to your skin making it photo-ready!

Like many of the foundations we have chosen this is also quite light on the face. It is also highly pigmented requiring you only a little bit of foundation to use. The satin finish adds luster to your face giving it a radiant bloom from morning to evening.

Cons: Unfortunately it’s not fit for sensitive skin and skin with acne. The foundation clings well to the skin and if you’re suffering from acute acne, it may end up hiding but also accentuating your larger pimples.

Mineral Liquid Powder Foundation by Beauty Basics

Emphasize your youthful beauty with the mIneral Beauty Basics’ Mineral Liquid Powder. This light foundation offers a gentle formula designed to keep your skin looking young and fresh while keeping all your blemishes tucked away.

We love that it has an SPF15 protecting you from UV rays when you go outside. It is also hypoallergenic making it a great wear for those with sensitive skin. This liquid powder has a powdered finish giving you a smooth and silky complexion from morning to night. With 14 colors to choose from, all the hues are meant to cater to the needs of a lighter skin color making it ideal for Asian skin tone.

Cons: The most of the hues cater more towards those with cool undertones.

Top Powder Foundation for Asian Skin Tone

If you’re not into wearing liquid foundation that you often find sticky on your face, here’s our top selection of powder foundation for you to choose from.

Glo Skin Beauty Mineral Pressed Powder Foundation

Make your skin glow with the Glo Skin Beauty Mineral Powder Foundation. This is a wonderful compact powder and smooth coverage. Keep away the tired look on your face with a foundation that easily keeps your skin looking young and glowing.

What we love about this is its skin healing properties. So if you are prone to breakouts or have already had breakouts on your skin, the powder promotes healing and prevents the breakouts from scarring.

Cons: It has a limited color range fit only for the lighter Asian skin colors.

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Color Corrective Powders

Already created with multiple colors in your compact, this is an amazing foundation that makes you blend the perfect color for your skin. With the color ranges all in the same hue and undertone, you’re bound to get the right color for your skin.

It also works as a primer, bronzer, and concealer, however, you apply it to your face all within the same color scheme giving you a natural shine. This is designed for those with sensitive skin preventing your skin from drying out and causing pimples. We love that you have 6 color palettes to choose from.

Cons: You won’t always get an even color every time you wear it because you won’t always get the same mixture with a multicolored palette.

Coty Airspun Face Powder

Get rid of the fine lines with the Coty Airspun Face Powder and drown out the worn-out look on your face. Give yourself a beautiful shine with this loose face powder. We love how easy it is to apply and how smoothly it immediately blends with your skin.

The powder is also very gentle leaving out the thick feeling of makeup on your skin. You’re also going to love that it won’t dry your skin out. This is perfect for oily and combination type skin. And with six colors to choose from, your skin will surely find a match.

Cons: It tends to get dry as you wear it for a long period of time. We suggest that you always carry a mist and the powder for touch-ups or always wear a moisturizer before putting this on your face.

Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Instant Wrinkle-Defying Foundation

We are in love with this partnership. Covergirl and Olay surely formulated a wonderful foundation that will definitely defy aging. Many women love this formula because of its hydrating ability. Despite being a powder foundation, it locks in the moisture in your skin giving you a very youthful glow.

This is perfect for women in their 30s. The age-defying formula target concealment for darkening eye circles and erupting wrinkles. Not only that but with an SPF 28, it offers more skin protection against the sun.

With 12 colors to choose from, all targeting lighter skin tones, this is a wonderful choice for Asian skin.

Cons: Many of the colors are directed towards a warm undertone.

L’Oreal Paris Hydra Perfecte Perfecting Loose Face Powder

Minimize the appearance of your pores with the Hydra Perfecte Loose Powder, designed to even out the skin, your blemishes all disappear in a single application. Gentle and smooth on the face, you’ll always end up with a wonderful hue that will bring out the color of your makeup.

Formulated with special moisturizers, this powder is built to prevent your skin from drying out and getting damaged in your day to day routine. In addition, you also have 3 choice options for color leaving you looking youthful and fresh all the time.

Cons: It’s hard for women to find their own color because there are only 3 colors to choose from.

Bare Escentuals Bareminerals SPF Foundation, Original Fair

Bareminerals never go wrong in giving us that natural bare-faced look! Get a post-worthy face without the filter using the Bare Escentuals SPF Foundation. Designed mainly to provide a medium coverage and sun protection, this foundation is here to protect your skin as well as keep it looking glamorous.

With 9 different hues to choose from, all easy to apply and light to wear, you’re giving your skin a treat. Offering a gentle to medium coverage, your blemishes are sure to disappear and blend to your skin bringing out your natural beauty.

Cons: Though it’s light and easy to apply, it’s also pretty easy to disappear. You may want to get another pact to keep with you all the time for touch-ups.

MISSHA M Magic Cushion

This K-Beauty Product is a real treat for Asian skin. Combining its signature skincare formulation, you get a wonderful foundation that not just acts as a second skin but also works on taking care of your skin while battling the daily pollution.

It offers an easy application with a lightweight feel, it’s smooth to the touch and it simply covers the blemishes on your face with ease. We live that at SPF 50, it has the highest skin protection against the rays of the sun. And it also comes with a moisturizing effect keeping your skin hydrated and naturally glowing. It’s hard to find these skincare characteristics in day-to-day makeup.

The sponge is also to die for, it’s gentle on the skin and it also lasts for a long time.

Cons: We can barely find any flaws in this product other than the fact that it only has four color choices.

The Final Verdict

Most makeup brands label Asian skin a single shade but we’re glad to show you 14 different brands that cater to the different shades and colors of the Asian skin tone. When it comes to choosing the right foundation, it is more than just the color, it’s how well it works with your skin, and so, we’ve chosen the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation. Perfect for all types of skin and caring for all colors, it’s the definite choice for Asian skin tone.

However, if you’re looking for a dry foundation, we highly recommend the Missha M Magic Cushion, with all skin-caring formulation targeting the needs of the typical Asian skin, it does more than what foundation is meant to do.