Serum foundations are the answer if you want makeup that behaves like skincare. Drunk Elephant Kamo in Fair 1C is a multi-use serum with 18 percent pigments and a peptide complex, and the brand promises undetectable 12 hour coverage. Tower 28 Swipe Serum in 4C Crystal Cove is a medium coverage serum foundation that the brand calls friendly to sensitive skin, with up to 16 hours of wear. m.ph Le Skin in Tan 240 G has 2 percent niacinamide, and Givenchy Prisme Libre Glow Serum in 3N has micro hyaluronic acid for a natural finish. ILIA True Skin in Senja SF9.25 is medium coverage with niacinamide. Hourglass Ambient Soft Glow in 1 is a light-diffusing liquid with up to 16 hours of wear. Gucci 24 Hour Foundation in 480N is the full coverage, luminous matte option, and Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation in WN 118 Amber is a matte SPF 25 formula for oily and combination skin.

Pairing tip: use one drop first, then a damp sponge, and add a second drop only where you need it. Serums are thinner than they look.

What I would skip: a full coverage matte serum on very dry skin in winter. Reach for the glowier Hourglass, ILIA or Givenchy formulas on those days, and keep the matte Gucci and Clinique ones for long or humid days.

Primers and concealers are the quiet half of a foundation routine. MAC Faceglass is a clear skin gloss and primer that the brand says gives up to 24 hours of hydration, and ONE/SIZE Secure the Glow is a tacky hydrating primer for normal, dry and combination skin. For concealers, NARS Radiant Creamy in Madeleine is a medium coverage formula with up to 16 hours of wear. YSL Touche Éclat Click Pen in 7.5 Luminous Cinnamon is a light coverage pen that adds radiance without shimmer, and MILK MAKEUP Hydro Grip Gel Stick in 4 is a 12 hour stick with a dewy finish. The Best Skin Ever Multi-Use Hydrating Glow Concealer in 24 Yellow Beige is a radiant liquid for fair skin, Saie Slip Tint in 10 has niacinamide and up to 12 hours of wear, and DIOR Backstage Concealer in 5N is a full coverage formula that the brand calls waterproof and crease-proof.

Pairing tip: apply concealer after foundation, in small dots, and tap with a finger or damp sponge until the edge is gone.

What I would skip: a tacky, grippy primer under a powder foundation, because the powder will cling to it in patches. Use a light hydrating one there, or skip primer altogether.

The easiest way to choose is to start with the day. A quick errand day calls for a tint like True Match Nude or a balm. A long day or an event calls for Infallible, in liquid or powder. Dry skin tends to prefer serums and cushions, and oily skin likes the matte ones. Shade is the part people rush, so test on the jaw and look at undertone first, using the C, N and W letters in the shade names as a guide: cool, neutral, warm. Finish with concealer only where you need it, then stop. A good base should look like skin on the second glance.