Makeup functions differently as skin matures.
As age spots and spider veins creep up, extending your complexion products down to the neck and chest can help smooth skin. Additionally, for special events and beach days, coverage on the arms, legs, and hands can feel like an added layer of confidence. For new moms, this can also mean looking for solutions to make C-section scars less noticeable. No matter your needs, body makeup can transform your skin.
1.Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation
Coverage: Medium, buildable | Formula: Liquid | Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Shades: 40 | Size: 1.6 oz. / 50 mL
Star Qualities
· Smooth application and feels extremely lightweight
· No creases or smudges and didn’t transfer
· More than 40 shades in warm, cool, and neutral undertones
Red Flags
· Not enough shades for darker skin tones
Designer doesn’t always guarantee high quality, but in the case of Dior’s Backstage Face & Body Foundation, paying a little more does get you a better value. Earning a flawless 5-star rating in every single test, this body makeup provided full coverage that felt airy on the skin and stayed locked in place.
It’s smooth and extremely lightweight and covered our arm, veins, and everything in between. We love that it’s available in so many shades (more than 40!), and provides full coverage. It comes in neutral, warm, and cool undertones to suit most skin types. We just wish there were more options for darker skin tones. Our testing feedback shows that this formula is an excellent option for women with mature-skin seeking to smooth spider veins and age spots with a lightweight feel and natural look.
During the resistance tests, this body makeup didn’t transfer any product to a white towel when rubbed against it, and didn’t come off even when sprayed with water. It felt like we were wearing a powder, but there was no transfer. We were very impressed that it completely stayed in place with no creases or smudges. And with regards to the water test, water beaded up on the product as suspected, but everything stayed in place with no streaking, running, or transfer.
Overall, we think this is the ideal body makeup because a little goes a long way, and as a medium coverage foundation, you can apply it lightly or build it up for a fuller coverage look. Though the price is higher than others on our list, this makeup is a good value for what you’re paying.
2.MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation
Coverage: Sheer | Formula: Liquid | Skin Types: All skin types | Shades: 30 | Size: 1.7 oz.
Star Qualities
· Provides a nice glow
· Diverse shade range
· Lightweight, breathable feel
Red Flags
· Became greasy when exposed to water
This sheer foundation acts more like a tint upon first application, but can be built upon to add extra coverage — an ideal quality in body makeup to smooth age spots with gradual application. We loved the super lightweight, breathable feel, and noticed very little transfer during our tests. It offers a glowing natural skin like finish that can also be set with powder depending on what type of finish you are looking to create.
It’s a water-based product that contains various types of silicones which create excellent skin adhesion as well as long wear. It also is extremely buildable — upon initial application, it provides a veil of coverage, however the more layers you apply, the [more opaque] the coverage becomes.
Though advertised as waterproof, when sprayed with water, it took on a somewhat greasy consistency (so maybe just don’t wear this one to the beach!). However, once it dried, this body makeup went back to its original consistency and didn’t run at all. We love the diverse shade range for a variety of skin tones, we only wish there was slightly more opacity. You can build this one, it just might take a few extra layers.
3.BLK/OPL Face + Body Concealer
Coverage: Full | Formula: Liquid | Skin Type: All skin types, darker skin tones | Shades: 7 | Size: 0.5 oz.
Star Qualities
· Lightweight, talc- and paraben-free formula
· Highly pigmented for maximum coverage
· Remained intact after applying and spraying with water
Red Flags
· Not suitable for all skin tones (designed for melanin-rich skin)
Developed by a dermatologist, this concealer from Black Opal is designed for melanin-rich skin and provides rich coverage. While it’s a matte formula that’s even capable of covering tattoos, we found that the product didn’t feel feel too heavy. It’s lightweight, but you can still feel something is on the skin. Infused with nourishing minerals, this product feels as good as it looks.
The ultra-pigmented formula covered everything, but the shade range could be a little more varied and offer more skin tones. During our resistance tests, this body makeup did not transfer onto the towel or come off when sprayed with water. Considering its durability, smooth finish, wide availability, and budget-friendly price, we think this is a great product.
4.Dermablend Makeup Foundation
Coverage: Full, buildable | Formula: Liquid | Skin Type: Normal | Shades: 12 | Size: 3.4 fl. oz. / 100 mL
Star Qualities
· Doesn’t feel greasy, heavy, sticky, or chalky
· Provides ample coverage for masking veins, scars, and more
· Includes SPF 25 sun protection
Red Flags
· Some product transfer
As one of the most popular body makeup brands, Dermablend’s Leg and Body Makeup Foundation is ideal for covering tattoos, scars, spider veins, stretch marks… you name it. With SPF 25, this formula also provides sun protection throughout the day. And if you’re worried about something full-coverage drying out your skin, it’s actually packed with moisturizing ingredients to nourish your complexion while it sits.
We loved the feel of this product, which wasn’t greasy, heavy, sticky, or chalky. We were able to run a hand across it with ease. We found a perfect shade match with this product and were able to build and blend the makeup up to full coverage. We could still see a faint trace of veins and scars, but found the makeup blended seamlessly onto our arm.
We noticed little to no transfer when we brushed against the white towel, but when we heavily wiped our arm there was some transfer. However, when you use this makeup in tandem with the Dermablend Setting Powder, it should set more thoroughly and have less risk of transfer, making this duo ideal for mature skin, covering age spots on the arms and hands seamlessly. The makeup did not run at all when we spritzed it during the water test. With a near perfect score, good coverage, and durability, this product is a good pick for covering any unwanted marks.
5.Estée Lauder Foundation For Face and Body SPF 15
Coverage: Full | Formula: Liquid | Skin Type: All skin types | Shades: 15 | Size: 1 oz.
Star Qualities
· Long-lasting thanks to superior water resistance
· Felt lightweight and dried to a matte finish
· Ingredients that provide skincare benefits
Red Flags
· Shade range isn’t very diverse
For a body makeup that will cover spider veins on the arms, chest, legs, and face and last all day, look no further than Estée Lauder’s camouflage foundation. Made with a blend of aloe leaf extract, soybean oil, and linoleic acid (known to help inflammation), this non-acnegenic (means it won’t clog pores and cause acne) makeup also provides some of the nourishment of skincare products.
We found that this body foundation was pretty lightweight and dried to a matte finish when brushed on the skin. In one pass, it covered our arm tattoo. This product thoroughly passed our resistance tests, proving its durability against contact with materials like the white towel and water via our spray bottle. We were impressed with this product’s water resistance. Despite soaking our arm, the body foundation did not budge. So you can be assured that the waterproof, SPF-infused formula will wear well during a day at the beach or at an outdoor wedding where you work up a sweat on the dance floor.
The only caution is that while the product comes in 15 shades, there aren’t many options for darker skin tones. We had a hard time finding a shade that matched our warm undertone. We also found it was best to apply this product using a dense brush since the it is rather thick.
6.Fenty Beauty Body Luminizing Tint
Coverage: Sheer, light | Formula: Liquid | Skin Type: All skin types | Shades: 7 | Size: 3.21 oz. / 95 mL
Star Qualities
· Lightweight and has a velvety feel on the skin
· Stayed in place and during the water and wipe tests
· Evens out skin tone and blends easily
Red Flags
· Didn’t fully cover a tattoo
While Rihanna’s glow might come from the radiance of supreme talent and charisma (and maybe a little Fenty foundation), we can try to replicate it with this Fenty Body Sauce Luminizing Tint. It felt smooth, lightweight, and velvety on our skin.
Made with a blend of babassu oil and vitamin E, this formula also acts as a form of skincare — helping with inflammation, surface wounds, and certain skin conditions. The coverage is sheer, so it didn’t entirely cover our tattoo, but it blended beautifully, evened our skin tone, and covered our arm in a fine shimmery glow. And it’s important to note the formula is buildable.
So if there are age spots or spider veins that don’t feel like they have enough coverage on the first pass, wait for your first layer of makeup to dry, then slowly layer and blend in more coverage using a kabuki brush until you achieve your desired look.
This makeup passed our resistance tests with little effort, locking into place without smudging or wiping away. It transferred very little to the towel and stayed on our skin. We think it would come in handy for those who sweat a lot, and it’s easy to apply. It doesn’t have a huge shade range, and the price is high, but it delivers on the promise of smooth glowing skin.
7.Dermablend Body Foundation Stick
Star Qualities
· Creamy and lightweight feel on application
· Transfer- and water-resistant
· Ultra-pigmented formula provided good coverage
Red Flags
· Hardly any dark shades
If you’re planning a getaway and still want your skin to look smooth and even while you travel, then this body makeup stick should be the first thing you pack. It’s perfect for touching up small areas (like the “concealer” name suggests) or spot-treating throughout the day. Like the previous Dermablend product, you can enjoy up to 16 hours of transfer-resistant staying power so long as it’s set with the brand’s setting powder. On top of its portability and longevity, the overall application is incredibly smooth. We also noticed how creamy the application is and how lightweight it feels.
We did struggle with finding a seamless shade match, and of the existing 10 shades, there is only one that errs on the darker end of the skin tone spectrum. However, as far as coverage, the ultra-pigmented formula did completely veil arm tattoos.
During the transfer test, this body makeup held up as well, staying in place and looking just as great after exposure to water. It also didn’t transfer to the towel at all. Overall, this is a good product for travel needs because of its small size. The cream stick makes it easy to apply targeted coverage to age spots on the neck and chest or c-section scarring. To build out seamless, impactful coverage, allow each layer to dry before adding more product, and apply powder after you reach your desired coverage to lock in the formula.
8.Lux Unfiltered Blurring Body Glow
Coverage: Sheer | Formula: Liquid | Skin Type: All skin types | Shades: 1 | Size: 6.8 fl. Oz.
Star Qualities
· Lightweight feel and turns clear when it dries
· Good coverage and a little goes a long way
· Did not transfer or run when put to the test
Red Flags
· Only one “universal” shade and it’s slightly shimmery
· Not a typical body makeup product coverage-wise
If you’re looking for a subtle bronze glow, this tint will be the first thing you reach for. It doesn’t have a shade range, but rather one bronze-toned “universal” shade that has a shimmery finish and is very lightweight on the skin (it’s virtually undetectable once it dries). We used a conservative amount and it covered about half of our forearm. It didn’t transfer at all on the white towel; only when we applied pressure did a small amount come off. It also didn’t run when we spritzed our arm with water.
With ingredients like shea butter, squalane, sunflower seed oil, and vitamin C, this product is extremely moisturizing, which only adds to the glow effect on your skin. If there was anything we would change, it would be to name it a shimmer instead of glow, due to the level of sparkle in this product, which might not be for everyone. Regardless of what it’s called, this body makeup will give you the subtle bronze glow of summer all year long.
