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The Best Cruelty-Free Drugstore Foundation for Under $10

ByCordelia

The Best Cruelty-Free Drugstore Foundation for Under $10 - Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick

The Best Cruelty-Free Drugstore Foundation for Under $10

Today I’m sharing the Best Cruelty-Free Drugstore Foundation for Under $10, suitable for pale skin, along with my top 11 reasons why it’s the best. It’s the Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick. Milani originally sent me this foundation a few months ago and I’ve been trying to write this review since the end of September, right before my life imploded. Spoiler alert: I love this foundation. I gave this foundation to a friend who needed one, and then bought another Milani foundation stick for myself.

PR + Purchased by me.

The Best Cruelty-Free Drugstore Foundation for Under $10 Video

About My Skin

I’m 41 years old with dry sensitive skin. I have rosacea, which adds surface redness to my face. I also have serbhorreic dermatitis that flares between my eyebrows and on my scalp. My skintone is a very fair neutral to cool yellow olive in hue. My opinion is that my undertone is predominantly a cool yellow, which is why most pale yellow or neutral toned foundations work well on my skintone.

Top 11 Reasons Why This is the Best Drugstore Foundation

Below are my top 11 reasons why the best cruelty-free drugstore foundation for under $10 is the Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick. I touch on these reasons in the video above.

  1. Customizable coverage (from sheer to full coverage, whatever your heart desires).
  2. Good shade range of 20 Shades (2 light, 6 light/medium, 4 medium, 6 medium/deep, 2 deep).
  3. It’s cruelty-free and vegan.
  4. Contains Vitamin E for hydration.
  5. Has oil absorbing properties thanks to Bamboo Powder.
  6. 12 hour or more wear for me.
  7. Multi-purpose product (functions as a a concealer in addition to foundation).
  8. It’s $9.99 but you can often get it on sale.
  9. Made in the U.S.A.
  10. Works for all skin types (great on my dry sensitive skin with rosacea and serbhorreic dermatitis, oily skinned friends loved as well).
  11. Travel friendly as it fits into any makeup bag.

Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick Comparison Swatches

Pale Foundation Swatches

  • *Glo Skin Beauty HD Foundation Stick in Cloud (v) (fair cool)
  • *Glo Skin Beauty HD Foundation Stick in Bisque (v) (fair warm)
  • *Glo Skin Beauty HD Foundation Stick in Fresco (v) (fair neutral)
  • Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick in Porcelain (v) (ivory with warm neutral undertone)
  • Milk Makeup Blur Matte Liquid Foundation in Porcelain (v) (very fair with neutral undertones)
  • Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick in Porcelain (v) (very fair with neutral undertones)
  • Colour Pop Foundation Stick in Fair 5 (v) (Warm foundation with subtle yellow undertones for very fair skin tones)
  • Smashbox 24 hour Full Coverage Liquid Foundation in .1 (very fair neutral)
  • Smashbox Studio Skin Hydrating Foundation in .1 (v) (very fair neutral)
  • *Clove + Hallow Liquid Skin Tint in 1 (v)(ultra fair with neutral-golden undertones)
  • Nyx Born to Glow Foundation in Pale (v) (white ivory with warm undertone)
  • *Luscious Cosmetics Foundation Stick in 000 Porcelain (v) (fair neutral)
  • *Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation in 0A1 (porcelain with cool undertone)
  • *Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation in 0A2 (porcelain with neutral undertone)
  • *Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation in 0A3 (ivory with warm undertone)
  • *Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation in 00AA (ivory with pink undertone)
  • *Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation in 00A (ivory with warm neutral undertone)
  • *Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation in 00B (fair with warm undertone)

* denotes PR sample
v denotes vegan

For those of you with deeper complexions, if the Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick does not go deep enough for you, Black Opal True Color Stick Foundation range seems to go very deep and is under $10.

Milani Liquid Foundation vs. Foundation Stick

In my experience, the Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick is vastly superior to the Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Liquid Foundation. I bought 4 shades of the Milani Conceal + Perfect Liquid Foundation trying to find a match and never was able to find one for my fair skin (you can see those swatches here). I’m happy to see Milani has stepped up their foundation game and added some actual fair shades to their lineup. I believe in the liquid formula I could potentially wear 0A1, 0A2, 0A3, or 00A.

Why Use a Foundation Stick

As I stated in the video, I’m currently having a love affair with foundation sticks. The Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick in Porcelain is in my rotation with the Milk Makeup Flex Foundation Stick in Porcelain and the Glo Skin Beauty HD Foundation Stick in Cloud.

Lately I’ve been loving foundation sticks because:

  • quick & easy to use
  • customizable coverage (can be sheer over all of my face but full under my eyes, conceal blemishes)
  • can toss in any makeup bag  & go
  • won’t spill or break like a liquid
  • a little goes a long way

What’s your favorite foundation stick? What’s your pick for the best cruelty-free drugstore foundation for under $10 that’s pale girl friendly?

Cordelia Frost is the creative force behind Phyrra, a treasure trove for cruelty-free indie and goth makeup enthusiasts. She's the author of the game-changing 'Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual' a must-read for hooded eyes makeup.

Cordelia's world is a kaleidoscope of alternative beauty, gothic fashion, and life-enhancing tips, making every visit to Phyrra a journey into a more colorful and inspired self.

One Comment

  1. I love stick formulas but they always move around on my skin. They’re just so easy to keep in my backpack, though. The color 0A1 looks like a good match, though! Thanks for posting!

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