Are you hitting your groove in life but wondering how to take your makeup routine to the next level? All my over 40 ladies, hands up! So excited to share a round-up of the best all-natural, organic foundation and B.B. creams for women over 40. BONUS: These picks work FOR ALL AGES too. Also, what’s B.B. cream exactly? The answer to that, plus my favorite foundation picks, if you keep reading.

By: Lisa Fennessy

As 40-year-old women, we don’t want the same things we wanted in our 20s and 30s. Not only that, but our skin is a lot different than it used to be and our needs have changed. We want a refined, understated, polished and thoughtful look. That’s why I’m sharing my picks for the best organic foundation and BB cream.

Here’s the thing though: These picks are NOT just for those over 40. Nope, they work FOR ALL SKIN TYPES AND AGES. Why? Because clean makeup brands, like my picks below, are suitable for everyone.

Best organic foundation + best BB cream

You can skip right to my review if you want the down and dirty ASAP.

• Best Organic Foundation: Vapour Beauty Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation
• Best BB Cream: INIKA Organic BB Cream
• Best Lightweight Organic Foundation: ILIA Beauty True Skin Serum Foundation

But, if you want the full scoop, let’s start with a little foundation(al) knowledge.

BB cream vs. organic foundation

Foundation is a product designed to even skin tone, correct blemishes and eradicate redness. Depending on the one you choose, it will provide coverage from sheer to heavy, but the sheerest is typically still more coverage than a BB cream will provide. The sticking point with foundation is that you need to make sure you get the correct shade for your skin.

So what is a BB cream? In comparison, a BB cream is used to even out skin tone and reduce redness. It provides lighter coverage than a standard foundation, but more than a tinted moisturizer.

There are so. many. benefits here, but one huge one is that the color range is more forgiving. Typically you will only see 2-4 shades of BB cream from one line and that’s because one shade can work for many skin tones.

Who should wear an organic foundation vs. who should choose a BB cream

If you are someone who typically wears foundation or likes a medium coverage, try my foundation picks.

If you are someone who likes a lighter coverage or maybe you are new to using foundation…maybe you think to yourself…foundation isn’t for me…I’m not used to it…I don’t know how to apply it…I never wear makeup and I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard…whatever it may be, start with the best BB cream.

Also important to note: As we get older, our skin’s overall texture changes. It’s impacted by endogenous (genetics, cellular metabolism, hormone and metabolic processes) and exogenous (sun exposure, pollution, ionizing radiation, chemicals, toxins) factors.

Together, these can lead to cumulative structural and physiological alterations AKA, thinning skin, fine and deep wrinkles, dry skin, discoloration, laxity, dullness, and roughness (source).

That’s why as you get older, I recommend that you STEP AWAY FROM THE POWDER AND MATTE FINISH FOUNDATIONS.

They can accentuate deep and fine wrinkles, play up dullness and highlight skin texture. A dewy finish is always in, and it can help skin look alive, vibrant and, well, at it’s best.

Best organic foundation pro tips

Pro tip #1

Make sure you blend foundation and B.B. Cream down into your neck—there is nothing that looks more odd than an olive face and a white neck.

Pro tip #2

You can apply both of these products with your fingers or a beauty blender but my go-to is a foundation brush. I specifically love a good kabuki. Applying with fingers and then blending with a brush ensures product is applied evenly and gives a beautiful polished look.

RELATED: Check out my favorite clean beauty makeup brushes.

Pro tip #3

Make sure to exfoliate your skin 1-2x a week to keep it looking it’s best – no flakes, dull patches or clumpy foundation spots. I love this one and this one.

Pro tip #4

Make sure skin is primed and moisturized before applying. You can use anything from an oil like The Essentialist Daily Renewal Oil to a true foundation primer like Vapour’s Stratus Soft Focus Skin Perfecting Primer. Both are super effective. This will ensure product goes on even and smoothly.

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The best organic foundation and the best BB cream

Best Organic Foundation: Vapour Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation | $48

Two words: HOT. DANG. There is nothing to not love about this foundation. Vapour is a high-performing organic makeup line formulated by co-founders Krysia Boinis, a botanical alchemist, and Kristine Keheley, a fine artist.

Vapour truly blurs the lines between makeup and skincare delivering color blends in moisturizing bases that not only enhance natural beauty but nourish skin as well—and boy does it show!

The Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation is a medium coverage, liquid foundation. Love. Love. Love that it has a dewy finish and leaves skin looking alive and healthy. The goal in your 40s (or at any age!) is not necessarily to look younger, but to look our best, and Vapour Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation totally does that.

Vapour Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation Pros: 

• Truly a skincare-and-makeup-in-one product: formulated with brightening camellia + frankincense, tulsi and lotus to help soothe, calm and protect. 
• Goes on thin and truly melts right into skin giving the appearance of your-skin-but-better.
• Adjustable coverage, overall medium.
• A dewy finish.
• Leaves skin looking alive and healthy—truly at its best.
• Does not dry out skin.
• Blends easily with fingers or a brush.
• Waterless, so you know you’re getting a potent, skin-supporting formula.
• Air-tight packaging.
• Comes in 19 shades. 

Vapour Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation Cons (Considerations): 

• This formula probably won’t work as well for someone with oily skin— it might feel like too much shine.
• It’s on the oilier side, which I love, but might be new for some people.
• Packaged in plastic (we liked it’s glass packaging better).

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Best Organic BB Cream: INIKA Certified Organic BB Cream | $45

Okay if you haven’t heard of INIKA, GIRL, where have you been!? INIKA was started in 2006 and is based out of Sydney, Australia. They are 100% vegan, use certified organic ingredients, and are cruelty-free. I’ve pretty much loved everything I’ve tried from this line (with the exception of their liquid eyeliner).

RELATED: Read my full INIKA review.

The INIKA Organic BB Cream contains 80% certified organic ingredients which are higher than the NOP and the Australia Organic Food Chain threshold of 70%. I also love that it has prickly pear oil, pomegranate, avocado and jojoba oils to help moisturize as well. I mean when my makeup also doubles as skincare, I’m ALL IN!

This formula goes on pretty sheer but it JUST WORKS. You can see how my freckles, hyperpigmentation, and a few of my broken capillaries show through but it evens out everything just enough to look put together and polished.

It doesn’t scream, Hi, my name is Lisa and I wear a ton of makeup! It’s more like, Hi, my name is Lisa. I love my skin.

Just as an example, the day my sister started wearing this to work, one of her coworkers who she never really talks to, commented that she looked pretty. But you see, they weren’t like, Sweet foundation girl! It’s just one of those things that pulls your look together without being a thing.

You could even use this as a foundation primer. Beige works for me but I can make Honey work too.

INIKA Organic BB Cream Pros: 

• Lightweight coverage that just WORKS.
• Highlights what you want and downplays what you don’t.
• Evens out skin tone enough to look pulled together and polished (kinda perfect for a WFH day!).
• Super natural, breathable and finishes dewy (less so than the Vapour).
• Adds a little radiance without the hi, I’m wearing makeup feeling. 
• Easier to get a color match because one shade will suit several skin tones.
• Could double as a foundation primer for my other clean beauty recs.

INIKA Organic BB Cream Cons (Considerations): 

• Packaged in plastic.
• Comes in way fewer shades, but BB cream is usually more forgiving.

SAVE: Code THENEWKNEW will save you 10% at The Choosy Chick always. Grab your INIKA Organic BB Cream here!

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Best Lightweight Organic Foundation: ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation | $54

If you are looking for a clean beauty foundation that breathes life and glow into your skin, girl, THIS IS IT! This weightless, light-coverage, liquid foundation delivers a natural look that truly mimics how your skin looks and feels. I mean, it’s literally undetectable to the naked eye when applied, which is by far my favorite part. I have it on here. I’m talking FLAW-LESS.

RELATED: Want more info on ILIA? Read about my faves (with pros + cons for each!).

True Skin Serum Foundation (aptly named btw) also has some ingredients with skin benefits like aloe to help soothe irritated skin and plant-based squalane to help balance and improve elasticity. It’s an all-natural makeup win!

This foundation comes in several shades so if you need help color matching, email [email protected] for pro help.  

ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation Pros: 

• A formula that breathes life into your skin via a dewy finish. 
• Lightweight coverage that’s buildable to medium coverage.
• Weightless.
• A true “your skin but better” finish.
• Does not dry out skin or dry cakey.
• Fragrance free (just smells like makeup, no added scents).
• Goes on even and blends easily with fingers or a brush.
• Vegan, which means if you’re avoiding animal byproducts, this one is for you.
• Packaged in glass.
• Comes in 18 shades. 

ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation Cons (Considerations): 

• The pump I have leaked (but this is the old packaging to be fair).
• Formulated with silicones, which are non-biodegradable.

RELATED: Read my full review on ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint.

If you’re like, “but which foundation should I choose between ILIA and Vapour?” here’s my answer: ILIA’s foundation contains silicones, while Vapour’s doesn’t. So if you’re going for as natural as possible, Vapour will tickle your fancy.

But ILIA’s is vegan, so that’s the pick for you if you want to avoid animal byproducts.

What is your go-to organic foundation or BB cream?

Common questions about foundation and BB creams for women over 40