Guide Nov 24
Written by Stephanie Patterson Read about our editorial guidelines Stephanie Patterson
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Come pool season, we’re all itching to crawl out of our #sweaterweather clothing and into something with less material. Whether that be a mini skirt or a full-on bathing suit, your limbs are never prepared for the first nearly-naked days of summer, and that’s why we’ve rounded up the best leg makeup products from top-performing brands.
How to Choose the Best Leg Makeup for Your Skin
Choosing the right leg makeup is precisely like choosing a foundation – everyone needs something a little different to suit their skin tone and how much coverage they desire. We’re guessing that you’re shopping for leg makeup to cover your gams throughout the warm weather, so protecting your skin from the sun is of utmost importance.
Brands old and new are catering to your every need, some as classic as Sally Hansen with Airbrush Legs Makeup Light Glow. Other game-changers like KKW Beauty are topping the quality charts and expanding their shade ranges, so there’s bound to be a body foundation to cover you through every stage of tan.
In any event, these are the five fundamental factors to consider before buying leg makeup:
Shade
Finding the right shade of leg makeup is one of the most crucial factors in securing a product that’s tailor-made for your skin tone. Thankfully, nearly all of the brands with the best leg makeup have published beneficial information and visuals aids on their websites to help you determine your match.
In the summertime, go a slight shade darker than you normally would. There would be nothing worse than toning back your gorgeous tan, and since the sun is bound to get you a little bronzer than you think – even on your morning walk – you’re taking your chances with a lighter shade.
Brand
Many of the leg makeup products available are from reliable cosmetics brands like Dermablend and MAC. A helpful benchmark for assessing the quality of each company’s product measures the success you may have had with their foundation. It’s more than likely you’ll be satisfied with a leg makeup formula that’s very similar to a face product you’ve been impressed with before.
Price
Of course, many of the high-end brands out there come with high price tags, but in the case of the best leg makeup, you’re in luck: the cost remains low. One of the highest-rated products in this category is from Sally Hansen, and you can grab two cans for less than $20.
However, you’ll want to consider just how much leg makeup you’re prone to use when choosing the best brand for you. Depending on your budget, $35 to $40 for body spray may run you a little too much, especially if you’re blowing through a canister every few weeks.
Coverage
Most of the leg makeup included in this list offers medium coverage that is easy to build on. In the event that you want full coverage leg makeup – let’s say, for an event or an important photoshoot – there’s a product to meet your standards. That said, if you know you’re prone to layering on body foundation because one coat is never enough, go with the fuller coverage option – you won’t regret the way it looks in pictures.
Water-Resistant and Transfer-Proof
If you don’t want your leg makeup to melt off the second humidity or water breaches your skin, then it’s probably best to explore waterproof and water-resistant leg makeup options. The best leg makeup will be waterproof and transfer-resistant so that you never have to worry about the product rubbing off on your clothing or treasured furniture.
- Era Everyday Airbrush Spray On Foundation, $33
- Dermablend Leg and Body Makeup with SPF 25, $36
- Dermablend Quick Fix Body Foundation Stick, $29
- Westmore Beauty Body Coverage Perfect, $79
- Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish, $38.95
- Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Makeup Light Glow, $20
- MAC Cosmetics Studio Radiance Sheer Face & Body Foundation, $40
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF, $43
- Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation, $50
- KKW Beauty Skin Perfecting Body Foundation, $45
- Tarte Cosmetics Shape Tape Waterproof Body Makeup, $39
11 Best Leg Makeup Brands to Shop For
Now it’s time for you to choose a brand of leg makeup. You’ll find all of the top-rated leg makeup products in the list below, according to customer reviews, makeup artists, and beauty editors.
Each one of our picks has multiple benefits for the skin, including bronzing, moisturizing, and UV protection, to name a few. Without a doubt, there’s a product that checks all the boxes on your wishlist, so let’s browse together, shall we?
#1 – Era Everyday Airbrush Spray On Foundation
Known as an ‘OG’ in the body makeup category, this full-coverage spray-on foundation gives people a good reason to refer to it as such. It not only coats the complexion in an even layer of oil-free color but also lends the skin a dose of vitamins and botanicals to keep it healthy.
Priced at $33, the application of this product makes covering awkward nooks and crannies of the body easier than ever before. Even better, it’s available in 10 different shades, and Era offers a special color match service so that you get what you’re looking for.
#2 – Dermablend Leg and Body Makeup with SPF 25
For just $36, Dermablend’s famous Leg and Body Makeup quadruples as a body concealer, temporary sunless tanner, full-body BB cream, and bronzer. The natural, sun-kissed coverage it promotes is similar to a self-tanner or body highlighter, without the sparkle.
Plus, it’s fade-proof, which means you’ll be waltzing around with even-toned, sun-protected legs all day long. Safe for use on all skin types – even sensitive skin – this featherlight body foundation makes covering knicks, scrapes, scars, and spider veins simple.
#3 – Dermablend Quick Fix Body Foundation Stick
If you’re looking to touch up birthmarks, dark bruises, burns or tattoos, Dermablend’s Quick Fix Body Foundation is the solution. An ideal product to follow up your Dermablend Leg and Body Makeup with, the stick format makes it more convenient to execute spot coverage in time-sensitive situations.
The concentrated maximum coverage holds for up to 16 hours, even when it comes into contact with materials or liquids. You won’t have to worry about this transfer and water-resistant formula going anywhere after you apply it. Priced at $29, it makes sense to purchase two tubes – one for your go-bag and one for home.
#4 – Westmore Beauty Body Coverage Perfect
From your arms to your legs to your décolleté, this illuminating body concealer from Westmore Beauty has got you covered. Within minutes, the transfer and water-resistant formula disguises everything from age spots to tattoos, and it can hold its coverage for days at a time.
Ringing in at $79, it’s a bit more expensive than the other top leg makeup brands, but the practicality of this product cannot be undermined. For a big event or indulgent self-care purchase, it’s worth the splurge – even Hollywood says so.
#5 – Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish
Made with deeply moisturizing organic ingredients like glycerin, panthenol, vitamin E, and shea butter, Vita Liberata’s Body Blur makeup nourishes and softens the skin till it’s photoshoot ready. It locks water into the complexion to improve hydration levels, allowing the product to go on silky-smooth even when you’re in a pinch.
Bonus: It can also be used as a makeup primer on the face, so the $38.95 price tag is more than justified. When you think about how often you’ll use this formula, the cost is pretty reasonable compared to other brands considering it washes off easily. Who wants to be scrubbing at their skin after an outing, anyway?
#6 – Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs Makeup Light Glow
Widely regarded as the best drugstore brand of leg makeup, Sally Hansen’s Airbrush Legs has long been a go-to for beauty editors across the globe. A pack of two aerosol cans will run you less than $20 on Amazon, but this product is also available in a lotion format.
It’s transfer-proof and water-resistant, which makes it mighty convenient for days when you’re on the go. With the addition of palmeria extract, this spray can conceal freckles, veins, and minor imperfections while stimulating microcirculation for healthier legs and feet.
#7 – MAC Cosmetics Studio Radiance Sheer Face & Body Foundation
Easily the most popular leg and body makeup on the market, MAC’s Studio Radiance Sheer Face & Body Foundation is a favorite of professional artists and average makeup enthusiasts. The extra lightweight formula is waterproof and sheer so that you can build coverage as you see fit.
Besides providing all-day comfort and wear, it leaves skin glowing and free of flare-ups that pore-clogging ingredients in other conventional formulas can cause. At the fair price of $40, you’ll notice that a little goes a long way when it comes to applying this product, and an MUA would agree.
#8 – Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF
A sunscreen and foundation in one, Estee Lauder’s Camouflage Makeup for the face and body covers all your bases. Behind a veil of SPF 15, your skin will thrive thanks to a blend of soothing, non-comedogenic ingredients that won’t clog your pores.
Now available in 15 different shades, this product quickly covers pesky blemishes, sun spots, varicose veins, and scars and holds for 12 hours. Between the pool, the hot tub, and having to
get dressed for dinner, this magical little tube comes in handy for only $43.
#9 – Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation
With medium, buildable coverage that’s harmonious enough to be rocked on the runway, Dior’s Backstage Face & Body Foundation has become a brand favorite for its highly pigmented yet natural-looking finish. Priced at $50, it’s waterproof and sweat-resistant too, which is perfect for those extra humid summer days.
Maybe the best feature of this body foundation is the impressive color range, which includes 40 different shades. It can be used on all skin types and covers minor imperfections on the neck, shoulders, arms, and legs without a fuss.
#10 – KKW Beauty Skin Perfecting Body Foundation
If you thought Kim Kardashian’s makeup line was a gimmick, we hope you’ll reconsider your opinion after trying her award-winning Skin Perfecting Body Foundation. You can bet this product is the key to the star’s airbrushed Instagram photos, and for $45, her trademark look can be yours.
This waterproof and transfer-proof formula addresses the main concerns of blurring imperfections, enhancing skin tone, and providing a flawless finish. It’s available in nine shades with a creamy texture and long-lasting wear and leaves traces of vanilla and coconut behind.
#11 – Tarte Cosmetics Shape Tape Waterproof Body Makeup
It’s no surprise that Tarte’s Shape Tape Body Makeup is as popular as the brand’s matching concealer since it camouflages bruises, scars, age spots, and cellulite in just one coat. The company’s signature Tape Technology provides a blurring and smoothing finish that also scatters light to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Priced at an affordable $39 for the number of skin benefits it packs, Shape Tape body makeup is a steal. Vitamin E, maracuja oil, and glycerin provide tons of hydration and brightening bonuses. Plus, you won’t have to worry about streaking – this product is waterproof too.
Which brand of leg makeup provides the longest wear?
Westmore Beauty wins the award for longest wear with its Body Coverage Perfect formula among the top-ranking brands of best leg makeup. It can last up to a few days when appropriately applied.
Second place goes to Dermablend’s Quick Fix Body Foundation Stick (16-hour hold), and third place goes to Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF (12-hour hold).
Which brand provides the most extensive shade range of leg makeup?
The brand with the most extensive shade range of leg makeup is Dior. The Backstage Face & Body Foundation comes in 40 different tones, starting with cool and cool-rosy, spanning to warm olive, and covering everything in between. The lightest shade is zero and the darkest shade is a nine.
What’s the most affordable brand of leg makeup?
Sally Hansen’s Airbrush Legs Makeup Light Glow ($20 for two cans) is the most affordable brand of leg makeup. As we mentioned, this product has been a bestseller at drugstores for years, but the quality has struck even the most prominent makeup artists and editors.
How should I apply leg makeup?
The basic rules for applying leg makeup are as follows:
- Spray or rub on your first coat
- To customize the coverage and/or darkness of your makeup, apply a second layer once the first is completely dry
- Repeat the second step until you reach your desired amount of coverage and/or tan.
- Wait it out until the formula is fully dry before getting dressed.
- Ta-da! That’s it. Pretty simple, right?
All in all, we hope that you found this guide to finding the best leg makeup for your skin helpful. The search does not have to be long and hard – you just need to know what you’re looking for.