Finding a decent white foundation can be a daunting task for any newbie. Finding the right powder to go along with it can take months of trial and error. Patchiness? Seems inevitable. CREASING?!!? The bane of my existence.
Or at least it was, and I'm here to pass on my secrets to you.
Whether you're looking for day-to-day wear or want to learn how to create a flawless white base for Halloween, there's something for everyone here.
P.S. White foundations can be worn by any skin tone. If you have darker skin and want a white base for goth makeup, feel free to do so. I'll point out which foundations show up best on your skin 💜
Best White Foundations and Setting Powders for Goth Makeup
Let's get white as a ghost, shall we?
Mehron Makeup Paradise & CreamBlend Stick
Mehron has two excellent options for white bases: one for medium coverage and the other for full coverage. Paradise, which comes in the large pan, is opaque if you build it up, but can be sheared out for a lighter effect as it is water-activated. It spreads easily, making it ideal for large areas like painting your neck and décolletage.
The CreamBlend Stick has more concentrated pigment due to the stick packaging, and the formulation is heavier than Makeup Paradise. You'll definitely need to take a bit more time blending this one out with a sponge, but for the incredible opacity, it's worth it. For those with darker skin, reach for the stick.
Both can be set to perfection with the Mehron Setting Powder in Ultra White.
Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation
Best for Sensitive Skin
A high-end option, Haus Labs' white foundation is ideal for lightening up your regular skin-toned foundations. It's medium coverage, so mix it with a full coverage foundation for the best appearance. I love being able to control the amount of lightness if I don't feel like having a slate white appearance.
This product is also a cosmeceutical, meaning it comes with additional skincare benefits. It's noncomedogenic, so it won't clog your pores like heavy grease products. Infused with fermented arnica, this formulation reduces the appearance of redness and irritation, leaving your skin with a beautiful, smooth sheen.
Additionally, Haus Labs foundation is vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
L.A. Girl - Pro Coverage Liquid White Foundation
Best for Dry to Normal Skin
L.A. Girl is the number one drugstore option. If you're balling on a budget, this one is for you. Full coverage, luminous, silky, and has added antioxidants for a skin-soothing effect.
The coverage is buildable, making it a great white foundation for deeper skin tones due to its high pigmentation. For the best results, set it with the Ben Nye Super White Powder to lock it in all night.
Ben Nye Clown White Cream Foundation
Another holy grail, full-coverage cream foundation, this option does start to verge more towards white face paint (oily skin, beware). This product requires some experience, so if you're new to white bases, consider avoiding this one.
While it gives incredible coverage, it can cause creasing if not set correctly. For best results, apply with the Ben Nye Super White Powder using a damp sponge, starting under the eyes and then covering the entire face. Yes, use the sponge to set the whole face. Then give it a good spritz with the Morphe Continuous Setting Spray.
That way, your beautiful white base won't be going anywhere!
MAC Full Coverage White Foundation
Best for Oily Skin
MAC, the OG makeup brand, has been known for decades for its incredible full coverage foundations. This product is long-wearing, blendable, and highly versatile.
Use it to brighten up your under-eye area or apply it all over as your gothic base. For a radiant finish suitable for all skin types, this foundation pairs incredibly well with the Huda Beauty Setting Powder.
KimChi & Laura Mercier Brightening Finishing Powders
I love a good finishing powder, and these are the best. Add a final touch of luminosity to your base at the high points of the face: under eyes, cheekbones, chin, and center of the forehead. This is in addition to the setting powder used to seal in the white foundation.
These products have a way of making white multi-dimensional and radiant. The Laura Mercier powder is to die for. I would bathe in it if I could. It's incredibly light, won't add any cakiness to your look, and will instantly blur texture.
Products to avoid! Any visible, cheap knock-offs of the cream sticks that you see are going to have sub-par ingredients that you don't want on your face. Also, the Manic Panic "Goth White" liquid foundation is way too runny and patchy, and the powder barely sets anything. Leave Manic Panic to the hair dye.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little round-up of the best white foundations and white setting powders. Play around with different combinations and let me know what worked for you!
Stay beautiful, my darklings!
~ With Love, Beatrix Devine
Last Updated on September 17th, 2025
