Pros
Covers redness
Spreads easily
Smooth texture
Buildable coverage
In a foundation test, the Lab found that this powder foundation was hard to beat. Not only is it easy to apply and good at covering redness, it's also super buildable and customizable — you build go from sheer coverage (perfect for setting makeup) to full coverage easily. "You can't make a powder much better than this," one tester remarked. It also comes in 30 shades, so you'll likely be able to find a perfect match.
Pros
Budget-friendly
Hydrating ingredients to smooth skin
Blurs appearance of lines and wrinkles
Worried about powder drying out your skin? No need to — this creamy powder formula actually has skincare ingredients in it like ceramides that help skin stay hydrated. In Lab tests, 85% of testers said this powder made their skin look smooth, while 75% of testers said that it helps give them a blurring effect. It was also a favorite for smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, minimizing pores, and camouflaging imperfections.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
Weightless feel
Good for setting undereyes
Goes on smoothly
Makeup artists and beauty editors alike swoon over Fenty's setting powder, which comes in eight different shades to suit a range of skin tones. The powder is ultra-fine and feels silky and weightless on skin. "The best for setting under the eyes, especially if you have dark circles," says one reviewer. "Whenever I use this I get so many compliments on how amazing my under eyes look! More even, bright and flawless."
Credit: Charlotte Tilbury Pros
Blurs fine lines and imperfections
Makes skin looks radiant
For skin that looks airbrushed and radiant, look no further than this setting powder. "Of all the powders I have tried (and it has been nearly dozens now), this is the one," raves one reviewer. "This powder will make your wrinkles and pores vanish, and will make your skin look smoother and softer than it ever has before."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
Non-cakey formula
Sets makeup well
This setting powder has a loyal following — and for good reason. "This setting powder is amazing," says one reviewer. "This powder goes on smoothly and evenly. It prevents caking under my eyes and is not drying. If you want your makeup to be flawless, look no further!"
Pros
Blurs fine lines
Goes on evenly
Mattifies skin without looking cakey
Cons
Pricey
Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab senior chemist Sabina Wizemann doesn't often use powder, but when she does, she uses this one. “It is almost impossible to overapply,” she says. “It gives a barely-there sunny effect, plus blurs fine lines exceptionally well, unifies skin tone, and lasts all day. I like that it feels light on the skin and subdues shine without making my skin look dry or cakey.” It comes in a variety of shades, so you can use it as a bronzer-powder hybrid (as Wizemann often does) or a translucent setting powder.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
Adds subtle all-over glow
Doubles as a highlighter
If Beauty Director April Franzino reaches for a powder, this is her go-to "as an all-over finishing powder—the multi tones and subtle iridescence in it give skin an amazing otherworldly glow," she says.
Pros
Oil-free
Lightweight
Clinique's pressed powder is perfect for combination or oily skin. "It gives a very light and fresh look," one reviewer notes. "It doesn’t feel heavy or cakey. It gives just that little oomph that you need to have a polished look without too much makeup. It doesn’t break out my skin (which is normally sensitive to powders) and it doesn’t make me oily."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
Non-irritating
A little goes a long way
Cons
Can create flashback
Talc-free, mica-free, and fragrance-free, this loose powder is the perfect option for skin that leans more sensitive. You only need a small amount to mattify skin and set makeup, so it will last you for a long time. It can, however, create flashback, particularly on deeper skin tones — so use with caution.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
No flashback
Melts into skin
Color corrects
This powder is designed with all skin tones in mind. Since many powders can give flashback on camera (especially on darker skin tones) this powder melts into the skin and helps balance out skin tone. "The finish of this powder looks amazing on my face," one reviewer says. "It gives me a flawless look that enhances the skin."
Pros
Gives a radiant glow
Diffuses light
Sinks into skin
This powder helps diffuse light evenly and gives skin a soft, subtle glow while locking makeup in place. "Gorgeous, soft, pore reducing, beautiful translucent setting powder," one reviewer says. "By far my all-time favorite! There is no other product out there that can compare to this powder." Keep in mind: if you're looking for a matte finish, this powder is not the one for you.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
Innovative packaging
Good for setting makeup
Buildable coverage
If there were an innovative packaging award for powders, this one would win. A mesh sieve separates the product from the outside, making it easy to use what you need without wasting powder. "This powder is gorgeous," one reviewer says. "It sets and blocks eyebrows beautifully. It bakes both lightly and heavily like a champ. It sits beautifully on the skin or it sits deeply in your skin — you choose!"
Pros
Blurs fine lines
Non-drying
Some SPF protection
Not only does this powder have some SPF to help protect you from the sun's harmful rays, it also contains aloe to help soften skin. "I wanted a setting powder that didn't make my skin look dry and flat, this completely did the trick," one reviewer says. "It's very finely milled, creating a soft blurring effect without the matte finish. It doesn't dry me out or settle in lines."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Pros
Goes on smoothly
Slight radiance
Recyclable packaging
Tatcha's newest launch is a super-fine milled powder that goes on smoothly and evenly. The talc-free formula has a slight pearlescent finish that makes skin appear radiant, and doesn't sink into fine lines. The best part is the sustainable packaging, which is made of mono material polypropylene, which is fully recyclable, unlike many makeup products.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Readers Also Read
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below