What skin type do you have? Oily, dry or combination? My skin type is oily, so for me setting powder is a must. But I think setting powder should be a must for everyone, even if you just use a little bit, to set your concealer, for example, so that it doesn’t crease throughout the day. Since I have oily skin I have tried my fair share of setting powders, both high end and drugstore.
Let’s start off by talking about my favourite setting powder, which is also a beauty cult favourite, the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. Believe me when I say that when you use this setting powder your makeup will last all day. It feels incredibly soft and silky on the skin and sets your foundation in place resulting in a perfect matte finish, but does not look cakey. As it looks so natural on the skin, you can apply as much or as little as you want until you get your desired outcome. I think this Laura Mercier setting powder is especially great to set under eye concealer, because there’s nothing worse than concealer that has not been set properly and begins to crease throughout the day, making you look like you have wrinkly under eyes. I’ve just noticed on the Laura Mercier website that this setting powder comes in two shades now, translucent and translucent medium deep, so if you’re worried that the original translucent setting powder is too light, there is now a darker shade so now everyone can enjoy it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ7IIdfj4Zr/?hl=en&taken-by=lauramercier
Another one of my favourite setting powders is the BenefitPOREfessional: Agent Zero Shine Mattifier, which is especially great if you have oily skin. The peachy coloured powder minimizes the appearance of pores and leaves the skin looking smooth with a matte finish. I guarantee every time I use this setting powder I do not have to touch up on my makeup all day. I like to use this powder on my entire face, particularly focusing on areas where I tend to get oilier like my T-zone. I don’t use this for setting my under eyes as I find it can cause them to become a little dry and patchy. So if you have dry skin, maybe this isn’t the best option for you, but if you have oily skin I would definitely recommend trying this powder.
A pressed setting powder I’ve used since I first started wearing makeup and still go back to, especially when I need an extra bit of coverage, is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Dark. The Mineralize Skinfinish range comes in various shades and has an easily blendable formula, so it applies onto the skin effortlessly. Again, this setting powder is great for setting foundation on the skin and perfect if you want a powder that will also give a bit of extra coverage too, however it may be a bit too heavy for setting your under eyes. I find that this powder would be great for all skin types, as it can be built up as much or as little as you’d like.
Image Credit: @kravislove (Instagram)
A drugstore setting powder which I love and is a favorite among many beauty lovers is Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent. This is the powder I would lean more towards for every day, natural makeup as it’s light yet very effective. It leaves my skin looking smooth and matte, and feels and looks very light and fresh. It’s also great for setting the under eyes and comes in many shades other than translucent for those that want a bit of extra coverage.