A light dusting of face powder is the perfect finishing touch to a flawless made-up face. Here’s why:
- It sets your makeup so it lasts longer
- Evens out your skintone
- Hides minor imperfections
- Absorbs excess oil
- Boosts sun protection
Seriously, is there anything a face powder can’t do?
But, there’s a catch. If you want all its benefits, you need to choose the right powder for your skin tone, type and needs. How to find it among the thousands of face powders on the market?
Here’s what you should look for in a good powder:
Match The Right Shade
A face powder should be the same colour of your skin. Break this rule and you’ll like you’re wearing a mask. Avoid shades with too orange or too pink undertones and opt instead for neutral beiges, rich browns or tan browns. If you can’t find an exact match for your skintone, or just want to save yourself the headache, opt for a translucent powder.
Choose The Right Finish
A subtle shiny finish that will give a nice, natural glow to your complexion. If you have oily skin, a matte finish would be a better option. Your skin is already too shiny and you want to counteract that, not emphasise it! Instead, avoid very shimmering powders as these can make you look like a disco ball, no matter your skin type.
Pick The Right Texture
A good powder has a lightweight, finely milled texture that glides smoothly on the skin and blends evenly without looking cakey nor accentuating fine lines. Avoid powdery textures – they look fake.
How To Choose The Best Face Powder For Oily Skin
If you have oily skin you should opt for powders with absorbing ingredients, such as silica or talc. They soak up all excess oil, helping to keep your skin look matte and shine-free for hours.
How To Choose The Best Face Powder For Dry Skin
It doesn’t matter what the label says, powders aren’t moisturizing. That’s why many women with dry skin prefer not to use them. They’re afraid powder will accentuate every dry patch and fine line they have on their skin. The wrong powder can certainly do that. The trick is to choose a powder with a satin, almost creamy texture. While not moisturising, they aren’t as drying as other types of powders, and a better choice for your skin type.
Should Your Face Powder Contain SPF?
You should NEVER rely on your face powder as your only source of sun protection. But, it can help touch up your sunscreen throughout the day (if you don’t spend too much time outdoors, that is). Make sure you choose one with broad-spectrum sun protection to keep you safe from both UVA and UVB rays.
Related: How To Reapply Sunscreen While Wearing Makeup
Does Packaging Matter?
There are lots of good loose powders on the market that give skin a beautiful flawless, porcelain-like finish. But they can be somewhat messy to apply. If you plan to carry your powder around with you for touchups or to bring it on holiday, choose a pressed one. Pressed powders are both mess-free and travel-friendly.
Should You Face Powder Come With Its Own Brush?
Some powders come with sponges that absorb too much product or brushes that are either too small or too scratchy. I recommend you ignore them and invest in a good powder brush. It should be big, fluffy, very soft and pick up just the right amount of powder – not too much to make skin look heavy and unnatural but not too little not to get enough enough product on your face.
Do you have any more tips on how to choose the right powder for your skin? Share your tips in the comments below.
I have a rather full face, lots of cheek, lots of jiggly jaw, and find it vital to use a matte powder. Luminous products used all over make my face look even more round and chubby, I think it’s much better to go matte with carefully placed highlighter.
Also, I’ve noticed a drastic reduction of the sheer amount of powder I use since I switched to a duo fibre brush (like a MAC 187) and hardly any powder being flung into the air and onto my shirt.
Since going loose I haven’t looked back. It’s usually a lot cheaper, you generally use less and therefore a pot lasts forever. For portability I use an old ‘compact’ I got from my grandmother with a small well, covered by a very fine mesh sifter and another lid.
CucumPear, I think when it comes to powder a matte, or very subtle shiny finish is best. You want to highlight only certain areas of your face; having shimmer all over is rarely a good look!
I’ve never attempted using a duo-fibre brush to apply powder, but if it’s that good, I’ll try it tomorrow. Thanks for the tip. And I like loose powders a lot, but I rarely use them because they’re not that practical to carry around. But your solution to this problem sounds great. 🙂
Powder brushes! I can’t agree enough about ditching the stupid sponges and puffs that come with powders. A good brush will make a huge difference.
Trisha, I agree. Applicators that come with powders are useless. It’s much better to buy a powder brush, it’ll give you much better results.
I love posts like these – evergreens of good advice.
Ana, I’m glad you do. 🙂
Wow, you got this article nailed! I pick powders base on all the categories you mention! and true enough, you can’t rely on SPF on powders! They’re never enough Especially down here !
Nikki, thank you! And I agree. Much better to always use a sunscreen under your powder. Powder alone won’t keep your skin well protected.
I love powder! I rarely wear foundation but always powder with a little bronzer. So true about the touch of shimmer. It makes all the difference for a more natural look, as does using a brush.
Icaria, I agree that a subtle glow makes a great difference and looks more natural. 🙂
I don’t own any functional face powders for an every-day basis. I have some but they’re for use on other people or for playing around with. I’m enjoying the years when I don’t need much makeup to head out.
This is such a great post and without a doubt, very helpful to all!
Janessa, I used to be liked that when I was younger. It’s good when you don’t need much makeup. 🙂