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Favorite Compact Setting Powders

December 4, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi guys! A few months ago I did a roundup post of my favorite loose setting powders, you can check it out HERE. This post is a continuation of that, but this time, we’ll be talking about my favorite compact powders. Some of these powders may be meant as compact powder foundations or as pressed powders, but I tend to use them as my setting/finishing powder since I mostly rely on liquid or cream foundations for good coverage. Yet, there’s also a few that I really like to use which are good as worn-alone sheer everyday foundations for whenever I have good skin days.

Excited to see which products made it to my list of faves? Read below.

High-End

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in #4.5 (0.31 oz: $62) – This is the powder version of the award-winning Armani Luminous Silk Liquid Foundation (reviewed HERE) and it’s as good as it gets. This may not have a full medium coverage as the liquid one since this goes a bit sheer, yet this is very buildable it can really stand as a powder foundation alone. This powder is so soft and smooth, oil-free, and feels really creamy and very weightless. I tend to use this as a setting powder and it does a good job at setting my foundation, especially whenever I use the Luminous Silk Liquid. The finish is subtly luminous and quite natural, and it doesn’t make my face look flat. It is pricey though but it’s worth having and it stays on for hours.

Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder in #4 (0.12 oz: $58) – I am absolutely crazy in love with this glowy finishing powder. It is great to use with just about any foundation to achieve that radiant look, and it’s also perfect to balance and set a matte foundation so as not to look very flat. If worn alone, this makes for a perfect glassy skin effect, which is sheer yet glowy, radiant and youthful but not super blinding and over-the-top. I love how this makes my skin look luminous for everyday makeup look.

Tom Ford Illuminating Powder in 01 Translucent (0.21 oz: $79) – I was a bit wary when I got this powder because it looks a little too bright and too yellowish for my taste, but this actually goes on as a true sheer and translucent powder with a brightening effect. It’s perfect for the undereyes or to set any type of foundation since this doesn’t leave any flashback and it feels super fine. The finish of this a bit matte so it does a good job of controlling shine on the face as well. The packaging is also TDF.

Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Matte Powder Foundation in 100 Warm – Been buying this for a long time and this has always been my preferred overall face powder due to its soft sheer consistency with good coverage and soft-matte finish that lasts a long time without making my face look flat and cakey. The packaging also looks luxe and elegant with a nice sponge applicator where you can apply this powder wet or dry. However, lately, it’s been difficult for me to get my hands on this since this compact has been sold out everywhere. I hope this gets restocked soon.

Chanel Le Teint Ultra Tenue Ultrawear Flawless Compact Foundation SPF 15 in 30 Beige (0.45 oz: $60) – This is one of those foundation powders that are just all-around so good in every aspect. This goes on as creamy and smooth and it smells divine. The finish of this is velvety-matte but it doesn’t make the face look flat, and it truly has a buildable medium coverage that feels weightless and simply blurring. It may be perfect as a worn-alone powder foundation, but this also does a good job at setting the makeup and controlling shine for hours while protecting the skin due to its sunscreen ingredient. This also has a nice soft sponge for a flawless application.

Drugstore

Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Powder in 25 Nude Beige (0.32 oz: $10.99) – This is the drugstore dupe of the Chanel Le Teint Ultra Tenue Flawless Compact Foundation above and it’s also pretty good. I love how this powder incorporates skincare with its salicylic acid ingredient, and this is also oil-free, non-comedogenic with a natural to matte finish. This provides a pretty good sheer to medium coverage and this has a sponge applicator as well, but it’s not as soft as Chanel and it doesn’t wear as well as Chanel’s, so you’re still gonna need a blotting paper after 3-4 hours of using this if you’re the oily type. However, this is the next best thing to the Chanel Compact Foundation and this gets the job done whether as a stand-alone foundation or as a setting powder.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder in 30 Light-Medium (0.34 oz: $12.99) – This has always been my go-to drugstore pressed powder for just about anything, from setting my makeup to oil-control and frequent retouches, I couldn’t count how many times I’ve repurchased this ever since I was younger. This actually used to have SPF in it which I love but now it doesn’t, which is a bummer. I mainly use this as a blotting powder for my oily-prone skin and this never caused any breakout, though I still have to use blotting papers from time to time. I love how sheer and light this is and when used as setting powder, this never cakes. The new formula of this compact is now blended with antioxidants.

L’oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Powder in 23 Nude Beige (0.31 oz: $12.99) – This is a duo compact finishing powder with the top half being glowy and can be used as a highlighter, while the bottom half is matte-ish and can be used as a setting powder. When combined, they give a nice very subtle luminous effect to set the makeup. It may not have the same glowy and radiant-effect as the Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder above, but this is a nice good affordable alternative.

When choosing between a loose finishing/setting powder versus a compact setting powder, I think I have my preference towards the compact ones because they’re less messy to use and they travel well. What are your favorite setting powders? Do you also prefer the compact ones?

Favorite Loose Setting Powders

September 17, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello. I’ve been testing and using some recent releases in loose setting powders, as well as some cult favorites to set my makeup and I’m happy to report that a lot of the loose setting powders nowadays really live up to the expectation. You can find different setting powders that are good multitaskers; be it to set the foundation or simply to mattify the skin and reduce shine. I mostly use my loose powders for these reasons, although I admit that in the past, I didn’t really care much about them, but since noticing my liquid foundations sliding easily off my face, I felt like it’s about time I need to start looking into some really good setting powders to help keep my makeup stay put on my face.

Most of the time, I tend to use loose setting powders if I’m not in a hurry to apply my makeup or if I’m applying makeup from home, also, I tend to buy them in smaller packaging just in case I might need them for travel. However, when I’m in a hurry, traveling, or at work, I tend to use pressed powders since they’re not messy to use. There’s nothing worse than baking or setting your makeup while being in a constrained space and in a rush. Chances are, you’d probably knock down some products and spill your beloved loose powder in the process. Yep, story of my life, LOL.

Anyway, here are my current loose setting powder favorites. A separate review of some of my preferred pressed powders will be posted here in the blog soon.

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre (1 oz: $52) – This is one of the first loose powders I ever purchased and now I’m down to my fifth. I’ve repurchased this in either Naturel (30) or Doré (40) shades, depending on my current skintone situation. Right now, I’m using Naturel, which is pretty much the perfect natural shade for my complexion – not too light and not too deep. The Doré shade was perfect when I had a bit of tan, but it seems like I’ll be sticking to the Natural shade from now on probably a long time. What I like about this loose powder is that it comes in a huge tub with a big puff inside, and that means that you won’t run out of this product so easily. Applying this is super convenient if you use the puff, but using a brush can be a challenge, as the powders can be hard to dispense especially since they’re so fine, but it’s not much of a big deal. The finish of this powder is natural, sheer, and it does set the makeup well for hours, and also, there’s no flashback. This also does a good job or reducing oil on the face.

Laura Mercier

Translucent Loose Setting Powder (Mini 0.33 oz: $23, Standard 1 oz: $38) – Oldie but goodie, this cult-favorite loose setting is the one that started it all, and is still loved by many, including yours truly. I love this for its natural finish and soft sheer coverage. This appears ivory white and may sorta leave a very slight white cast on a darker complexion, but it’s super easy to blend. On my skin, this goes quite transparent, and I have not noticed any flashbacks while using this. However, this can emphasize dryness or accentuate the dry patchy areas of the skin, especially around the eyes. So this requires a pretty good technique in strobing, baking, and blending. Also, this may as well require a face mist to sort of soften the dryness of the powder. Apart from that, this does a good job of keeping my makeup on for hours and hours, and it keeps the oiliness at bay,

Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow (Mini: $23, Standard: $38) – This is kinda like the popular Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder above, but with a radiant finish. I kinda like this one better than the original formula because this is not as mattifying and doesn’t emphasize any kinds of dryness. It does have some fine shimmers which add a subtle glow to the face and I like that because then my face won’t look too flat or too matte, so I don’t have to use a face mist right after my makeup. Also, the micro shimmers of this have a warming shade that complements my light-medium skintone.

Marc Jacobs Finish-Line Perfecting Coconut Setting Powder (0.28 oz: $44) – This is probably my most favorite loose setting powder as of the moment. Though this is supposed to have a natural finish, this actually has a soft-matte effect right after application, and it transforms into something creamy when it blends onto the foundation and gets warmed by the skin. I like that I don’t have to use a face mist right after applying my makeup when using this powder, and this pretty much blurs my pores, making my skin look flawless and filtered. This powder smells like coconut and also has cocoa butter, which makes it a bit heavier than most loose setting powders, but also has the creamiest most beautiful effect on my skin. Another thing I love about this is the easy-to-use packaging. I like that this has a mesh opening because it makes it so easy for the brush to pick up the product, and I don’t have to tap it or shake it several times. This definitely doesn’t cake and has no flashbacks, and the finish is very natural, sheer and creamy.

Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder (Mini 0.19 oz: $15, Standard 0.67 oz: $30) – This setting powder reminds me a lot of Laura Mercier’s, which has a natural finish and with a sheer coverage that doesn’t have flashbacks, but unlike Laura Mercier’s, this doesn’t emphasize dryness and it’s not as chalky. This loose powder truly is great for baking and contouring without having to worry for the dreaded white cast, and it’s great at keeping your makeup on for hours or for simply reducing shine off the skin. Basically, this powder locks-in and sets your look.

Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder (Mini 0.07 oz: $18, Standard 0.36 oz: $46) – Also with a natural finish, this very light and very refined loose powder is infused with diamond powder and it works really well at not just controlling the shine off the face, but it also goes invisible and doesn’t emphasize the fine lines or the dry areas. This passed the flashback test for me and truly does keep my makeup stay on longer while giving me that sort of filtered skin look, sans cakiness or chalkiness.

Are you a fan of these powders? What’s your favorite loose setting powder?

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Review

January 20, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Heya! We’ve reviewed my favorite concealer (seen HERE), now it’s time talk about my favorite loose/setting powder that I cannot live without. If the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer has been making me look awake, this Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder has definitely made me look very awake. I cannot imagine my face without this 🙂

Actually, there’s a lot of us that have fallen in love with this loose setting powder. Its consistency is soft and transparent, yet it flatters almost all skin tones. It has a sheer coverage that’s buildable and gives a very natural effect. Apart from being able to absorb excess oil and mattifying the skin, the best thing about this is that it sets your makeup or concealer and you’re ready to go to town.

Right after applying my favorite Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (Custard shade) around my undereye circles, I then apply this Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder (using a beauty blender) to set it and let it cook or bake while I’m doing other stuff on my face. Yes, this setting powder is the secret to every contouring, conjuring, baking, strobing, stuffing and cooking out there. 🙂 Once you’re done baking, you can then brush off the excess powder on your face and make sure that it looks normal and natural, not overdone or overcooked.

Anyways, I definitely recommend this Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder very mucho, together with Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. But if you have another favorite concealer or even another favorite loose powder, well, as long it sets your makeup, it covers your facial landmines, it makes you look pwetty, then you’re on the right track to looking radiant, glowy, awake and alive!

Ciao now!

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