15 best setting powders to set & blur your makeup, reviewed
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With hot and humid weather lying ahead, having one of the best setting powders on hand is essential for combatting the dreaded ‘summer shine’. Designed to ensure that your look lasts all day, setting powders help to subtly blur-out pores, enhance your base, and stop sweat in its tracks. And gone are the days of those ashy, cake-y setting powders. Today's sheer formulations are featherlight on the skin, barely leaving behind a visible trace.
“I find that the best way to apply a setting powder is with a velour powder puff, as it allows you to further break down any powder texture so that when it is pressed into the makeup, it becomes one with the skin. That's instead of it sitting on top of the foundation, which can often happen when using a brush,” shares Emma Sykes, makeup trainer at Laura Mercier.
Whether you're keen to bake your whole face, or just lightly set your t-zone, the beauty space is full to the brim with plenty of different loose and pressed setting powder formulas. To save you the trouble of testing, we've narrowed down the very best setting powders out there that come approved by makeup artists and beauty editors alike.
What is setting powder?
A setting powder is used on top of complexion products like concealer to ensure it won't budge, crease, or develop an oily sheen throughout the day. "Setting your makeup is one of the most important steps of your routine," shares New York City-based makeup artist Delina Medhin. “When you set the makeup, it has longevity, because who wants to carry a touch-up kit everywhere?”
But oil absorption and longevity aren't the only things setting powders are good for, according to fellow New York City-based makeup artist Tommy Napoli. "Setting powder is not only used to lock in your makeup but to 'finish' the look of makeup — to create a smoother, more pore-less, and texture-less surface," he explains.
What’s the difference between setting powder and translucent powder?
Setting powders can typically be broken down into two different sub-categories; tinted and translucent. As the name suggests, both types help ‘set’ the makeup in place — but a translucent power should be pretty much invisible on the skin, whereas a tinted powder will provide enhanced colour and coverage.
Essentially, all translucent powders are setting powders — but not all setting powders are translucent powders. Got it?
Is setting powder really neccessary?
While setting powders are great for extending the wear time of your makeup, you can probably skip applying one on those days when you've shunned the cream concealers and foundations in favour of a more minimal base.
But if you do want to lock in your makeup look — but aren't a fan of setting powders — why not try a setting spray instead? Designed to seal your cosmetics in place, these formulas are a popular alternative for those who like a more dewy and lived-in look. Plus, they also don't absorb moisture, and are packed with humectants — making them well-suited to dry skin.
How to choose the best setting powder for you:
When picking the right setting powder for you, there are a few different key features that you'll need to take into account. For starters — your skin type. Oily skin will likely benefit from an absorbent matte formula that'll counteract shine and mop up any excess oil. Meanwhile, a dewy or luminous finish will have a lovely brightening effect on dull skin that could do with a little extra radiance.
Thinking about the format of your powder is also pretty important. Loose powders are brilliant for baking, feel lovely and lightweight on the skin, and provide premium oil control — but they're also super messy to apply. Alternatively, pressed powders work well for touch-ups on-the-go, and are far better suited to targeted application – but they're generally a little less long-lasting than loose powders.
Finally, according to Emma, you should also "keep a look out for skin loving ingredients like antioxidants, vitamin E and vitamin C,” and if a setting powder also includes amino acids, it's another big plus as they're “ideal for blurring and smoothing” results.
Meet the experts:
- Delina Medhin, New York-based makeup artist.
- Tommy Napoli, New York-based makeup artist.
- Emma Sykes, makeup trainer at Laura Mercier.
How we tested the best setting powders:
Over the years, the GLAMOUR beauty team has tested hundreds of setting powders: both pressed and loose formulas. When reviewing each powder, we always pay attention to factors like ingredients (whether or not it features talc), efficacy and value for money.
We evaluate the product based on whether or not: A) it helped our makeup last longer B) it felt weightless on the skin and, C) it genuinely blurred out the base while looking natural on camera. Our editors also take note of equally important criteria such as an inclusive shade range that caters to a variety of skin tones. We've tested setting powders in real-life settings such as weddings, workouts, date nights or a office days.
- Number of powders tested: 20.
- Number of powders featured: 15.
- Testing period: a week.
- Find out more: about how we test.
Ahead, the best setting powders to blur and set your base…
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish
- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 4.
- Finish: Luminous.
- Tested by: Denise Primbet & Rommy Najor.
Why we love it: The Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish pressed powder is great for touch-ups thanks to its convenient compact design. For a second-skin effect, makeup artist Rommy Najor relies on this very powder to set and blur the base.
"It's lightweight and hugs the skin," he explains. And it doesn't make the skin look like it's covered in powder. For the same reason, makeup artist Vincent Oquendo calls it his favourite pressed powder. "It isn't talc-y or calky," he says. “Also, it doesn't weigh down the skin.”
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- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 4.
- Finish: Natural matte.
- Tested by: Robyn Eugene.
Why we love it: “The natural matte setting powder provides complexion-enhancing and blurring coverage — while also feeling completely light as air and weightless on the skin. And this is all thanks to skin-loving formula — which is infused with hydrating and smoothing hyaluronic acid, and vegan collagen amino acids that'll leave the skin looking bright and radiant.”
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 3.
- Finish: Soft matte.
- Tested by: Denise Primbet & Elle Turner.
Why we love it: "We wouldn’t exactly be doing our jobs if we put together a roundup of the best setting powders and didn’t include Laura Mercier. This long-lasting product puts a sparkling twist on more traditional setting powders by including pearl pigments to give your skin a natural glowing finish.
"The best part? It’s lightweight, silky, suitable for sensitive skin, and perfect for blurring out imperfections without looking cakey. Above all, I love how buildable it is. When I'm in the mood for a full glam moment, I'll do a little “baking” and my face will be blurred, but not cakey at all,” says GLAMOUR's Beauty Contributor Denise.
Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Powder
- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 10.
- Finish: Natural.
- Tested by: Denise Primbet & Sophie Cockett.
Why we love it: Super-soft and sheer with a skin-like finish – what more do you need? This setting powder does so much more than just bake, it adds a glowy and plump boost to your look. The best part is that it also feels hydrating, all the while blurring the appearance of pores and fine lines. “I like to reach for this formula whenever I'm in the mood for a more natural base as it delivers the most gorgeous skin-like semi-matte finish,” says GLAMOUR's Beauty Contributor Denise Primbet.
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Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder
- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 11.
- Finish: Matte.
- Tested by: Robyn Eugene.
Why we love it: "Leave it to Huda Kattan to bless the beauty community with one of the best blurring powders out there. Yes, we're talking about the iconic Easy Bake range.
“Featuring a total of 11 shades (including the brand-new Ube Birthday Cake), this clever formula delivers a soft, velvety matte finish that will seamlessly blend into the skin without resulting in any cake-y feel. Use it all over or strategically around your T-zone.”
Save when you shop for the best setting powder with these Sephora discount codes.
e.l.f. Halo Glow Powder Filter
- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 12.
- Finish: Luminous.
- Tested by: Shani Cohen.
Why we love it: "This ultra-fine powder effortlessly blurs imperfections while minimising the appearance of pores. Available in 12 shades to suit all skin tones, it offers light, buildable coverage with a crease-free finish.
“Plus, since this one is pressed instead of loose, you won’t have to worry about accidentally spilling powder in your bag if you take this compact on the go.”
Makeup By Mario Surrealskin Soft Blur Setting Powder
- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 7.
- Finish: Soft matte.
- Tested by: Denise Primbet.
Why we love it: "One of the best talc-free formulas out there, the Makeup By Mario Surrealskin Soft Blur Setting Powder blurs and sets your makeup in place for up to 12 hours while smoothing imperfections and texture. Delivering a natural finish and a weightless feel, this formula also features skintone-enhancing and brightening hues to take your glam to the next level.
“Oh and did we mention that it's also non-comedogenic? Truth be told, we expected nothing less from Mario Dedivanovic. I love the way it instantly blurs my complexion without that heavy feel. It's also one of the best-performing and most long-lasting setting powders I've tried,” says GLAMOUR's Beauty Contributor Denise Primbet.
Save when you shop for the best setting powder with these Sephora discount codes.
NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder
- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 1.
- Finish: Luminous.
- Tested by: Sophie Cockett.
Why we love it: 'Designed to flatter all skin tones (even the palest and the deepest), this product is translucent, undetectable, and contains special photochromatic technology — which means it adjusts to new sources of light for a soft-focus effect.
“I was a bit scared by the bright white colour, but it left no trace on my skin (which is, granted, quite pale. I can't speak for darker sin tones just yet). It enhanced my full coverage foundation finish – you use without interfering with the overall appearance – and you can even use it to set your lip colour, soften an intense eye or layer with smokey eyeshadow."
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- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 2.
- Finish: Dewy.
- Tested by: Sophie Cockett.
Why we love it: "Not into setting powders that make your face look unnaturally matte? Say no more. True to its name, the REFY Skin Finish creates a second-skin effect thanks to a formula with a high water content.
“Don't be alarmed by the pale shade of the powder, either. Available in two undertones - yellow or pink – it disappears on contact with all skin tones for a soft, blurred look without the cakiness. An added bonus is the glycerin in the formula to hydrate the skin.”
Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Pressed Powder
- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 5.
- Finish: Slightly radiant.
- Tested by: Fiona Embleton.
Why we love it: This weightless, talc-free face powder from Hourglass is a must-buy. It delivers a pleasant soft-focus blurring effect that minimises the appearance of pores, fine lines and helps to set makeup for longer, which cuts down on having to do several touch-ups throughout your day. “The sheer texture is spot on, too, as it never looks cakey, even in the heat and despite mopping up excess oil, it never dries the skin out,” says GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director Fiona Embleton.
Rare Beauty True To Myself Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder
- Type: Pressed.
- Shades: 14.
- Finish: Natural.
- Tested by: Sophie Cockett.
Why we love it: “This multi-tasking pressed powder ticks off every box. It blurs, it sets, it reduces shine and it evens out your skin tone with the help of weightless, buildable coverage. The clever formulation is also infused with light-diffusing spheres, which helps deliver a soft-focused blurred result while still offering that natural radiant sheen to peek through the makeup. Plus, it scores extra points for offering one of the widest shade ranges we've seen in a setting powder. Suitable for all skin types.”
One/Size Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder
- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 4.
- Finish: Matte.
Why we love it: If you're constantly on the move, One/Size's Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder by Patrick Starrr is a product you'll want in your makeup bag, stat. It boasts up to 14 hours of lasting power, blurs fine lines, and is fantastic for baking and ensuring that your foundation lasts from sunup to sundown. This is the best for baking because of how little falls off the skin. Apply a generous amount to the under-eye area, let it sit, and then whip the product away for a matte, flawless finish with no creases.
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Givenchy Prisme Libre Matte-Finish and Enhanced Radiance Loose Powder
- Type: Loose
- Shades: 7.
- Finish: Slightly shimmery yet blurring.
Why we love it: With four corrective colours, you can mattify, blur and add glow with this Swiss knife of setting powders. The green shade can be used strategically to minimise redness, the peach to brighten and the purple to boost a sallow, lack-lustre complexion. Or swirl all shades together to absorb excess oil and help your skin look radiant from every angle. The best part? This newly reformulated powder also adds a healthy glow back into your skin thanks to the shimmery particles that are incorporated into the product.
Save when you shop for the best setting powder with these Sephora discount codes.
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Setting Powder
- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 5.
- Finish: Matte.
Why we love it: Beloved by makeup artists everywhere, this light-as-air setting powder has five translucent hues, that have been carefully calibrated so they work alongside the 36 shades of Sublime Perfection Foundation. Infused with light-reflecting pigments to blur imperfections, this velvety powder prevents caking and creasing, guaranteeing a very natural-looking finish. You'll likely even forget you put it on in the first place.
Tarte Creaseless Setting Powder
- Type: Loose.
- Shades: 6.
- Finish: Matte.
Why we love it: Smooth out your undereyes and set your makeup in place for up to 16 hours (yes, actually) with this diffusing powder from Tarte. Featuring six shades in total – from the classic translucent hue to your pinks, lavenders, caramel, yellow and honey tints to suit all skin tones – this formula is non-drying, blurring and does a great job at controlling shine throughout the day. Plus, it comes with a free powder puff so you won't have to worry about purchasing it separately. A must.
Save when you shop for the best setting powder with these Sephora discount codes.
This article was originally syndicated from Allure.
