One of the biggest betrayals in beauty is when the makeup you just spent 25-plus minutes on begins to melt and slide away. There are dry shampoos that suck up extra oil from your scalp and powders specifically made to soak up boob sweat—and for your face, there's a magic product that keeps your makeup from sliding off your face and onto the sidewalk or worse, your mask: old-fashioned setting powder.
"A setting powder helps prevent makeup from creasing, fading, or transferring, and can also help control shine," says makeup artist Todd Harris. "Think of it as hairspray for your face, locking your makeup in for a longer-lasting, flawless finish."
The latest and greatest in face powders are more advanced than ever. Blurring pigments act as DIY Instagram filters. Formulas are infused with soothing skin ingredients that treat your complexion while you wear it. Shade ranges have been expanded, and prices range for affordable buys or luxury splurges. All in all, setting powders have just gotten better ingredient and texture-wise, and we're thrilled about it.
We felt that everyone could use a refresher on the best setting powders out there, from pressed options to pretty loose powders in pots. Here, the very best setting powders for every skin tone under the sun (literally.)
The Best Setting Powders
- The Best Setting Powder Overall: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Longwear Setting Powder
- The Best Full Coverage Setting Powder: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Refillable Setting Powder
- The Best Setting Powder For Combination Skin: Makeup by Mario SurrealSkin® Talc-Free Soft Blur Setting Powder
- The Best Budget Setting Powder: Sephora Collection Translucent Loose Setting Powder
- The Best Drugstore Setting Powder: Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder
It's a makeup artist go-to, and it’s also been a favorite among social media beauty gurus for years for good reason. If your skin is on the oilier side (and you know you're going to be taking pictures on a night out), this powder is made with special plant-based ingredients that absorb excess oil and keep your T-zone matte without that scary, telltale flashback. It’s also silky enough to blur fine lines and imperfections without settling into the skin making your complexion look heavy or cake-y.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Matte
Shades: Four
What I Love: It’s a loose powder that’s lightweight, so it’s easy to control how much you put on
What I Don’t: It only comes in four shades
Review for MC: “There are a few products that will never leave my rotation, and Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Setting Powder will always be one of those. I still bake my face—albeit lightly—but I find that it makes my makeup last significantly longer. LM’s setting powder is one of the few that gives me an airbrushed finish, without clinging to areas on my face when I wipe it away.” — Siena Gagliano, beauty editor
Siena Gagliano testing the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Longwear Setting Powder.
Touching up your complexion on the go can be a hassle—personally, my purse is too packed to throw in a big fluffy buffing brush—and this formula is the solution. This pressed powder can easily cover red spots and blemishes on your travels, and it includes rose wax and almond oil to keep skin looking soft.
Formulation: Pressed powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: Four
What I Love: The product is refillable and comes in standard and mini sizes
What I Don’t: It's a bit expensive
Review for MC: “Once upon a time, I was on a literal boat when a girl reached over and tapped some Charlotte Tilbury pressed powder across the bridge of my nose. ‘Looked like you could use some,’ she said. And a friendship was born. Now, my own scratched up case comes everywhere with me for when I need a little natural airbrush action. It’s never cake-y and feels so light that, if I hadn’t seen that diva wielding a powder puff in my face, I’m not sure I would’ve noticed my little boat makeover at all.” — Sophia Vilensky, contributing beauty writer
Sophia Vilensky testing the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Refillable Setting Powder.
A common issue with some setting powders is that, while they're generally pretty good at absorbing oil and getting rid of shine, they can also cause the skin look and feel dry. This powder from Mario Dedivanovic's namesake brand is made with squalane—an ingredient commonly found in moisturizers—to help curb that issue. It's great at masking an oily T-zone while still nourishing the skin.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: Seven
What I Love: It blurs without making the skin look cake-y
What I Don’t: The product spills out of the packaging very easily
Review for MC: "I've been wearing this powder every day since it was released last summer—that's how much I love it! While I generally have a pretty light hand when it comes to how I apply makeup, I can appreciate the fact that, no matter how much of this I put on my face, I doesn't make me look powdery, and it almost feels like I'm not wearing anything. I usually apply it with a sponge but I've also gotten my oily skin to look very matte by applying it with a puff." — Danielle Jackson, senior beauty writer
Danielle Jackson testing the Makeup by Mario Surrealskin® Talc-Free Soft Blur Setting Powder.
Reminder: a reliable setting powder doesn't always have to set you back a ton of money, and this under-$20 option from Sephora Collection is proof of that. It's extremely lightweight and sets makeup perfectly into place no matter the occasion, whether you're sporting full glam or a minimal face of makeup.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: One
What I Love: It’s really affordable and could pass as a dupe to other powders
What I Don’t: Shade range could be a lot more inclusive, as it’s only available in one shade
Review for MC: “This powder's lightweight formula softly blurs shine on a face full of foundation seamlessly. I apply using a powder brush, tap the end to my container to rid excess product and add extra on creasing-prone areas. I love it since I'm partial to a full beat, but am terrified of a cake-y finish. So trust me, this is the real deal when it comes to a proper set. (Plus, it’s a great dupe for the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder)." — Malcia Greene, contributing beauty writer
Malcia Greene testing the Sephora Collection Translucent Loose Setting Powder.
I was a huge fan of this powder when I first began wearing makeup in high school (I obviously had a very limited budget back then), and over a decade later, my love for it still hasn't wavered. It keeps shine to a minimum, doesn't caused the dreaded flashback, and gives the skin a flawless, poreless finish—all for the low, low price of $10.
Formulation: Pressed powder
Finish: Matte
Shades: 24
What I Love: It’s long-lasting, affordable, and comes in a pretty wide range of shades
What I Don’t: Powder doesn’t always blend
Review for MC: “Detective work in the beauty space knows no bounds. So when one of my BFFs (who always has the most flawless finishes) generously shared with me the cherry-on-top to her late-night looks, the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder, I ran to my nearest drugstore. Having converted to the magic of Maybelline, I now use shade 130 (Buff Beige) and have never looked back. I swear it lasts ALL night and takes to task oily skin like no other. It's breathable, comes with an applicator, and is built to brawl against hot summer nights in Brooklyn. I can’t recommend it enough.” — Malcia Greene, contributing beauty writer
Malcia Greene testing the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder.
Other Setting Powders I Love
If you've been burned by setting powders in the past when it comes to white casts or snagging on dry patches, meet your new best friend: Kosas' meadowfoam seed oil-infused formula is buttery enough to use on flaky skin and comes in multiple shades.
Formulation: Pressed powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: 13
What I Love: It sets makeup without drying out the complexion, and it comes in a wide variety of shades
What I Don’t: Powder breaks pretty easily
Customer Review: "The shade was a perfect match! It’s the best finishing powder that gives a shine without patches! Dream to use for dry skin folks." — Sephora
When you need to soak up sweat fast, this pressed powder sucks up all that unwanted sebum and improves the appearance of large pores.
Formulation: Pressed powder
Finish: Natural/matte
Shades: Three
What I Love: Absorbs oil and gives the skin an airbrushed look
What I Don’t: Shade range could have a bit more variety
Customer Review: "This works really well for me. I use on my T-zone. My eyelids are oily and can mess up my mascara so I dab this on my eyelids to control the oil there as well. Works great." — Ulta
Combine this setting powder with Patrick Starrr's On ‘Til Dawn matte spray and you can kiss mask imprints goodbye. A loose powder, it’s available in two shades for lighter and darker skin tones, a light dusting bond to the skin that instantly reduces shine and oil.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Matte
Shades: Seven
What I Love: It comes in a unique range of shades that cater to specific undertones and has a very fine texture
What I Don’t: It's slightly difficult to get the product out of the packaging
Customer Review: "This product truly does blur your pores and matte your makeup look. I have oily skin so this is a must have in my makeup routine. I use the oil sucker primer with the ONE/SIZE matter setting spray after. I think I'll use this forever." — Sephora
Available in 13 shades, this setting powder is best for mature skin or for a light blotting. Oh, and the beautiful packaging is refillable for infinite use. Warning: Using a brush might cause color change in the pan, so opt instead for the sponge provided.
Formulation: Pressed powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: Six
What I Love: The shade range is decent and it's formulated with emollients to keep your skin from drying out underneath it
What I Don’t: Pretty expensive and can't be used with a brush
Customer Review: "Wasn’t planning on buying this at first but this is one of the best powder products I purchased. Usually powders get me really dry and define my wrinkles but this doesn’t do that. Love the smell of the powder too." — Sephora
This formula's wide shade range contains gorgeous, warm tones that'll make skin look more radiant while it sets the rest of your makeup.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Matte
Shades: Eight
What I Love: It caters to a variety of undertones and has a very airy texture
What I Don’t: The mesh top makes it slightly difficult to reach the product, and if your skin is on the oilier side, it might be a little too light to absorb the excess
Customer Review: "If [you have darker skin] with an olive undertone, this is definitely for you...I have bought and returned so many powders that were either too yellow, so they went ashy grey on my undereyes, or brick red...I've never been this satisfied with my look after applying powder." — Sephora
The photo-reflective pigments in this formula add an extra elegant softness to its matte finish. Use a big, fluffy brush to dab it on your forehead, cheekbones, and chin to squash any extra shine.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Natural/matte
Shades: Eight
What I Love: It has a very soft texture that's buildable
What I Don’t: It's pretty expensive
Customer Review: "I'm a professional makeup artist and only review products I love and can use on every client. THIS is one of them. So lightweight, no flashback, only need a little bit, perfect finish too. Not too matte, but matte, so you’re not super super shiny. You get a lot for the price (and again, you don’t need much) and it’s really just a stunning powder overall!!!!" — Nordstrom
If your foundation tends to pebble around your nose and cheeks, this pollution shielding powder will provide a smoother canvas. You can also use it alone to get rid of shininess or on top of your complexion makeup—just be sure to apply it with a fluffy brush, starting with a small amount and building as you go.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: One
What I Love: It's very silky and melts into the skin perfectly
What I Don’t: It's not very friendly to deeper skin tones
Customer Review: "I absolutely love this powder. Lightweight, doesn’t make my skin feel tight. Sweeps away shine and eliminates look of pores. Just dabbing it on my face gives my face a beautiful finished look. This product will be part of makeup routine everyday." — Tatcha
Re-upping your SPF on top of your makeup can be annoying, but it's a must, especially in the summer months. A couple dabs of this loose powder, though, makes reapplying a breeze.
Formulation: Loose powder
Finish: Natural
Shades: Four
What I Love: Provides sun protection and is really easy to reapply when you're already wearing makeup
What I Don’t: Not meant to be used over heavy makeup or full-coverage foundation
Customer Review: "I bought this for a Disney trip just to easily apply a quick powder to my oily skin that doubles with the benefit of sunscreen and I ended up using it on my scalp as well that gets sunburnt very easily and it protected me from the sun 100 percent! This product is definitely worth your money." — Sephora
What Do Setting Powders Do?
A lot of things, actually, but generally, a setting powder is added as the final step in your makeup routine to keep your foundation and concealer from creasing, fading, and transferring. "A setting powder is typically a loose or pressed finely-milled powder that helps to set makeup, absorb excess oil and shine, and lock in makeup for longer wear time," says makeup artist Neil Scibelli.
Per Harris, these aren't to be confused with powder foundations. "Powder foundations, like setting powders, come in loose or pressed formulas, but add a high level of coverage to the skin just like a liquid foundation," he explains. "While foundation powders set makeup, they can leave a heavy full coverage look to the skin and look cake-y."
What Should I Look For In a Setting Powder?
That can be dependent on a lot of things, like your skin type and tone, but according to Harris, it all comes down to your skin's overall needs. "Choose if you want a travel-friendly pressed powder, which is great for touch-ups, or a loose powder," he says. "Next, you can pick if you want a translucent, colorless powder or a powder with a tint like pink or peach."
If you have mature or dry skin, Harris recommends finding a formula with emollients or moisturizing ingredients to keep your skin from drying out. "For oily skin, find a more matte formula to keep skin shine free," he adds.
Scibelli echoes this. "I'd suggest looking for a powder that matches your skin's personal needs, whether that be shine absorbing and mattefying, or perhaps you may want a translucent powder that also offers a hint of color," he says. "I personally love using these for medium to deeper skin tones."
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Meet the Experts
Todd Harris is an editorial makeup artist and groomer with Honey Artists agency.
Neil Scibelli is a celebrity makeup artist and host of "Face It."