NARS x Ulta launched another exclusive mini lip set called the NARSissist Wanted Velvet Lip Glide Set ($45 for 3.4 ml / 0.12 oz x 6). As a lover of minis I couldn’t resist picking this up while browsing through Ulta a few weeks ago. This has six small Velvet Lip Glides, two of which were launched earlier this year individually in Swing and Roseland swatched here. The other four shades are exclusive to the set for now.
Inside you have six colors that I think are perfect for everyday wear:
District is a medium peachy pink
Swing is a perfect neutral nude beige
Lure is a warm soft orange
Roseland is a pretty pink rose
Spike is a perfect mauve plum
Vault medium neutral-warm brown
I think every single color is perfect in this set. Loving everything in a set is rare for me but this one equals pure love. I’ve reviewed the Velvet Lip Glide formula before but in case you haven’t tried it, these are medium coverage liquid lip products that have a liquid lipstick feel but lighter in weight and without the matte dry down. There is a soft slight sheen to the finish but it has a more velvety feel. Lip swatches on bare lips below. Lasting power is like a regular lip gloss – you’ll have to reapply every few hours or if you snack.
There have been a number of request for swatch comparisons for Cozumel from the NARS Undressed Liquid Lip Set (reviewed here). I pulled the ones I thought might be similar to that along with ones from this set in attempts to dupe it. From left to right below:
Bottom line, I think the set is an easy win. The colors are perfect for summer to fall. There is a good range of warm and neutral for me. I love that Spike isn’t too blue in undertone which makes it easy to wear. I don’t mind that there are repeats of Swing and Roseland as those are my favorite colors anyways. Lure does pull a little orangey/warm on me but I think it’s summer appropriate. It’s also a good one I can mix in with pale colors to balance out for my lip/skin tone. For previous NARSissist Wanted reviews:
NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette reviewed here
NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palettes and Power Pack Lip Duos here
NARS launched a new limited-edition palette called the Atomic Blonde Eye and Cheek Palette ($59, Sephora exclusive). It has a perfect sunkissed summer vibe with warm bronzey colors for eyes and face. It comes in a mirrored compact with six colors, two of which are repromotes:
Icon Eyeshadow – shimmering soft warm tan gold
Isolde II Eyeshadow – shimmery warm copper
Kink Eyeshadow – warm sparkle copper
Galapagos Eyeshadow – matte deep brown with gold flecks
Last Call Highlighting Blush Powder – soft golden sandy beige shimmer
Unleashed Bronzing Powder – matte sheer warm brown
The eyeshadows are for the most part shimmery. Icon and Isolde II have perfectly soft textures that are easy to blend powders. Kink is a very sparkly eyeshadow which I found best applied with a super dense brush or fingers in a patting motion. Galapagos is a formula that has a matte base but enough gold flecks to make it sparkly. It’s best applied with a dense brush along the lash line or on top of a creamy liner smudged/blended. For me all the eyeshadows performed well without any issue. Kink does have some fallout if you apply with a loose fluffy brush – it may take some experimenting application-wise.
The cheek colors are both soft. Last Call has a semi-sheer finish which is great if you want a soft glow vs sharp frost but it’s not really the most unique shade. It does have a soft warm golden sheen that is more flesh-like than most champagne shimmers but the effect is going to be similar to a lot of other highlighters. Unleashed Bronzing Powder is one I have mixed feelings about. It’s sheer and stiff in texture making it more of a very soft contouring powder on me. As a bronzing powder if it had more pigment or a softer texture I feel it would be too dark for my complexion. Since it is harder and sheerer it gives my skin a very soft contoured look. I don’t typically use contouring powders – I usually just use any regular bronzer to add a tiny bit of dimension.
The palette itself is really pretty and easy to wear for me. Each time I tested it I was happy with the performance and look. It’s a super easy to wear palette that I don’t have to think about when applying. It has all the colors I need, minus a cream shadow base and a little bit of color for blush, but there are a lot of days I don’t wear blush – just bronzer. I do think it would be better if the bronzer had a different texture/finish. But since it’s stiff and semi-sheer it does work well on me as a crease blending color to add depth on the eyes (even though it’s meant for the face). I’m not the biggest glitter shadow fan I would have preferred if Kink weren’t a glitter but I can make it work and I think it’s really nice for summer. Since summer won’t end here in Florida until maybe November I will get a lot of wear out of the colors.
Overall easy to use, nice wearable colors. Two shades I’d love to change a little color or formula-wise but I can make the palette work as it is. It’s pretty much an effortless one that I can apply any day for any occasion. In a sense I’m glad the bronzer is stiff/sheer because the color works for my complexion, otherwise I feel like it would be too dark for me to wear.
The NARS Atomic Blonde Eye and Cheek Palette is available at Sephora. It’s listed as a Sephora exclusive, but right now you can also find it online at NARS Cosmetics. It’s limited-edition. Have you checked this one out yet? What did you think?
NARS Atomic Blonde provided courtesy of NARS for review.
Rounding up some of my beauty shelfie favorites right now including more thoughts on the best clear makeup bag I’ve found along with a new hair oil I just discovered. A quick look above at one of my shelfies. I’m constantly reorganizing things and trying to find better storage solutions to stay organized. I finally put together more of the Ikea Billy Bookcases which I find more convenient these days compared to the Alex Drawers. Having an open shelf allows me to see things better vs. a set of closed drawers. I still also make a lot of use out of acrylic storage units and clear shoe boxes to store items. I hope to have an updated post but in the mean time you can see how they were put to use when we lived in San Diego here.
I’m highlighting my favorites below, but if you want everything on the top shelf photo listed out, scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Fragrance Favorites
Byredo has been a long time favorite and a mini hair perfume trio just launched in two variations. I bought the Triplé Gannant Bois Hair Perfume Trio which has three 30 mls vs the 75 ml individuals. The trios are pretty expensive but I’m obsessed with how cute they are. The one I ordered has Mojave Ghose, Bal D’Aftique and Gypsy Water. I’ve also been loving the candles from the line – they’re really strong and have excellent throw. Tree House has been burning at our home lately. It’s not really a summer scent but I love it any time of the year. It has notes of cedar, bamboo, sandalwood, guaiac wood and hay.
For perfume my new go-to has been the Jo Malone Neroli and Basil perfume. I still have my others in frequent rotation (Spring to Summer Fragrance Edit here with my favs from Creed, Tom Ford and more). But the Jo Malone one has been a new favorite. It’s fresh and light and I find it pretty strong.
So many of you have been asking what the nail color is that I’ve been wearing – it’s OPI Samoan Sand, but with three coats. For some reason I always felt it was too warm/dark for me, but I just looked at it recently at Ulta. Maybe it’s because I’m more tan now but it’s like my perfect everyday neutral that isn’t too pale. On the nails here and here.
Other Things I’ve Been Loving
The best clear makeup pouch pick for me is still The Daily Edited Transparent Cosmetic Case. The color shown is their Pale Pink but I also have it in Taupe and Black. You can see the full review, dimensions and colors side by side in my post here. Quality is on point and I compared it to the ones from Anya Hindmarch and Truffle as well. I’ve received a number of questions on which color is my favorite. I really find that hard to answer! I don’t think you can go wrong with any of their options. Also for monogramming questions I often get the small font size with a blind monogram.
Other beauty favorites right now include the Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist because it’s lightweight enough for humid weather but still has enough hydration to refresh the skin. I mentioned that I ordered the La Mer Moisturizing Matte Lotion and I’ve been testing it for a little over a week and really like it for this humid weather here in Florida. It has a soft matte finish but is still moisturizing on the skin. I’ll have to test it more for a detailed review but first impressions are really positive for me.
Gisou launched a travel size of the Honey Infused Hair Oil and they sent one for review. It’s the best smelling hair oil I’ve ever tried and I’m usually not a fan of honey scents. It’s thick/dense in the bottle but a little drop does blend well when warmed up in the hands. It adds moisture and shine. I only need a tiny bit from the middle to ends of my hair. It’s just what I needed as the heat and water here tend to dry out my ends. You can find the full size at places like Revolve or Urban Outfitters as well. Right now the Travel Size is only available on the Gisou website.
Last but not least I’ve been really liking the By Terry UV Base. I reviewed it here in this post. It has SPF 50 and really does prevent the burn and while nothing here can truly prevent the tanning process from the sun, I feel like it has minimized it. I still like the Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen but sometimes it’s nice to rotate. I feel like the By Terry one has less slip/silicone-like feel.
Sunglasses below are from Kate Spade. I bought them in two colors from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale – it’s so hard for me to find frames this size and I love them. The color on the sides/back also make for a fun accent.
What have you been loving lately? I love reading about your beauty favs!
Press samples featured include the NARS Santo Domingo, Pat McGrath Flesh Fantasy, Gisou Hair Oil, By Terry UV Base. Other items purchased by me.
I have some quick first impressions on two of Bobbi Brown x Nordstrom Anniversary Sale sets. I picked up the Deluxe Eye + Cheek Set ($98) and Nude Lip Color Trio ($84). Both offer classic everyday colors for the conservative beauty lover. The sale ends on August 5th so I wanted to swatch these for you quickly in case they were on your radar.
The Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye + Cheek Set has an impressive offering for eyes and cheeks. It’s priced at $98 but they value it at $380. I’m not exactly sure how they came up with that value but it is still a good deal since you get 12 eyeshadows and four cheek products in a sturdy mirrored compact. There is a small eyeshadow brush I think is pretty worthless (to be frank) but to be fair when is the last time we got a decent brush in a palette anyways? It’s not a deal breaker for me, it usually isn’t plus I prefer my full size individual brushes anyways.
The eyeshadows run neutral to cool toned. Textures and finishes range from matte, to shimmer to sparkle but none have glittery chunks. There are some colors that are in the individual line you can buy full sizes of but there are also some shades that appear to be exclusive to the palette.
There are two matte blushes in Nectar (peach pink) and Desert Pink (cool muted dusty mauve) which are medium in tone. They can darken a little on oily skin but they are soft and easy to blend. There’s a Medium Bronzing Powder which is a matte as well – it’s a cool-toned brown. They’ve added a pretty Golden Pink highlighting powder which is a light golden pink frost. This is my favorite color in the entire palette.
Quality-wise everything applied smoothly and flawlessly. It definitely has a fall vibe for conservative everyday wear. Cheek colors have to be applied with a soft hand for me since they do darken a little but mixing the highlighter in helps soften the color. Eye-color wise I prefer the MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Palette but the option from Bobbi Brown will give you more options.
For the lips I picked up the Nude Lip Color Trio which to be seems to have a 90’s-ish vibe but slightly softer. It has Beige Lip Pencil (pale beige), Bare Crushed Lip Color (medium warm beige pink) and Sandy Beige Lip Gloss (sheer gold champagne shimmer). The Lip Pencil and Crushed Lip Color are items you can purchase individually. The Lip Gloss is exclusive to the set but the name seems familiar to me – it may have been launched in the past. Colors are fairly standard basics but when layered together it gives the perfect everyday nude lip. It’s been a while since I layered liner + lipstick + gloss but I love the look it gives.
It comes in a cute flat zip pouch, one side is clear and I’m the biggest sucker for clear pouches:
The Bobbi Brown Beige Lip Pencil, Bare Crushed Lip Color and Sandy Beige swatches on bare lips below. I did two sets of swatches where colors were layered. The lipstick alone is very warm on me, but when you layer it on top of the pencil or add the gloss it’s toned down a lot. The MAC Nude Lip Trio I reviewed yesterday has more neutral options.
Overall classic staples that have excellent quality and wear. I personally don’t think either set is a must-have for me since I already own a lot of other colors that are similar. I really like the look of the lip colors layered but Bare Crushed Lip Color pulls very warm on my complexion and it’s a shade that will definitely need to be layered for me. For the eyeshadows I adore these kinds of shades but from the Nordstrom Sale Beauty Exclusives this year I found the MAC options better suited for my taste and skin tone. That being said I do think the Eye and Cheek set is as complete as it gets for giving you everything you need for a day to night look, it’s sturdy, has a nice large mirror and will last you a long time.
With fall beauty trickling out now and holiday launches in the future there are bound to be more palette and set options. So depending on what you already own or what you’re looking for you may want to wait and see what launches later in the year.
You can find both the Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye and Cheek Set and Nude Lip Color Trio available exclusively at Nordstrom. Both are limited-edition. There are a few more options available that I didn’t pick up. You might want to browse them if you love her line.
Don’t forget to check the Gift With Purchase options if you’re shopping online. On multiple occasions I shopped in store I was told they didn’t have them available.
Did you check out the Bobbi Brown sets? What did you think? If you passed what are your favorite Bobbi Brown items? I used to be the biggest die hard fan of her line!
MAC always has some of the best beauty sets for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. With how much has sold out this year I’m thrilled that most of the MAC sets are still in stock online. I did stop by my local Nordstrom yesterday and a lot of the sets were sold out in store. I’d recommend checking online if you’re interested in any of the Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives. You can always use their Buy Online Pick Up In Store feature too. I use it to search for each item (on beauty, clothes and accessories) to see if my local store has items in stock. All you have to do is enter in a ZIP code and there are mile / distance options you can input. Saves a lot of time and trips in case they don’t have it in store! I hauled 3 of the MAC Nordstrom sets. Each one is priced at an incredible value for what you get:
MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set ($44.50) – Metallic eye and cheek palette, full size technakohl liner, full size extra dimension lash mascara in black
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ends August 5th so there are still a few more days to shop the sale before prices go up. In the past they sometimes keep the beauty sets at the sale price until they sell out. I’m working as quickly as I can to also swatch some of the Bobbi Brown sets as some of you have asked which neutral sets are the best.
MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set
The MAC Nordy Girl Metallic Set has one of the prettiest neutral-cool colors I’ve seen in a long time. It’s like it’s a different variation on the Urban Decay Naked 2 which I love but get bored of sometimes. As one who is a little meh about all the warm orange tone palettes that have flooded the market, I’m beyond thrilled about this one. There is also a MAC Nordy Girl Matte Set which I was really tempted by but I opted for the Metallic version and am 100% happy about it.
This palette has eight eyeshadows. Two are matte and the rest are gorgeous shimmers in soft silvers, muted rose shimmer, tan shimmer, grey and ash pearls. The pigment on every single color is perfect and they layer together nicely. The cheek color is a pale light pink with gold pearl. On me it’s a highlighter that gives a barely there diffused look. It highlights and brightens my skin tone without adding too much frost and I think it’s perfect. With palettes I rarely love all the colors and with this one EVERY SINGLE COLOR is perfect for me. It also comes with a full size Technakohl Liner in Graphblack (pure black) and In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascara in Black.
There are two lip sets that I picked up from the sale: Lip Trio Nude and Lip Trio Pink. Both sets have 2 full-size lipsticks and 1 full-size creamy lip glass color. I always pick up the nude set each year as they have different limited-edition exclusive colors you can’t find in their regular line. This year all the colors in these 2 sets are new.
The Lip Trio Nude has two full-size lipsticks in Pretty Natural (a perfect nude pink peach, cremesheen finish) and Love Drought (a metallic rose champagne). It also has a full-size lipglass in Body-Con (creamy nude beige). I love the colors in this set although the metallic color is very metallic. For me it’s best toned down with the lipgloss or any clear lip gloss. Texture and finish is creamy and just as good as individual full size MAC items.
The Lip Trio Pink has cooler-toned lip colors. It contains two full-size lipsticks in Petalhead (matte creamy rose) and Pink Addict (perfect metallic pink rose). It also has a full-size lipglass in Sweet as Pie (cool-toned pale rose pink). Alone the lipglass is a little too cool-toned. I prefer Cultured Lipglass or All Things Magical for a cool-pink.
I’m really happy with my haul picks. I will say if you haven’t seen or bought any of the sets yet, I’d recommend you head to your Nordstrom soon as the sale ends and so many of the sets have sold out. By comparison the Bobbi Brown Deluxe Eye and Cheek Set looks similar in tone to the MAC Nordy Girl Metallic. I’m swatching and playing with it today to let you know by tomorrow first impressions but I looked at it in store and the quality looked really good. For neutral lip comparisons, I feel the MAC ones are more trendy. The Bobbi Brown Nude Lip Color Trio has more beige colors with a more everyday vibe. Also the Laura Mercier Nude Lip Collection has great options with a more neutral-pink vibe. I’m going to try and have that one swatched by Sunday but note the Laura Mercier set has existing colors you can buy anytime if you’re trying to decide on one.
Bottom line lots to love at an affordable price. I find the colors excellent and wearable but think they would suit a wide range of ages. I think they’re nice for beginners too.
MAC launched a limited-edition collection called Plenty of Pout. It has a selection of lipsticks and one lip gloss with plumping ingredients they say are meant to “take lips to their very fullest potential.” MAC describes these has having a full bee-stung look with sheer, creamy colour. These contain a ginger root complex that has a cooling sensation to make lips look volumized upon application. At the same time they have oils to moisturize and smooth. As one with naturally full lips I usually don’t look for pluming lip products (I don’t want them bigger!). Also many tingle lip products are so strong I can’t handle the sting. Still the colors in this launch looked perfect and nothing would stop me from trying them. There are 6 shades of the Plenty of Pout Plumping Lipstick and 1 shade for the Plenty of Pout Plumping Lip Gloss.
The Plenty of Pout Plumping Lipstick that come in a similar tube style to the Huggable Lipsticks (now discontinued), Liptensity Lipsticks and Tendertalk Balms. I personally love this style of lipstick because I feel they’re less prone to breakage, especially with the Florida heat outdoors sometimes can soften the base and make my lipsticks break. These are described as sheer and creamy, but to me they seem to have medium to full coverage. Texture is indeed smooth and creamy with a very slight tingle to me. It feels minty and cool. All the colors and glossy shine are just perfect to me. Since they are so creamy I do need to blot once otherwise it looks like I have too much product on. The colors can probably be duped but the best thing about these is that for me there is no tweaking or mixing required. Colors work for me straight out of the tube and they are moisturizing. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the strongest), I’d rate the tingle at a 7. Your mileage may vary depending on how sensitive your lips are.
Kiss and Cuddle is a creamy light peachy beige
Nicer Than Nice is the perfect baby pink
Smooth Going is a soft coral pinky peach
So Swell is a muted pink brown
Ample Chic is a perfect hot pink
Crazy Lush is a vibrant hot red
Some have a slight hint of shimmer in the tube but they apply like creams on my lips, shimmer isn’t really visible once I have them on.
There is also a Plenty of Pout Plumping Lip Gloss which is a soft clear light pink. This gave my lips the same amount of pain the Buxom Full-On Lip Polishes and Glamglow Plumprageous Nudes. It comes with a sponge tip applicator which is easy to use however I could not wear this one more than 5 minutes before I HAD to remove it with a bi-phase makeup remover. Another semi-rant is that once you take the applicator out of the tube you see how little product there is! This is the same issue I had with the Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath I reviewed a few weeks ago. On the lips the MAC Plenty of Pout gloss is clear. I would not recommend – for me this was 10 out of 10 painful in terms of the sting, but if you can take the tingle and don’t mind how little product there is inside then there’s nothing wrong with going for it!
Both the lipsticks and lip gloss do plump the lips. Not in an overly done way but there is noticeable fullness with both. If you can handle a bit of tingle I think they are worth looking into – especially since the lipstick colors are perfect. If not I’d recommend you opt for the MAC Cremesheen Lipsticks for a similar creamy feel with a bit of shine or the MAC Liptensity Lipsticks if want similar coverage but with a semi matte finish.
By popular request I’m rounding up the best setting powders I’ve tried for normal/combination skin in pressed and loose formats. I did a roundup of my Favorite Setting Powders back several years ago and sometimes looking back I cannot believe how long I have been blogging! I have normal skin but live in South Florida where the humidity and heat can get very intense! The last time I did my roundup I was living in San Diego and around 1-2 shades lighter in skintone. Living in Florida you cannot escape the sunshine even with hats and good sunscreen. Since I’m deeper in skin tone I usually avoid translucent powders that are white or super pale in color because no matter how “translucent” they claim to be, a lot of times they still leave a slight white/powdery cast. There are exceptions of course and I’m always happy when I find translucent powders that have just even a slight tint.
As a beauty blogger I try and test a lot of powders on my face. My preferences change throughout seasons (sometimes it can get dry here in the winter) and as I travel. I’ve included thoughts on powders I’ve reached for frequently this past year.
Pressed Favorites in Rotation
For many years I actually used pressed powder foundations to set my makeup. So many think that layering powder foundation on top of powder will always result in a cakey heavy finish, but there are a lot of formulas that work if you apply with a brush!
Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation is in my Top 2 most repurchased powders. My match is Shade 4, the other shades up aren’t yellow enough or too dark and I’m really surprised this color has worked for me even though I’ve darkened with my Florida tan. This powder has super natural lightweight coverage. I use it as a setting powder because it has a more natural finish. It evens out the skin in a very subtle way, sets my makeup and is great for touch-ups.
Armani Neo Nude Compact Powder Foundation (reviewed here) is my favorite glowy setting powder. It smooths and illuminates skin in a beautiful way. I wore this during my Miami trip and was really surprised it didn’t look greasy even with the glow and a tiny bit of sweat. If you have super oily skin you might want to opt for a matte version though. For an all over finishing powder I can get away with three shades swatched here, I have Shade 4 shown above. This is currently exclusive to Nordstrom or Giorgio Armani Beauty. I love this texture so much I feel like I could buy a darker color as a contour/bronzer.
With both the Armani powders I would say they are definitely more powders, not really like a full coverage powder-foundation. Just wanted to note in case you were worried it would be too heavy for all over. Or if you’re looking for a fuller coverage powder I’d recommend trying different brands. I apply both with a brush.
Becca Be A Light Palette in Light-Medium has two finishing powders that work really well for my skin tone. The lighter one is more brightening but the darker one on the right is perfect to blur the skin and give a soft luminous glow. It’s not quite as glowy as the Armani but is pretty close. I like this because it has four colors for a perfect natural blush + contour look. Also available in a Medium-Deep option swatched here.
Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Perfecting Powder #2 is my next most repurchased powder. Color selection is limited but I’ve always managed to pull off #2. This is the best medium-full coverage powder I’ve tried. Skin is instantly smoothed in the most beautiful way. It’s silky, smooth and never fails me. It’s matte so it will reduce the shine and keep makeup set without getting thick.
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour in No 20 (shown) and 30 have been powders I’ve used since they launched back in 2013. I usually find No 20 is best for an all over setting powder. It has SPF 15 but doesn’t have any flash back with flash photography. It is scented which I know some people don’t like. Another downside is that there’s a huge gap between 20 and 30. I can use the deeper colors as a soft contour. The powder has natural sheer to medium coverage you can buff into the skin and not overdo. While there’s no shimmer it does have a soft brightening glowy look when I apply.
La Mer The Sheer Pressed Powder is one of the best pressed powders I’ve used. It’s very expensive and color selection is limited but it wears very well. I’ve used both Light and Medium. Up until right now I used Light (used it enough to hit pan and repurchase). I’m finally tan enough to wear Medium (shown above). It softly blurs fine lines, sets makeup, looks natural and stays put. There’s a translucent option too which I have not tried.
Pressed Powders from MAC
MAC gets it’s own category because they win hands down for best color range. I used the MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation years ago and had a horrible allergic reaction to it. Many of their foundations caused my skin to flare up so I resisted using it for a long time. I decided to give the line another try after reading reviews from others who had similar reactions. In recent years some have suspected the ingredients changed because they could start using their foundations again. I have not tried the powder foundation again (I might eventually) but I’ve had HUGE success with their pressed powders. I should make it a mission to try all their powders.
Next to Nothing Pressed Powder is the next best thing to La Mer’s Sheer Pressed Powder. Color range is pretty good but Medium and Medium Plus are neutral borderline pink and I typically need something golden/olive. Still this one works really well for a natural setting powder, looks great, doesn’t oxidize and the price point is reasonable to me. Review and more swatches here.
Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus and Medium Golden are my favorite mineral setting powders. I hit the base on Medium Plus and really like it. Coverage is heavier than a traditional powder and with mineral formulas they can sometimes feel heavy. I recommend applying with a buffing method.
Studio Waterweight Pressed Powder is one of the newer formulas. It’s very matte and with a sponge has full coverage. It sets and stays put for hours. There are two colors/portions with a warm/cool option that allows you to mix and customize your color. Coverage is smooth and really nice. It doesn’t feel heavy but upon application you can really see coverage.
Current Favorite Loose Setting Powders
From top to bottom:
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder is a classic and her loose powders are the only ones used up entirely several times. I’ve always been more of a pressed powder person because it’s more convenient and less messy. Hers is one of the best. It’s white but truly translucent. Many years ago she also had this in tinted versions and my heart broke when it was discontinued. I love this applied with a puff or a brush. It’s a staple to set makeup without adding any color or coverage.
Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder is one of the newest launches I’ve tried (reviewed here). It has the lightest weight texture out of any powder I’ve tried. Blurs fine lines and smooths skin. Completely colorless when you apply. Suitable for all skin types.
La Mer The Powder is a loose beige powder with a very tiny bit of luminosity to it. Coverage is medium in the way it smooths the skin but on me it’s colorless once blended. I love this but think the original version was better. The new version comes in a hefty glass jar which isn’t travel friendly but very sturdy. It’s infused with their Miracle Broth but I didn’t see any changes in skin hydration or texture wise. I was really happy with my splurge but due to the price I don’t think I’ll repurchase.
Becca Hydra-Mist Set and Refresh Powder is a cooling powder that feels like water mist when it touches the skin. It reminds me of the Prescriptives Magic Powder without the pink iridescent sheen. The Becca option does have light reflecting particles but it’s not pink like the one from Px. It sets makeup nicely and is translucent on my skin. A little goes a long way – I also feel this is probably better suited for those with dry skin.
Marc Jacobs Coconut Fine-Line Perfecting Coconut Setting Powder is the most matte powder I’ve tried. It’s also light in color but translucent. It has five forms of coconut and cocoa butter which makes sense to me as it’s not weightless. It’s on the semi-heavy side in terms of how it feels on the skin, especially when compared to the Laura Mercier or Hourglass options. It’s not cakey or drying. It does make the skin look fully matte without adding color.
La Prairie Cellular Treatment Loose Powder in Translucent 2 was one of my biggest splurges. I ordered this sight unseen based on online reviews. The color I picked is too dark for my skin unless I’m tan (like right now). The tub is HUGE and it also comes with a travel size. I really wanted to order Translucent 1 for a long time but didn’t want to splurge especially with less expensive alternatives. It’s an excellent ultra fine powder but sometimes it looks dry on my skin. If I use a hydrating foundation, spray my base with a good mist or tinted moisturizer the powder looks good. If I apply this over a matte finish foundation it ends up looking a little dry. It has coverage on me even though it’s “translucent.” Definitely not lightweight but it does a good job at keeping oil away throughout the day. I absolutely have to use a brush. Using the puff results in a very powdery looking face.
My favorite makeup brushes and puffs
My favorite tools and puffs:
Laura Mercier Velour Puff is a classic no-fuss option. I wash it in the sink with liquid soap. You can air dry it, but I sometimes put it in the dryer. It’s 3# in diameter.
Cle de Peau Puff is an equally soft and fluffy powder puff. It’s slightly smaller in size compared to the Laura Mercier option.
Laura Mercier Bronzer Brush is one of her newly redesigned brushes. So many brands have revamped their tools brushes the past couple of years. I often use bronzer brushes for setting powder because they’re bigger and fluffy. This one is super soft and picks up powders well. It picks up just the right amount of color to apply product evenly on the face.
Hourglass Veil Powder Brush – super soft and fluffy with two sides. The larger is good for all over and the smaller side is nice for setting the under eye area.
MAC 140S is one of the best large powder brushes I’ve used. It is dense so I think it’s best used for pressed powder, but it’s versatile and I think you can really use any powder brush however you like!
Chanel Precision Powder Brush is a nice option for smaller areas or for touch ups. Many of you were surprised to learn their brushes were redesigned. You can see a more detailed post about it here.
Additional ones I’ve tried worth mentioning plus some more thoughts:
I still find the ones from my previous roundup excellent, especially the NARS Light Reflecting Pressed and Loose Powders but I have explored other options since moving to Florida.
The Laura Mercier Candleglow is a pressed powder I still consider a wonderful option for a soft glowing diffused finish. In high humidity it can get a bit glowy looking for everyday. It’s an excellent option for night (for me). I find myself gravitating towards more matte options these days.
MAC’s Patrick Starrr Set Powder is among my favorites but it was limited-edition. I suspect it might be similar to one of the regular MAC Set Powders but I haven’t checked in person to confirm.
I have also tried the Kat Von D Lockit and Cover FX Loose Powders, both are good, but I prefer the other options. For those with deep skin tones and feel that ALL white/translucent powders leave a cast, checkout Cover FX’s Perfect Setting Powder because they have a deep translucent option!
By Terry has a loose powder called the Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder that is highly rated, it’s translucent but the color is white. It does disappear on my skin but I feel leaves a very slight white cast and I think it is better suited for dry skin. Mine is normal. It also feels a little too powdery on my skin. I also might be the only person on the planet that didn’t love this.
Many years ago mineral powders were all the rage. They might still be today but I haven’t kept track of them. With the exception of the ones from MAC, most other mineral powders tend to be too heavy for what I’m looking for. They end up darkening and looking cakey on my skin type.
I still find the La Mer Powder Brush and Wayne Goss Brushes to be excellent for powders. I still use them on a regular basis but the ones above are what I’ve been reaching for lately.
Depending on humidity levels sometimes there’s nothing that will 100% last all day. If there’s humidity and you have sweat, you’re going to have to touch up at some point. But that doesn’t mean your entire face will slide off. Finding a good setting powder to make your base last is a plus, but what you wear underneath (moisturizer and foundation) is also going to impact how long your makeup will last throughout the day.
This Sephora video on the Difference Between Setting and Finishing Powder was interesting to watch. I personally feel like using 1 powder to set and finish works for me, but it was interesting to see their artist’s take on the difference and how to use them. I do sometimes layer powders like the Hourglass or Becca Be a Light on top of my set base.
My top three picks would be pressed options as I find them easier to use for touch up and for travel. Right now I would narrow down my picks to the Charlotte Tilbury, Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation and a two-way tie between La Mer and MAC Next to Nothing. Favorite loose powders are Laura Mercier and Hourglass right now. I also still love the MAC Patrick Starrr Patrick’s Powder but it was limited-edition. If you’re in the market for a good powder I hope this guide helps you pick a few to try! What are your favorite setting powders?
Press samples include the MAC Next to Nothing, Laura Mercier brushes, Hourglass Veil Powder + Brush, Chanel Precision Powder Brush and Becca Be A Light Palette.
