How to Set Makeup With Powder So It Doesn't Go Shiny (Loose Powder Setting Powder Guide)

If your face goes shiny by midday or your concealer creases into lines by 11 a.m., powder is probably the missing step, or the step you're doing with too heavy a hand. Done right, it's barely visible. Done wrong, it's the reason makeup looks cakey.

What setting powder actually does

A makeup setting powder is a fine, sheer powder that goes over liquid or cream makeup. It soaks up a bit of oil and takes away the slip, so foundation and concealer stay where you put them instead of moving into creases and pores. L'Oréal Paris puts it plainly: "Setting powder is translucent or sheer."

It doesn't add much coverage, and it shouldn't. If you want coverage from powder, that's a powder foundation, which is a different product.

Translucent powder and setting powder: are they the same?

Mostly, yes. Translucent powder is a setting powder with no added color, so it works on most skin tones. Some setting powders are tinted, to brighten under the eyes or match your foundation. On deeper skin, check that a "translucent" powder really goes on clear; some leave a white cast in flash photos.

Loose powder vs pressed powder

Loose powder is finer and lighter. It's the better choice for setting makeup right after you apply it. Pressed powder comes in a compact and travels well, so it's the better choice for touch-ups during the day. Most people who get shiny end up owning both.

How to set makeup with loose powder: 6 steps

1. Let your base settle for a minute

Powder pressed into wet foundation goes patchy. Give foundation and concealer a minute or two after blending. If you used a primer underneath, the base will already feel a little tackier.

2. Load the puff, then tap off most of it

Shake a little powder into the lid of the jar. Press a velour puff into it, fold the puff in half, and rub the two sides together so the powder works into the fabric. Then tap the puff on the back of your hand. Most cakey results come from skipping this. L'Oréal says, "Starting with a little keeps things controlled, and you can always add more."

3. Press it where you get shiny

Press and roll the puff onto your forehead, the sides of your nose, your chin and around your mouth. Charlotte Tilbury says pressing loose powder "into the oiliest parts of your face like the T-zone and around the mouth absorbs excess oil." Don't drag the puff. L'Oréal says "pressing rather than sweeping keeps the coverage even and blurred."

4. Set under your eyes with a small amount

Use the corner of the folded puff or a small fluffy brush and press a little powder just under the lashes, where concealer creases first. Look up while you do it, so the skin is smooth. More on this below.

5. Leave your cheeks almost bare

If your cheeks don't get oily, they need very little. Whatever's left on the puff is enough. Skin looks more like skin with a bit of glow left on the high points. Cream contour or bronzer goes on before powder, and powder bronzer after it; our bronzer vs contour guide covers the order.

6. Dust off the excess

Wait a minute, then sweep a big, clean, fluffy brush over your face to take away anything sitting on top. Finish with a mist of setting spray if you want the powdery look to melt back into the skin. It takes the dry edge off.

Under eye setting powder: how to stop creasing

Concealer creases because the skin under your eyes folds every time you smile or blink. The fix is a thin layer of concealer and a very light press of powder, right away, before it has time to sink into the lines.

Baking is the heavy version: you press on a thick layer of powder, let it sit, then dust it off. Charlotte Tilbury says to dust the powder away "after a few minutes." It works well for long nights and photos, especially on oily skin. On dry or mature under-eyes, we'd skip baking and use the smallest amount of a finely milled powder, only where creasing actually happens. Our concealer guide covers the concealer side.

Setting powder for dry skin

Yes, dry skin can wear powder. A few things help:

• Moisturize well first, and let it sink in before makeup.
• Choose a light setting powder with a soft or glowy finish rather than a flat matte one.
• Use a fluffy brush instead of a puff. A brush lays down less product.
• Powder only the T-zone and under the eyes, if those are the only places that move.
• Finish with setting spray to put some moisture back on top.

If powder looks dry even then, try setting with spray alone on most days.

Mattifying powder for oily skin

Oily skin gets the most out of a loose powder. Use a puff (it presses in more than a brush does), set the whole T-zone, and keep a pressed powder or blotting papers in your bag for the afternoon. Blot first, then powder; powdering over oil again and again builds up and looks heavy by evening. If you're shiny all day no matter what, our why is my face so oily guide looks at the skin-care side.

Picks that help

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder, Translucent Extra Coverage

Best for: a budget loose powder for normal to oily skin.

• The Airspun listing describes a "microspun formula for cloudlike softness" that "helps absorb oil for a shine-free finish."
• It says the powder "doesn't crease or cake" and gives "no flashback."
• Keep in mind: this is the Extra Coverage shade, which gives more coverage than a clear powder. Check the shade picker for the one closest to your skin.

Check price on Amazon

RCMA The Original No Color Powder

Best for: oily skin and a truly colorless loose translucent powder.

• RCMA says it's "designed for all skin tones" and "blends seamlessly without altering your foundation shade."
• The listing says it has "no pigment, no perfume, no fillers," and "controls shine, sets makeup in place." Directions: apply with a puff or brush, "let set and brush off excess."
• Keep in mind: it's a 3-ounce tub, so it lasts a long time. It's also very matte, which can look dry on dry skin.

Check price on Amazon

e.l.f. Halo Glow Soft Focus Setting Powder

Best for: setting powder for dry skin, and under the eyes.

• e.l.f. calls it a "sheer, loose setting powder" with a "soft-focus glow," made to blur "the appearance of fine lines and pores."
• The listing says it "bakes, sets, and blurs," and is "fade-resistant and crease-resistant."
• Keep in mind: it has sapphire powder for a slight radiance, so it won't give a fully matte finish on very oily skin. Pick a shade (Light is the one linked).

Check price on Amazon

Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Pressed Powder, Translucent

Best for: touch-ups during the day, and face powder for oily skin.

• Maybelline says it's "ideal for normal to oily skin" with "long-lasting shine control" and a "natural, poreless-looking finish."
• It's "allergy tested, non-comedogenic," and you can "use as a setting powder or to control shine."
• Keep in mind: it comes in shades as well as Translucent. The tinted ones add a little coverage.

Check price on Amazon

FAQs

What is the best oily skin setting powder?

A finely milled loose translucent powder pressed in with a puff, plus a pressed powder for touch-ups. RCMA No Color Powder and Coty Airspun above are both made to soak up shine. Blot before you re-powder so it doesn't build up.

Is powder foundation good for oily skin?

It can be, if you want coverage and shine control in one step. But a liquid foundation set with a translucent powder usually looks more like skin. Powder foundation alone can sit on top of oil and turn patchy by the afternoon.

Do I need a brush or a puff for loose powder?

A puff for oily areas and under the eyes, where you want to press powder in. A big fluffy brush for a light veil and for dusting off the excess. If you only own one, a velour puff is the more useful. Our makeup brush set roundup includes powder brushes.

How much loose powder should I use?

Less than you think. After tapping off the puff, there should barely be any visible powder on it. You can add another layer to the T-zone later, but it's hard to take powder away once it's caked.

Can I use loose powder without foundation?

Yes. A light dusting over bare skin or just concealer takes the shine off and blurs pores a bit. Use a brush for a lighter result.

What's a light setting powder for mature skin?

Look for a finely milled powder with a soft-focus or satin finish, and use a brush rather than a puff. Keep it to the T-zone and right under the eyes. Heavier matte powder tends to settle into lines on mature skin.

Press, don't swipe, and use less than you think: that's how to set makeup with powder so it still looks fresh at 5 p.m.