After a flawless face of makeup that lasts all day? Get acquainted with the best setting powders of 2023. Whether you go for a barely-there look or all-out drama, any pick from this line-up and you’re guaranteed a smooth, MUA-worthy finish and long-lasting hold.
There’s a good face powder for every skin type too. Excess oil? No problem. Dry skin? We’ve got you sussed. Stay here for some tried-and-true formulas or head to our full edit of setting powders for even more options.
How we choose the best setting powders
Tapping up our in-house Buyers, we sought out their expert knowledge on the top face powders for an airbrush finish that lasts. As always, we consider the price tags and the reviews play a big part too, if a product is raking in all those five stars, you should know about it.
One thing’s for sure, these setting powders grant zero caking, creasing or powdery finishes and we’ve included options to suit every whim - from upping your glow to blurring fines lines and more. Get obsessed.
Easy Bake Loose Powder
Best for: Oily skin
The ultimate T-zone mattifier, this loose setting powder will absorb excess oil, blend seamlessly into makeup and grant a long-lasting immaculate finish. How? Following Huda’s step-by-step guide you apply a generous amount of powder to your under the eye, T-zone, laugh lines, outer corners of the mouth, and chin - leave this to settle for three to five minutes, then dust away the excess. The refined pigments and silky smooth texture will blend seamlessly into your makeup creating an even luminous finish.
The hype: “Well this is a game changer! Love love love. Sits in the skin perfectly. I have dry skin and it doesn’t leave me looking flakey or powdery.” - Ashley, customer review
Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder
Best for: Touch-ups
There’s a reason one of these sells every minute and it might just be down to the cashmere feel. This finishing powder sweeps across skin as soft as velvet, lending extra coverage for problem areas and touch-ups and a stay-in-place hold for your whole complexion. Packed with soft-focus nanoparticles, it works its magic without any product sitting in fine lines and the compact formula makes it an on-the-go essential for literally millions of women. This powder is their secret to a shine-free look all day.
The hype: “I’m so happy this is part of my everyday makeup. It sets your makeup perfectly and especially leaves your under eyes smooth. It really does give you that airbrush finish - truly magical, I’m so impressed!” - Noshin, customer review
Veil Translucent Setting Powder
Best for: Lightweight feel
Specifically designed to dispense just the right amount of product to apply to your face, you can avoid that talcum powder look for good. It’s actually completely talc-free and with a translucent formula, it’s ready to create a flawless finish on every skin tone. Using a tapered makeup brush, lightly dust the powder over your complexion and finish with a few swipes under the eyes. The result: Pores, fine lines and imperfections vanished, and an airbrushed finish in their wake.
The hype: “This powder gives a beautiful dewy finish. It’s very light on the face, looks fab and lasts forever. My holy grail powder” - Kasia, customer review
Bake & Set Setting Powder
Best for: Selfie moments
Morphe’s satin-soft powder keeps your makeup on lockdown with a matte finish. But don’t let the word ‘matte’ fool you - not only does it blur your pores and smooth everything out, it also illuminates your skin, thanks to teeny particles of silica in the formula. With a sheer, soft-focus effect, ‘Translucent’ works well for fair to tan skin tones, while ‘Translucent Rich’ lends a subtle tinted blur that suits rich to deep skin tones. Ideal for light to tan skin tones, ‘Banana’ is a colour-correcting, brightening powder and ‘Banana Rich’ has a hint of tint for tan to deep skin tones.
The hype: “Finely milled, no flashback, has a lovely tone that brightens up your face and sets your makeup without leaving you looking casket-ready like other powders. Good for women of colour.” - Naomi, customer review
Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder
Best for: Lit-from-within finish
Locks makeup into place with a weightless touch and undetectable finish on skin. Infused with ‘Photochromic Technology’, it cleverly diffuses light and adjusts to new sources of light throughout the day, allowing your makeup to look camera-ready wherever you go. Thanks to the addition of Glycerin and antioxidants, it protects against dryness, keeping skin looking fresh all day long while diffusing the look of fine lines and pores. You’ll be obsessed from first sweep.
The hype: “Amazing stuff! I have dry skin, so can't use matte-finish foundations - they are too drying and tend to 'cake' and look heavy on my skin. This is the answer I've been looking for. It goes over the top of my foundation to give me the finish I like, but with absolutely no trace of product.” - Lisa, customer review