HOW TO USE SETTING POWDER

Whether you spend hours creating a makeup masterpiece or ten minutes on key steps that make you feel like your best self, no one wants to look in the mirror at the end of the day and see a melted makeup look. That’s what setting powder is for - it’s your most reliable and vital tool for locking your makeup in place and achieving a flawless finish.

So, what is face powder? Makeup setting powder, or face powder, is a finely milled, powder form of makeup that keeps liquid makeup like foundation and concealer in place. What does setting powder do to achieve this? Much like how dry shampoo combats greasy hair by absorbing some of the oils, setting powder minimises the shiny look of liquid makeup by absorbing some of the surface-level oil.

What is the difference between loose and pressed powder?

Face powders are not all made the same. The two broad types of setting powder are loose powders and pressed powders, and each give your makeup a different finish. IT Cosmetics face powder range has been formulated for all skin types and aims to blur to skin imperfections. Oh, and they’re packed with ingredients that are great for your skin, like silk, collagen, peptides, and antioxidants - it’s skincare in makeup form! Now, let’s unpack the difference between loose and pressed face powders:

• Loose powders are perfect for adding a lighter, more luminous finish to your makeup look. We love the Bye Bye Pores Loose Setting Face Powder for its pore blurring, airbrushing effect.
• Pressed powders are good for precision makeup setting and on-the-go touch ups. The Bye Bye Pores Pressed Setting Powder reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines, and even doubles as a blotting powder.

Choosing a setting powder for your skin type

If you want to keep your makeup look in place all day (and who doesn’t?) take care to select the right setting powder for your skin type. Luckily, the IT Cosmetics powder range has been designed with all skin types in mind - so anyone can feel confident wearing them. So, which is the best face powder for your face?

• If you have an oily skin type, choose a loose powder over a pressed powder to manage excess oil.
• Do you need setting powder for dry skin? Yes, for dry skin we recommend reaching for a pressed powder as they usually have a higher oil content.
• Combination skin types can really go either way with powder - we recommend a loose powder to set your makeup and a pressed powder for touch ups.
• For mature skin a loose, translucent setting powder will work best for a lightweight, blurring effect.

Where to apply face powder

As trends change, so does where and how to apply face powder. Typically, setting powder is applied to the whole face for maximum coverage and all-day lasting power. For a more minimal makeup look, you may want to try strategic powder placement - focussing product on the areas of your face that get most oily, or where you want your makeup to last the longest. Here are our suggestions for where to apply face powder:

• If you deal with oily skin but don’t want to wear foundation, apply a blurring face powder to bare skin over your T-tone, chin, and nose.
• If you’ve only applied a small amount of liquid makeup to your face, such as concealer under your eyes or a lightweight CC cream, use a light hand to powder these areas only.
• If you’ve opted for a full face of makeup, use a dusting of face powder all over, with the option to concentrate it a little more on the areas your makeup tends to wear off quickly.

How to set makeup with powder

Now that you know why setting powder is an important step in your makeup routine and how to choose the right one for you, let’s look at how to use it correctly. To achieve a long lasting, flawless base for the rest of your makeup look and set a makeup look with face powder follow our easy 4 step guide.

Now that you've got the lowdown on setting your makeup, learn everything you need to know about makeup primer.