We Tested Setting Powders in Our Lab and the Real World, and These Performed the Best

After trying over 30 highly rated, best-selling formulas first-hand, Beauty Bakerie’s Face Flour won our hearts. This finely milled loose powder earned perfect scores for absorbency and look. It instantly soaks up grease, corrects for shine, and leaves you with a stunning finish that blurs textures and enhances your complexion.

Touting six different shades, these adjustable powders can blend into several skin tones due to their light pigment (or you can opt for the universal shade, a translucent powder named “Oat”). We dusted our skin with the powder and watched as it absorbed any pre-existing oil on our skin quickly, blended effortlessly, and offered a brilliantly mattified effect.

As the name suggests, this product can also be used for baking. (The makeup technique involves allowing loose powder to sit on top of creams and liquids for about 10 minutes, then dusting off the excess for a crease-free, long-wear finish.)

Though it offers a little more coverage than others, we didn’t feel like it was heavy at all, but instead comfortably light on our skin. Since this is a loose powder, applying it can be a little messy, but the lockable jar prevents it from spilling out.

Shades: 6 | Finish: Matte | Coverage: Sheer to medium | Size: 0.5 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Wear

  5/5

Beauty Bakerie may have stolen the show when it came to loose powders, but the Triple Fix Setting Powder from LYS Beauty dominated in the pressed powder category. We appreciated the easy-to-use compact (which we can’t often say about loose powders) and the product’s longevity, seeing us through a full workday — in the heat, no less — with perfectly-preserved makeup. Plus, we liked the fact that this formula was packed with skin-loving ingredients such as niacinamide and green tea to provide antioxidant benefits while still minimizing the appearance of pores.

Another perk of this powder was the variety of shades — six, ranging from translucent to deep — to provide a better match for more skin tones over making just one translucent shade. Our tester particularly liked this product because it sheered out to seamlessly match her skin, which was previously a “struggle” for her, as her skin tone “typically falls in-between shades.” After the match was made, we found this powder to be blurring, and oil-controlling, but still natural in finish. Dare we say this one was even… moisturizing? You’ll have to try it for yourself to see what we mean.

Shades: 6 | Finish: Matte | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 0.23 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Wear

  3.5/5

L’Oréal Pro Sweep & Lock is a great budget pick. This loose setting powder clocked perfect scores for oil absorbency and finish. The universal translucent shade blended beautifully and didn’t make our testers’ medium-dark skin appear chalky whatsoever. In the end, we thought that our skin still maintained its usual coloring and dimension, though our overall texture looked better than ever before.

This setting powder offered a soft mattifying effect without drying out our skin or looking cake-y. It helped our makeup stay in place too, though we did need a slight touch-up after spending a few hours in the sun (but honestly, no makeup products are a match for beating rays).

The only other downside was that the sticker on the packaging was hard to pull off the first time we opened the container. But other than that, this product was a hit.

Shades: Universal translucent | Finish: Soft matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 0.28 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

You’re in a pinch and need to stop by your closest drugstore to pick up a powder that you know works — our suggestion? The Photo Focus Loose Setting Powder from Wet n Wild. You may have shopped this brand back in the day, but we were pretty impressed with the setting powder from the brand’s current offerings.

Aside from its arguably unbeatable price, this powder was a knockout when it came to oil absorption and control. It looked natural on our skin without feeling chalky and mattified our overly shiny spots without coming off as dry. 

We liked that its translucent shade could work on a variety of skin tones, but we’d like to see a deeper option available for those with richer skin tones. While this is an improvement we’d like to see from the brand, we were still quite impressed with the overall performance of this powder at such an accessible price point.

Shades: 1 | Finish: Matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 0.7 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Wear

  4.5/5

If you’re open to splurging on a high-end product, look no further than Chanel. The brand’s Poudre Universelle Libre (which translates to universal setting powder) earned perfect scores for absorbency, look, and feel.

We instantly noticed how quickly the oil was absorbed when we applied this loose powder, leaving us with a shine-free T-zone. Much appreciated was the included puff applicator, as it’s ideal for pressing the powder into the skin exactly where you want it.

It blended effortlessly into our complexions, and the semi-matte finish didn’t look heavy or cakey. Save for some slight flaking in our under-eye areas, our makeup was still very much intact after a long day — no touch-ups needed.

Shades: 8 | Finish: Natural to semi-matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 1 ounce

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  4.5/5

• Overall Look

  4/5

• Wear

  5/5

With a special occasion coming up, you’ll want to make sure your makeup not only looks good but also photographs well. We’re big fans of Laura Mercier’s Loose Setting Powder, which delivers a soft-focus effect and promises not to flash back in photos (and we took pictures to prove it).

When we tried the “honey” shade, we were left with a warm, golden hue that created a subtle sun-kissed glow on fair skin tones. It was so beautiful that we figured we could wear it alone for a no-makeup makeup look, and people with deeper skin tones can even use it to highlight the high points of their faces (think under eyes, forehead, and chin).

Though swirling the loose powder around with a brush was slightly messy, the finely milled formula went on smoothly. It offered a mattifying effect and absorbed excess oil. Not only that, but it helped control shine throughout the day, even in humid weather.

Shades: 3 | Finish: Natural/matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 1 ounce

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  4/5

• Wear

  4/5

As the name suggests, One/Size Ultimate Blurring Powder visibly blurs pores and other textures. The soft-focus formula earned perfect scores for absorbency and finished look in our lab tests. We tried the universal translucent shade, which did an excellent job tackling excess oil and provided an instant mattifying effect.

Despite its powder formula, the texture isn’t gritty at all but rather light and smooth. After applying it over a dewy-finish foundation, this setting powder made our faces less shiny. While most of us need to retouch our makeup around midday, we were pleasantly surprised that it lasted until the afternoon. Still, oilier skin types might need to dust another layer onto their T-zones sooner rather than later.

Shades: 2 | Finish: Soft matte | Coverage: Buildable | Size: 1.2 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

Fenty strikes once again with its pristine formulations — in this case, a buildable, lightweight setting powder that makes any makeup look red carpet-ready. We appreciated the fact that this powder had an assortment of eight colors, ranging from “lavender” (a fair shade with cool undertones) to “coffee” (meant for deep skin with warm undertones). The variety of shades makes it possible to go lighter in case you want to conceal your under eyes with powder or deeper to bronze if you so choose. 

Our only complaint is the packaging — it’s sprinkle-out compact was just a bit too messy for us at times and feels difficult to travel with or throw in your bag for midday touch-ups. While loose powder makes clean application a bit difficult, this formula did sit beautifully on our skin and felt weightless every time we dusted it on. If you’re looking for a color match, this is the one to choose.

Shades: 8 | Finish: Matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 0.98 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  3.5/5

Reapplying sunscreen throughout the day is easier said than done, especially when you’re wearing a full face of makeup. Supergoop! has one solution in the form of SPF-infused setting powder. This mineral formula contains zinc oxide to instantly block the sun’s damaging rays while keeping shine under control.

We were pleasantly surprised by how absorbent this powder is and found out that a little goes a long way. Our skin was visibly less oily with a (mostly undetectable) natural-looking matte finish.

While the built-in brush is convenient in theory, we didn’t find the feature very user-friendly. Plus, you’re supposed to coat the brush, and then tap off the excess powder, which results in a fair amount of wasted product. Although it doesn’t do a great job of blurring pores and other textures, we still think this product is worth buying for on-the-go touch-ups on sunny days.

Shades: 4 | Finish: Matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 0.15 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  4.5/5

• Overall Look

  4.5/5

• Wear

  3.5/5

Charlotte Tilbury makes several of our go-to products, and we’re adding the Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder to that list. This ultrafine powder is comparable to the LYS Beauty formula — a weightless, compacted powder that dusts over the skin like a mattifying cloud, masking any and all oiliness.

But what really sticks out about this product is its ability to seemingly zap our pores, minimizing their appearance along with blemishes, fine lines, and more with one sweep of a fluffy brush. To make things even better, our full-coverage foundation and concealer looked even more beautifully contoured once this powder was applied. 

Unfortunately, it was no match for the heat, as our own sweat from particularly humid days of testing seemed to overtake this mattifying powder. But in the right conditions (and with opportunities to touch up on hot days), this compact from Charlotte Tilbury is a game changer. You’ll be searching for your pores after you use this one.

Shades: 4 | Finish: Natural | Coverage: Medium/buildable | Size: 0.28 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  4/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Wear

  3/5

If you’re looking for a powder that won’t settle into wrinkles or accentuate fine lines, then the Saie Airset Powder is one of the best options out there. This formula is packed with skin-loving squalane, which locks in moisture and plumps your skin while delivering an airbrushed look courtesy of its “aerated-cream” technology.

It controlled the shine of our complexions when applied on top of our dewy foundation and left us with an ultra-smooth finish — no caking or pilling at all. The formula even has a little bit of mica in it, which provides our skin with a lit-from-within glow instead of an oily shine.

However, since this is a more hydrating product than many of the other setting powders we tried, our skin tended to get shiny a little faster. It kept our complexions looking fairly matte until about the five-hour mark when we needed to go back in for an extra application. But when it comes to mature skin, we’ll take this hydrating powder that requires a little more touchup over a dry, chalky formula any day. 

Shades: 3 | Finish: Radiant | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 0.14 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Wear

  5/5

If your skin is especially oily or you simply favor a more matte complexion, then the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder is the one for you. While feeling light as air on our skin, this powder definitely puts in the work to minimize naturally-produced shine without the dry, cake-y look of a typical matte powder.

Our testers never noticed any caking or creasing underneath their eyes, nor any powder separating and settling into the lines of our faces. And what was truly impressive was its longevity — this powder kept our tester’s makeup looking fresh all through the work day, with only a bit of shine beginning to peek through in the mid-afternoon because it was a particularly humid day. (For reference, they had applied it at six in the morning.)

It was a little too easy to accidentally dump too much powder out, which made us worry about wasting some of this precious product. But if you’re careful, you’ll be sure to get a lot of use out of this jar. Though this is arguably on the pricey side, we think that it’s worth the splurge for a dependable, oil-absorbing powder that will keep your makeup looking fresh all day long.

Shades: 3 | Finish: Matte | Coverage: Sheer | Size: 0.36 ounces

Our Ratings

• Absorbency

  5/5

• Overall Look

  5/5

• Wear

  5/5

The “Always an Optimist” setting powder from Rare Beauty stayed true to the brand’s message of letting your inner light shine through — without excess oil, of course. We liked the compatibility of this PEOPLE Beauty Awards-winning product with a variety of skin types and textures and how weightless it felt, despite the fact that we did experience a bit of a cake-y application at first (but after a bit of buffing with a fluffy brush, the excess powder was removed). It worked beautifully with all of our skin types, from oily to combination, controlling our shine but allowing a softly focused glow. 

We noticed that this powder wasn’t necessarily as fine as some of the others, but this didn’t seem to hinder its performance. The final result after both swiping it on with a brush and baking it under our eyes was seamless and blurred, refining our pores and making our skin look filtered in real life. If you’re a Rare Beauty fan, this one is a must.

Shades: 5 | Finish: Radiant/natural | Coverage: Light | Size: 0.33 ounces