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As someone who suffers from both eczema and extremely dehydrated skin, getting my makeup to last all day without flaking or looking patchy has felt impossible up until very recently, when I started to add a setting powder into my full makeup routine. Whether you prefer a “no-makeup” makeup look or a full face of glam, a setting powder is the key to locking in your liquid foundation and base products and allowing them to last all day.
However, if you have dry skin as I do, you’ll know all too well that choosing the wrong setting powder can feel like a disaster. In fact, if you pick the wrong one, it can have the opposite effect on your makeup that a setting powder is meant to have.
And with so many powders on the market targeted solely to those with oily skin, how are we supposed to know what will actually work for us? Well, to make things easier for those of us with dehydrated skin, I decided to reach out to Jordana Ticia, makeup artist and the founder of Jordana Ticia Cosmetics, to answer my burning questions about how to find the best setting powder for dry skin. Keep scrolling to see what she had to say.
What Does a Setting Powder Do?
(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)
Ticia says, “A setting powder is designed to lock your liquid base products, like foundation and concealer, into place, helping to extend wear throughout the day. It works by absorbing excess oils, reducing unwanted shine and smoothing the appearance of the skin.”
“For me, it’s never just about making makeup last longer. Whilst that’s a great benefit, there’s no point in long-lasting makeup if it doesn’t actually look good; if anything, it just makes you want to take it off even quicker. It’s really about how the skin looks up close and how it feels throughout the day. The best powders should blur texture and soften fine lines, without ever looking heavy or sitting on the skin. I think the idea that powder automatically looks dry or cake-y comes from outdated formulas, not what’s possible now.”
Should People With Dry Skin Use a Setting Powder?
“Absolutely! I actually think a lot of people with dry skin avoid powder unnecessarily because of that fear of it looking dry. When the formula is right, it shouldn’t emphasise texture at all; it should simply enhance the overall finish and help everything stay in place more seamlessly. Where people go wrong is using powders that are too heavy or overly mattifying. I’ve always believed powder should be something you can control and build lightly, rather than something that masks the skin. Using a finely milled formula and applying it only where needed makes a huge difference in keeping the skin looking flawless”, says Ticia.
What Ingredients Are Best?
“When I think about powders for dry skin, I focus less on ‘matte vs glow’ and more on how the formula interacts with the skin. Hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane can definitely help support moisture levels, but equally as important is the texture of the powder. Ultra-fine particles and soft-focus pigments are what really elevate a formula as they allow the powder to melt into the skin rather than sit on top of it.”
“I’d also avoid formulas that rely heavily on drying ingredients, particularly high levels of alcohol, as these are what tend to create that tight or uncomfortable finish people often associate with powder,” reveals Ticia
With that information in mind, I went on the hunt to find the best setting for dry skin to leave that will help my makeup last all day without causing flakiness or pilling. Keep scrolling if you, too, are interested in finding out which setting powders get the stamp of approval from experts and editors alike.
The Best Setting Powders for Dry Skin
1. Best Overall Setting Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, £39
2. Best Loose Setting Powder: Makeup By Mario Surrealskin Soft Blur Setting Powder, £38
3. Best Pressed Setting Powder: VIEVE Modern Powder Perfector, £33
5. Best Shade Range: Jordana Ticia Set & Brighten Powder Duo, £30
6. Best for Mature Skin: By Terry Hyaluronic Pressed Hydra-Powder Setting Powder, £42
6. Best Luxury Setting Powder: Hourglass Veil™ Translucent Setting Powder, £50
7. Best Affordable Setting Powder: e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Setting Powder, £9
1. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Ticia says, “Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder is a cult classic for a reason. This is one of those powders that has stood the test of time because of how finely milled it is. It’s very lightweight on the skin, so it sets without building up or feeling heavy, which is key when you’re working with drier skin.”
2. Makeup By Mario Surrealskin Soft Blur Setting Powder
Loose powders can feel intimidating at first, so it’s important to find a formula that will help set your face without building up or feeling too heavy. Makeup By Mario’s Surrealskin Soft Blur setting powder is a finely-milled formula created to brighten and smooth out the skin without looking cake-y, meaning it’s a great loose setting powder for beginners to use.
3. VIEVE Modern Powder Perfector
If you’re still unsure about trying out a loose powder on your dry skin, a pressed powder is an easy-to-use alternative. Vieve’s Modern Powder Perfector allows for easier, controlled application without over-powdering the face. I also love that the compact comes with a mirror, which makes it ideal to take on the go for top-ups.
4. Jordana Ticia Set & Brighten Powder Duo
Jordana Ticia
Set & Brighten Powder Duo
Key Ingredients: Argan oil, grape seed oil, vitamin E
Finish: Airbrushed
No. of Shades: 9
Talc-free?: No
Ticia says, “Jordana Ticia’s Set & Brighten Powder Duo offers a more flexible approach to setting the skin, combining a lightweight loose powder with a pressed brightening powder. I wanted to create something that gave more control when setting the skin. Having both a loose and pressed powder in one compact means you can be more targeted with application, rather than applying one formula all over. Both are designed to be lightweight and finely milled, so they blur and set without clinging to dryness or feeling heavy. Not to mention we have an extensive shade range that will suit a wide range of skin tones and undertones.”
5. By Terry Hyaluronic Pressed Hydra-Powder Setting Powder
BY TERRY
Hyaluronic Pressed Hydra-Powder Setting Powder
Key Ingredients: 8 types of hyaluronic acid, mica pearls
Finish: Matte
No. of Shades: 1
Talc-free?: No
I don’t have mature skin, but I often find myself turning to mature skin recommendations due to the crossover of ingredients and formulas that help to combat dryness. By Terry’s Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder is created to blur imperfections and control shine, but also comes packed with eight different types of hyaluronic acid to boost the skin’s hydration.
6. Hourglass Veil™ Translucent Setting Powder
Hourglass
Veil™ Translucent Setting Powder
Key Ingredients: Diamond powder, mica pearls, synthetic sapphire
Finish: Airbrushed
No. of Shades: 3
Talc-free?: Yes
Ticia says, “I’ve always loved powders that don’t completely flatten the skin, especially for mature skin, and Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder is a great option if you prefer a softer, more luminous finish. It gives a really soft focus, slightly luminous finish, so it sets the makeup without taking away that natural dimension. In true Hourglass fashion, it remains on the pricier side, but I’d say it’s well worth the extra splurge.”
7. e.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Setting Powder
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Halo Glow Setting Powder
Key Ingredients: Synthetic sapphire powder, tapioca starch, mica pearls
Finish: Soft-focus glow
No. of Shades: 4
Talc-free?: Yes
I’m a firm believer that you don’t always have to splurge to get a high-quality makeup product. And after constantly seeing e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Halo Glow Setting Powder on my Instagram feed, I finally decided to give it a try a few months back. And trust me when I tell you that it lived up to the hype. It sets my makeup beautifully without looking dry and keeps it looking fresh all day. And under £10, you can’t go wrong.
