These 15 Face Powders Will Make Your Makeup Look Flawless (2024)

There are plenty of reasons to dust your face with a powder — they set makeup, help mattify the face and absorb oil, and keep makeup from sliding off throughout the day — no setting spray or face primer needed. Powders don't just provide a matte, one-note finish, though — many help diffuse light, provide a soft, radiant glow and give your skin a bit of extra coverage, meaning there's a perfect pick whether your skin is dry, oily, mature, or anywhere in between.

The best powder formulas go on smoothly and feel light on the skin, don't settle into fine lines, wrinkles or dry patches and don't produce the dreaded flashback (when powder clearly shows up in a picture taken with flash). They also play nicely with your favorite blush, bronzer and foundation.

While the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab has never tested setting powders specifically, the Beauty Lab has run tests on foundations that include powder formulas for factors like coverage, finish and ease of use — some powder formulas even square up well against more traditional liquid formulas! We've gathered the best formulas, vetted by the Beauty Lab, editors and avid online reviewers, from matte finishes that keep makeup in place all day to powders that give even the driest complexions an all-over glow:

In a foundation test, the Lab found that this powder foundation was hard to beat. Not only is it easy to apply and good at covering redness, it's also super buildable and customizable — you build go from sheer coverage (perfect for setting makeup) to full coverage easily. "You can't make a powder much better than this," one tester remarked. It also comes in 30 shades, so you'll likely be able to find a perfect match.

Worried about powder drying out your skin? No need to — this creamy powder formula actually has skincare ingredients in it like ceramides that help skin stay hydrated. In Lab tests,85% of testers said this powder made their skin look smooth, while 75% of testers said that it helps give them a blurring effect. It was also a favorite for smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, minimizing pores, and camouflagingimperfections.

Makeup artists and beauty editors alike swoon over Fenty's setting powder, which comes in eight different shades to suit a range of skin tones. The powder is ultra-fine and feels silky and weightless on skin. "The best for setting under the eyes, especially if you have dark circles," says one reviewer. "Whenever I use this I get so many compliments on how amazing my under eyes look! More even, bright and flawless."

For skin that looks airbrushed and radiant, look no further than this setting powder. "Of all the powders I have tried (and it has been nearly dozens now), this is the one," raves one reviewer. "This powder will make your wrinkles and pores vanish, and will make your skin look smoother and softer than it ever has before."

This setting powder has a loyal following — and for good reason."This setting powder is amazing," says one reviewer. "This powder goes on smoothly and evenly. It prevents caking under my eyes and is not drying. If you want your makeup to be flawless, look no further!"

Good Housekeeping InstituteBeauty Lab senior chemistSabina Wizemanndoesn't often use powder, but when she does, she uses this one. “It is almost impossible to overapply,” she says. “Itgives a barely-there sunny effect, plus blurs fine lines exceptionally well, unifies skin tone, and lasts all day. I like that it feels light on the skin and subdues shine without making my skin look dry or cakey.” It comes in a variety of shades, so you can use it as a bronzer-powder hybrid (as Wizemann often does) or a translucent setting powder.

If Beauty Director April Franzino reaches for a powder, this is her go-to "as an all-over finishing powder—the multi tones and subtle iridescence in it give skin an amazing otherworldly glow," she says.

Clinique's pressed powder is perfect for combination or oily skin. "It gives a very light and fresh look," one reviewer notes."It doesn’t feel heavy or cakey. It gives just that little oomph that you need to have a polished look without too much makeup. It doesn’t break out my skin (which is normally sensitive to powders) and it doesn’t make me oily."

Talc-free, mica-free, and fragrance-free, this loose powder is the perfect option for skin that leans more sensitive. You only need a small amountto mattify skin and set makeup, so it will last you for a long time. It can, however, create flashback, particularly on deeper skin tones — so use with caution.

This SPF powder is meant to be used on-the-go — think a beach day, a hike, or any day spent basking in the sun. It helps re-set makeup and absorbs oil while refreshingSPF protection (it has SPF 45!) without disrupting makeup.The brush is also detachable (read: easy to clean).

This powder is designed with all skin tones in mind. Since many powders can give flashback on camera (especially on darker skin tones) this powder melts into the skin and helps balance out skin tone. "The finish of this powder looks amazing on my face," one reviewer says. "It gives me a flawless look that enhances the skin."

This powder helps diffuse light evenly and gives skin a soft, subtle glow while locking makeup in place. "Gorgeous, soft, pore reducing, beautiful translucent setting powder," one reviewer says."By far my all-time favorite! There is no other product out there that can compare to this powder." Keep in mind: if you're looking for a matte finish, this powder is not the one for you.

If there were an innovative packaging award for powders, this one would win. A mesh sieve separates the product from the outside, making it easy to use what you need without wasting powder."This powder is gorgeous," one reviewer says. "It sets and blocks eyebrows beautifully. It bakes both lightly and heavily like a champ. It sits beautifully on the skin or it sits deeply in your skin — you choose!"

Not only does this powder have some SPF to help protect you from the sun's harmful rays, it also contains aloe to help soften skin."I wanted a setting powder that didn't make my skin look dry and flat, this completely did the trick," one reviewer says."It's very finely milled, creating a soft blurring effect without the matte finish. It doesn't dry me out or settle in lines."

Tatcha's newest launch is a super-fine milled powder that goes on smoothly and evenly. The talc-free formula has a slight pearlescent finish that makes skin appear radiant, and doesn't sink into fine lines. The best part is the sustainable packaging, which is made of mono material polypropylene, which is fully recyclable, unlike many makeup products.