Frequently Asked Questions
What is setting powder, and what does it do?
Setting powders are used on top of base makeup like concealer, foundation, or blush to ensure it won’t budge, crease, or develop an oily sheen throughout the day. “Setting your makeup is one of the most important steps of your routine,” New York City-based makeup artist Delina Medhin tells Allure. “When you set the makeup, it has longevity because who wants to carry a touch-up kit everywhere?”
However, oil absorption and longevity aren’t the only things setting powders are good for, according to New York City-based makeup artist Tommy Napoli. “Setting powder is not only used to lock in your makeup but to ‘finish’ the look of makeup—to create a smoother, more poreless, and texture-less surface,” he explains.
Setting powder vs. setting spray: What’s the difference?
Both setting powder and setting spray extend the longevity of your finished look, but setting powders and setting sprays function differently. While the former minimizes the look of pores and excess oil, the latter acts more like a film on your skin. Setting sprays are the equivalent of cling wrap for your makeup and usually contain a blend of water, alcohol, and a film-former to create a barrier and seal your cosmetics in place.
Our favorite setting sprays:
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Makeup Setting Spray
MAC
Prep + Prime Fix+ Face Primer & Makeup Setting Spray
Benefit Cosmetics
The Porefessional Super Setter Makeup Spray
Hourglass
Veil Soft Focus Setting Spray
How to apply a setting powder
Even if you prefer dewy looks (courtesy of BB creams or skin tints), setting powder applied strategically— on the T-zone, for example—can absorb excess oil and keep products in place longer, according to Medhin. The makeup artists we spoke to agree that, whether you have oily skin or dry skin, the less-is-more approach works best with powders. “This gives you more control of the product,” Medhin says. “Place your brush in the powder, then tap it off until it looks like nothing is left, then keep applying until you get to your desired matte look.” Napoli adds face powder to the forehead, nose, chin, and sides of the mouth to “help to mitigate any excess shine or oil breakthrough that can lead to a porous look.”
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best setting powders, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from makeup artists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
