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The Difference Between Dragging Through Your Day And Feeling Great On Your Feet? These Arch Support Insoles
I love a dewy glow. I love everything about the glass skin trend!
But as a skincare-over-makeup girl, I learned the hard way that there’s actually a very fine line between the kind of fresh and glowy you see on your TikTok FYP and looking overly shiny by lunchtime. A lot of that can actually come down to setting powder.
If you’ve managed to skip this step in your makeup routine for years (no judgment, because, same), consider this your crash course. Setting powders are basically lightweight powders designed to lock your makeup in place, reduce excess shine, and help everything last longer (especially in heat and humidity). They’re typically available in either loose or pressed formulas. Loose powders are great for absorbing oil and creating a soft-focus, blurred finish, while pressed powders tend to be a little more convenient for touch-ups throughout the day.
The key, though, is finding one that keeps your makeup looking fresh without making your skin look cakey or overly matte. Contrary to popular belief, you can still have glowy, healthy-looking skin while using setting powder.
So, in honor of sweaty subway rides and humid summer weather, we’ve rounded up some of the best heat-proof setting powders worth adding to your beauty routine ASAP.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($25 – $43)
I’ve been using Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder off and on since high school, and very few beauty products survive that long in my routine!
I love this tried-and-true staple because it sets makeup without making your skin look flat or cakey. It gives your complexion a blurred effect that smooths everything out while still letting your skin look like skin—which is exactly what I want during hot, sweaty summer weather.
MAC Cosmetics Blotting Pressed Powder ($26.60)
I was in the airport for more than 16 hours yesterday, and my makeup was in distress by the end of it. If I’d had this MAC pressed powder in my carry-on, though, it probably would’ve been a different story.
This is such a good option for quick touch-ups because it controls shine without adding a ton of heavy coverage or texture on top of your makeup. Just pop it in your bag, tap it onto oily areas throughout the day, and suddenly you look a whole lot more refreshed and less like you’ve been sprinting through Terminal B.
Givenchy Mini Prisme Libre Illuminating & Color-Correcting Loose Powder ($34)
Sometimes, you want your setting powder to do a little more than just mattify. Enter this Givenchy formula, which has a prismatic color-correcting effect that truly stands out. There are four different shades working together to blur, brighten, and add radiance instead of just flattening your skin out.
Plus, it still does a great job of controlling shine while keeping your skin looking fresh and luminous. In fact, 100% of users in a brand study said their complexion looked instantly more radiant, which tracks. This is THE setting powder for people who want their makeup to survive the heat without sacrificing their glow.
bareMinerals® Original Loose Talc-Free Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15 ($39.50)
Like Laura Mercier, bareMinerals is another longtime favorite of mine. This loose mineral powder foundation is talc-free, lightweight, and somehow manages to even out your skin while still feeling breathable and comfortable to wear.
It’s perfect to wear on your no-makeup makeup days, and it even has a little SPF 15 built in (which feels like a nice bonus for everyday wear). You’ll barely feel it on your skin at all—in the best way.
Supergoop!® (Re)setting 100% Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 35 ($35)
Supergoop!’s Unseen Sunscreen has been a staple in my routine for years, so I jumped when I saw the brand also makes a mineral powder foundation with SPF 35. As a redhead, I’m basically always thinking about sunscreen, and this powder feels like an easy way to add a little extra SPF throughout the day without messing up my makeup.
The powder itself is lightweight and soft-focus, so it helps blur shine and imperfections without looking heavy or drying on the skin. I also love the built-in brush applicator, which makes midday touch-ups feel way more convenient.
Clinique Blended Face Loose Setting Powder ($37)
Clinique products always make me a little nostalgic because they remind me of beauty counters and the makeup products everyone swore by growing up. But this loose setting powder has stuck around for a reason: it’s lightweight, silky, and gives your complexion a smooth, fresh finish without looking overly matte.
It also helps blur the look of pores while still keeping a little radiance intact.
The right setting powder really can make the difference between makeup that melts off by noon and makeup that still looks fresh hours later. Whether you prefer a soft matte finish, extra radiance, or built-in SPF, these formulas prove you don’t have to sacrifice the glow to survive summer heat.
