Monday, September 30, 2013

The search for the perfect setting powder

I'm not really a powder person.  Even my beloved Guerlain Terra Cotta four seasons leaves me feeling a little old even though it's touted as one of the best bronzers money can buy (my shade, 01, has a pink quarter so it can double as a blush depending on how you swirl your brush). 
I'll put a picture in here just for fun, even though this is not a bronzer post.  Bottom line on this one - I agree with the reviews, best powder bronzer.  Smells nice and you get a large quantity.  You may never have to re-purchase. The compact is beautiful and luxurious with a magnet closure.  It has a pin hole in the back suggesting it can be refilled but I haven't seen any refills.  I'm sure they exist somewhere.





Anyway, back to the point.  A while ago I thought that with all the moisturizing I've been doing for my very dry skin (night-treamtent-like creams by day with a layer of tinted moisturizer on top) I needed to add a setting powder lest my makeup all slide off my face and onto my phone or hands or whatever by noon.  If I have an itch on my forehead or go to move stray hairs out of the way I litterally get little spots of collected makup on my skin.  Very embarrassing.  So I've cut down on the moisture and first went to Chanticaille's HD Perfecting Powder.  It's among the best-rated and most expensive (at $72) setting powders on the market.  Especially since it has no other function to offer.  It is not illuminating and not hydrating and doesn't boast an SPF.  It's just a transluscent powder.  At this price point I expected it to melt into my skin leaving a matte, soft-focus, blemish-and-line-concealing finish.  But when applied it looks like you're wearing a powder.  With all the attendant problems of a true pressed powder.  It sets makeup.  But it highlights red and dark spots, lines, an any uneven application of foundation because it totally eliminates any glow the foundation might have contributed.  After really trying to like this product I decided powder just was not for me.  It went back.




By necessity, my morning routine is still fairly high-moisture and being a beauty product addict, of course it was only a  matter of time before I started looking again.  Not searching for a powder, per-se, but noticing them, reading reviews, and wondering where my holy grail setting product was (since primer is one more layer of fluid makeup it really doesn't help with the makup sliding off problem).  Enter Guerlain.  Having loved their foundation and having not been able to help but notice these strange small pastel-colored balls we call "Meteorites" I became curious.




Novelties aren't really for me, so without even trying the pearls I went straight for the very expensive ($170!  omg) but refillable compact.  One reviewer described this compact as heirloom-quality.  It really is.  Very heavy but sleek, magnet closure, this one isn't getting thrown into the empties pile:




Allow me to summarize the thousands of reviews out there:  A setting powder that is not an obvious highlighter.  Rather it makes your skin glow from within.  Sold!  Having finally tried this out, I think it is exquisite for the T-zone.  It is illuminating.  And it is a setting powder.  And it would probably be fine on it's own.  But I may try a finishing powder in addition (because I'm an addict).  Either in the morning or as a touch-up product that I keep at my desk.  This is the one currently on my lust list, it's a illuminating and mattifying powder, also from Guerlain, that comes in I believe three shades.  One that's close to white, this one which is "Rose Teint," and a slightly more bronzy version.




 I had the Guerlain representative swipe some of this on me this weekend and it absorbs as well if not better into the skin than the colorful compact.  It's probably as close as a true powder can get to acting like a cream, it's that finely milled.  I will update when I get it. 

What is your setting routine? 

2 comments:

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  2. you should try the by terry hylauronic powder - amazing for dry skin! xx

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