What Color Setting Powder Should I Get? Explained!

Many of us spend about 20-30 minutes putting on our makeup. And the last thing you need is to have it start sliding off before lunchtime comes around.

This is why setting powders (and sprays) have gained popularity in the beauty stakes.

Setting powders were made to seal your foundation and prevent smudging and sliding. They prevent your makeup from smearing all over your face if you sweat during a workout or dancing.

So now you may be asking what color setting powder should I get?

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What Color Setting Powder Should I Get?

Choosing the right color setting powder comes down to the type of effect you’re after, and of course on your natural skin tone.

Setting powder contains bonding agents that combine with your foundation to cover imperfections.  It also provides a matte effect. This eliminates shine to give your face a flawless airbrushed finish.

Setting powders come in two varieties — translucent and tinted.

Translucent setting powders are generally used to brighten areas of your face. While tinted setting powders help you to even out your skin tone.

You probably want to have both types in your makeup bag.

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Translucent Solution

Translucent setting powders look white, not clear. But when they are applied, they look sheer and don’t change the color of your face.

They are mainly used to not only brighten your look but also reduce any shine and absorb excess facial oils. Translucent setting powder can also be used on all skin tones.

They are meant to be applied under the eyes, on the center of the chin, and around the nose to brighten the face. Just like how you would do with a concealer.

What you don’t want to do is use them all over your face. As this can cause the dreaded flashback effect, which we’ll discuss later in this article.

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Tint Fix

The tinted setting powder should match your skin tone as closely as possible.

They are made to be used around your cheeks to sculpt and blend your face. It helps reduce redness and gives you more coverage.

Using a tinted setting powder that’s too light will defeat the brightening effect. You may have to blend two shades to get the perfect match for your skin.

Every shade of tinted setting powder provides different qualities. Translucent setting powder brightens. While tinted shades will neutralize discoloration, and even out your skin tone.

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Best Setting Powders for Fair Skin

1.  Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder 

This setting powder is a light-diffusing invisible powder. This will give you a flawless finish.

It is suitable for all skin tones but works well for fair skin. It’s a loose, talc-free formulation made with micro-refined silica. It also provides a soft and silky feel. Giving your skin a natural and shine-free look, making it also work well for those with dry skin.

2.  Mineral Fusion Setting Powder 

Mineral Fusion’s setting powder is made of a triple-milled mineral blend. It contains aloe vera, licorice root, and cucumber to soothe your skin.

It also includes kaolin clay to absorb excess oils. As well as natural antioxidants like pomegranate, sea kelp, and red tea. This provides natural UV protection.

This setting powder isn’t tested on animals. It is gluten free. There are no parabens, talc, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfate, and phthalates.

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Best Setting Powders for Skin with Golden Overtones

1.  Dermablend Loose Illuminating Banana Setting Powder 

This setting powder from Dermablend provides a unique and luminous finish. It gives a flattering brightness skin with golden or yellow overtones.

It will flatter the completion without leaving a noticeable white powdery finish.

It is great for oily and dry skins. The banana powder shade will brighten your complexion. It also blends imperfections while leaving a luminous finish.

2.  Hourglass Veil Invisible Setting Powder in Yellow 

This is  fine-milled, weightless setting powder. It will give your skin a magic veil of flawlessness. It  blurs any imperfections. And, minimizes the appearance of larger pores, fine lines, and wrinkles.

It  works great for dryer and more mature skins with golden overtones.

Its vegan-friendly formula doesn’t contain harmful ingredients. No parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, fragrances, or nanoparticles. It is also infused with diamond powder for the ultimate in light refraction without flashback.

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Best Setting Powders for Dark Skin

1.  Milani Make It Last Setting Powder in Translucent Medium to Deep 

This cruelty-free, ultra-fine translucent loose powder has an oil-absorbing formula. It won’t strip away moisture. It provides you with sheer coverage to reduce shine that will last until night.

It’s great for setting a liquid foundation and can stay on well even in humidity. The translucent medium to deep shade will give darker skin a natural matte skin finish.

2.  Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Setting Powder 

Rihanna’s viral Fenty Beauty range is popular for a reason. That’s because they cater to all skin tones, especially darker shades.

Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder comes in three darker shades. It has hazelnut, nutmeg, and coffee shades. But, there are eight other tones in their entire range. All works to blur imperfections for a photo-ready finish.

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Beware The Flashback

Using setting powder to create a flawless complexion can look great in the mirror. But as soon as you take a selfie, sometimes it will give you a Jersey Shore-style ghost face, known as flashback.

This is because the lights from your phone’s camera can result in your face casting a white or grayish glow.

The ghosting effect happens because many setting powders include SPF ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, and silica.

Flashback is even worse with the more matte formulas that include talc.

So if it’s all about the selfies for you, then you’ll want a setting powder that doesn’t contain these ingredients, particularly at night!