Best touch up powder for oily skin

Powder foundations are ideal for mornings when you’ve snoozed the alarm one too many times and have no time to prep for your video meetings that require cameras on. They can get you from looking like you just rolled out of bed to work-ready in a minute.

The best part? They blur out pores and leave your skin looking naturally matte so you don’t look like you have light beaming from your forehead during meetings. They are also great for when you need a quick touch-up in between.

If you have oily, textured or combination skin, powder foundations are a godsend for you. But if you have dry skin and are afraid it might go on patchy, apply a thicker moisturiser (and allow it to set) before applying powder foundation, or spray a light coat of hydrating setting mist.

Use a brush to stipple, buff or sweep on the foundation to get the desired coverage. If you want more coverage, use the accompanying (or any) makeup sponge to stamp on the product.

But take note: When it comes to applying powder foundation, less is definitely more. Too much can look heavy and chalky, so start with a little and build it up.

You can also prevent cakey makeup with these four simple steps:

1. Use a hydrating primer as a base.

2. Conceal troubled areas with liquid or cream formula.

3. Buff in the powder foundation.

4. Seal everything in with a setting spray.

For a full list of powder foundations we’re currently obsessed with, keep on scrolling.

Take it from the professionals: a top-notch setting powder is a non-negotiable must-have in any makeup kit — especially in the summer when heat and humidity can ruin a makeup look before it's even done. "Setting your makeup is one of the most important steps of your makeup routine," New York City makeup artist Delina Medhin tells Allure. "When you set the makeup, it has longevity, because who wants to carry a touch-up kit everywhere?"

Even if you prefer dewy looks over matte ones, setting powder applied strategically (in the T-zone, for example) can absorb excess oil and keep products in place longer, according to Medhin. But oil absorption and longevity aren't the only things setting powders are good for, according to fellow New York City makeup artist Tommy. "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.

Both artists agree that, whether you have oily skin or dry skin, the less-is-more approach is best when it comes to 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 on the brush, then keep applying until you get to your desired matte look." Tommy adds face powder to the forehead, nose, chin, and the sides of the mouth to "help to mitigate any excess shine or oil breakthrough that can lead to a porous look."

Give these techniques a whirl with the 19 best setting powders listed below, all of which are makeup artist and beauty-editor favorites, and say goodbye to your days of makeup creasing and flashback.

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The best face powder foundation for oily skin I’ve tried so far left my skin oil-free for about 5 hours, and I am talking about something that does not need blotting at all in between. Save for the Laura Mercier translucent pressed setting powder (bear in mind this isn’t foundation though) which holds its mattifying power for 6 hours, I don’t think I’ve come across any face powders that outperformed it in terms of keeping my sebum at bay. Fast forward several years later, I think I’ve found a powder foundation that does what it says – the Diorskin Forever Extreme Control Perfect Matte Powder Makeup.

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  Diorskin Forever Extreme Control Matte Face Compact Powder Foundation
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  Before
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  After

Compact face powder foundation that stays matte for more than 10 hours

This Diorskin Forever compact face powder foundation is not at all new in the market; with its renewed version released in 2017, this matte powder foundation remains a favourite oil-free finish for fall makeup looks. The compact case is sleek with a generous sized mirror; you get 9 grams (0.31 oz) of product and quality sponge applicator. I must say the sponge is one of the best I’ve used too – it picks up as much product as it deposits with minimal waste. Leftover product can be easily washed off it as well.

In the ‘before’ photo above, my face has got my favourite Chanel CC Cream Complete Correction SPF 50 on, with nothing else; not even concealer, because this cc cream corrects under eye dark circles as well. You can see it in action in my quick demo video below to see it for yourself.

The ‘after’ photo is when I’ve applied the Diorskin Forever Extreme Control Compact Matte Face Powder Foundation. The glowy skin in the ‘before’ photo would soon be an oily one in my case, so you can understand why dimming that glow is necessary. The Diorskin Forever face powder foundation contains Dior’s trademarked ‘smart blotting powders’ of which is marketed as fine mattifying mineral powders that blend seamlessly with the skin. It is also said that the product delivers a perfectly comfortable matte correction as well as a pore-less effect in refining the skin’s texture. This foundation powder may not blur my pores as much as I’d like it to, but it does something even better – absorbing my oil for more than 10 hours! My complexion stayed shine-free from 11am to the time I’ve finally reached home around 10+ pm when I was about to remove my makeup. Its sebum-absorbing capability is just incredible. I also believed in its color-correcting function because it hardly oxidised by that time as well. You can build it up from medium to full coverage wise, but one layer of it over a makeup base is good enough for me. It conceals a wide range of imperfections including age spots, blemishes even acne scars without using any concealer.

Diorskin Forever Extreme Control Compact Pressed Face Powder with 20 SPF PA+++

The Diorskin Forever Extreme Control Compact Pressed Face Powder comes with a 20 SPF PA+++, which is the perfect level of sun protection to supplement a base makeup with 30 to 50 SPF PA+++ if you are someone who does not use a separate sunscreen or have the habit of reapplying one throughout the day.

The Dior Forever Extreme Control compact face powder foundation comes in 5 shades – 010 Ivory, 011 Cream, 020 Light Beige (featured here), 030 Medium Beige and 040 Honey Beige. It retails at SGD$100 for 9 grams (0.31 oz) at Dior boutiques and beauty counters as well as in Singapore Sephora stores.

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