18 of the best setting powders for makeup that lasts all day – tried, tested with pictures

I swear I’ve been using the Huda Beauty Loose Powder since the beginning of time. Okay, well since it set the standard for baking back in 2016. So as a loyal lover, you could say I was a little sceptical using this pressed iteration – especially as it already launched back in 2023 and the response was, well, questionable.

So, what’s new? It has now re-launched to deliver matte finish and the ingredient’s list has been refreshed, with rice starch used to absorb excess oil. It also has a ‘micronized’ formula which means you can layer up the powder without it turning cakey.

I’d certainly say the formula is catered to those with oil complexions. With just a few taps it blurred shiny zones and reduced the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

The real test came throughout the day. While initially it smoothed texture, over time it attached to dry zones, emphasising my point that it’s best for oily skin types.

If you don’t like the chalky, heavy feeling of loose powder, try Kosas’s talc-free pressed powder. It’s so lightweight you can barely feel it on your face, even though it leaves behind a satin, skin-like finish. FYI: Hailey Bieber swears by this setting powder to lock her makeup in place without ruining her signature “glazed donut skin” glow. And I, too, would like to have Hailey Bieber’s skin, so pls give me three.

As much as I love the weightless feel of a loose setting powder, sometimes I need something with a little extra coverage to smooth out my textured skin – and that’s where this GOAT pressed powder from Charlotte Tilbury comes in. It has a ~smidge~ of tinted coverage that helps even out your makeup and skin tone without looking heavy or obvious, thanks to its super-fine consistency. The result is incredibly even-looking makeup that legit lasts.

No roundup of the best setting powders would be complete without the mention of the iconic Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. You’ll find this in the makeup bags of celebrities (*cough cough* Victoria Beckham and Molly-Mae Hague), makeup artists, and editors alike.

Why? It has a fine, airy texture that ​​feels light on your skin while giving you a smooth, blurred, matte finish. To really nix shine, Jafri recommends pressing the powder into your skin with a powder puff instead of brushing it on, which “creates a sweeping motion and moves the product around.” Instead she says that “pressing the powder into the skin results in long-lasting makeup.”

Call me sceptical when it comes to celeb-founded beauty products — but Kylie’s Setting Powder proves me wrong. This offers everything I need from a setting powder: it’s incredibly lightweight, smooths pores without looking cakey, cuts back shine while still looking radiant and keeps my makeup on all day without fading.

Following on from that last point, it really does a stellar job at locking my makeup in place alll day – and coming from someone with combination skin who turns into a greaseball by 4pm, that’s saying something. A very small amount is needed to dust over your complexion, so this £24 tub will last.

I didn’t believe the hype with this brightening, pink-toned powder for a long time. But I’m eating my words now, as I sit here looking like I got the best eight hours of rest when I actually took a four-hour red-eye flight next to a screaming baby. The rosy pigments counteract the dark tones under my eyes to disguise them a little bit, even without a full-coverage under-eye concealer. And on the days that I need some extra help, I can dab it on with a sponge, and it smooths out my skin to slightly create an illusion that my under-eye bags are a bit flatter.

This very nearly went into my giveaway pile, but thank goodness I held onto it as it has changed my makeup game for the better. This is a very fine setting powder so a light dusting is all that’s needed to blur pores and set makeup in place.

The shade translucent is designed to be a universal shade as it doesn’t provide any coverage, but delivers a soft-focus matte finish while absorbs excess shine. And just because it’s matte doesn’t mean it’s flat – it controls oily zones around my nose, cheeks and forehead while still keeping a radiant, healthy glow to my complexion. And while the price tag may seem steep, this is a mighty 34.5g so the tub will last.

So lightweight you can barely see it, the NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder has to be one of the most finely-milled powders I’ve come across – making it a great option for those with dry skin.

While there are four shades available, it seems only Crystal – a translucent – is widely available atm. However out of the four, this one is definitely the most flexible.

Near enough invisible, it layers on a super-fine dusting to lock down makeup and reduce shine, but it still keeps a healthy radiance to the skin – ideal if you have a dry complexion. Cleverly, it uses photochromatic technology (which essentially darkens on exposure to light) so you’ll never be caught out by a dreaded flash-back on photos.