7 Best Setting Powders for Airbrushed Skin, According to the Pros

It’s no secret that setting powder can elevate your makeup game to a whole other level, leaving you with perfectly smooth, airbrushed skin. However, with the various textures, finishes, tones, and formats setting powders now come in, it can be confusing to choose which one is best for your skin type and concerns. That’s why we’ve called upon the help of professional makeup artists to share with us their holy-grail setting powder and why they love using it on themselves and their clients.

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder ($50)

Using Photoluminescent technology, the luxury brand was one of the first to develop a powder that blurs the skin by diffusing flaws through light. The powder, which comes in 6 flattering shades, uses micron-size, color-correcting particles to refract light and give the skin an airbrushed, real-life filter look in any light setting. As a makeup artist of over 7 years, I only wish I found this powder earlier. Because it’s so sheer, it works on any skin tone and it seriously never fails to make my clients’ skin look flawless.

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Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder ($34)

An addition to their cult-favorite Born This Way Line, this hyaluronic acid-infused powder, which comes in 3 shades, feels soft to the touch and leaves the skin with a smooth, even appearance. Makeup artist, Richard Ray likes to use a big fluffy brush to lightly dust onto the face and create a veil. For his oily skin clients, specifically those that still have shine even after using a matte foundation, he recommends taking a damp BeautyBlender sponge to press the powder into the skin. He says, “that way, the powder will absorb excess shine, while the damp sponge changes the texture of the powder to more of a skin-like finish.”

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Danessa Myricks Beauty Evolution Powder ($24)

For perfect-looking skin, makeup artist, Akua Robinson always grabs for her Danessa Myricks Beauty Evolution Powder. Robinson believes that natural and flawless skin is always in and loves that this powder sets foundation perfectly, but still allows the beauty of her clients’ skin to shine through and as she says, “without looking cakey or powdery.” And with 5 light-diffusing shades? There’s a fit for everyone.

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Pacifica Beauty Cherry Velvet Matte Setting Powder ($12)

This 100% vegan powder is chock full of natural ingredients like bamboo and coconut water and also happens to be a kit staple of makeup artist, T. Cooper. In addition to loving the delicious scent, she tells us, “it eliminates shine without making your skin look dry and because it’s colorless, I can use it with any color foundation.”

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Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation ($46)

According to celebrity makeup artist, Rudy Miles, there’s nothing more important than a powder having the ability to be buildable without adding additional texture and weight on the skin. That’s why his favorite is the Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation because of the weightless micronized minerals and soothing algae extracts.

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Photo Credits: jane iredale 6 / 7

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Poreless Finish Airbrush Powder ($30)

Like many beauty lovers, celebrity makeup artist, Mary Irwin is obsessed with the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores line. Its ability to erase pores and give the wearer seemingly perfect skin explains its worldwide cult followers. The line’s setting powder is a favorite of Irwin as she claims, “it’s truly translucent, and so finely milled it feels like silk,” allowing for a perfectly smooth finish to one’s makeup look.

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Black Opal Invisible Oil Blocking Pressed Powder ($12)

With unique all-day oil-blotting power, this universal shade drugstore pressed powder is a must-have for oily skinned folks battling texture issues. Makeup artist, Sophia Porter tells us that it recently saved her big time on a commercial shoot as, “the model’s skin was visibly compromised (acne and dryness) and this helped tone down that texture so well that it looked fabulous on 6K film.”

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