January 22nd, 2014
Powders have certainly come a long way. No longer merely the final step, today’s loose and pressed offerings have sophisticated ingredients to enhance the end result.
Sheer, light-reflecting, HD, invisible, hydrating: reading this list you could believe that we are referring to foundation. However, the humble powder has had a makeover. Not only does it enhance and set whatever you have applied beneath, they’re now upgraded to hide spots, minimise lines, conceal redness to create an overall flawless finish with added benefits. Warpaint finds the best powders for your kit.
Laura Mercier Invisible Pressed Setting Powder (£25)
Great for sensitive skin and housed in a pressed powder compact, this is lightweight and formulated with a special blend of unique light reflecting spherical powders to create a soft-focus appearance. Make-up is set for prolonged wear thanks to the silicone, which gives a smooth touch, and silica to help absorb oil. Non-dusty, the universal shade is invisible so works for all skin tones, from light to deep and is also available in a loose powder formula.
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder (£41)
If you want to visibly smooth those wrinkles, fine lines and diminish pores, while evening the skin’s surface and minus powder overload, this is a great option particularly for older clients. Formulated with hyaluronic acid microspheres, which offers a combination of hydrating and smoothing properties to plump up skin, this ultra-fine colourless powder also contains a blotter-like ingredient to neutralise shine. Brilliant when you are working on dry skin, while still wanting a matte finish, the micro-aerated texture means it is great for day or night as skin isn’t left with an unpleasant tightness.
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Powder Foundation (£45)
Silky and ultra fine, this is a great versatile powder that doubles as a foundation. It offers the flexibility of coverage and is infused with topaz and quartz minerals to give lustrous glowing skin. When applied with a dry sponge it provides a matte coverage and a damp sponge will result in an extremely lightweight ultra-sheer finish. The talc-, paraben- and mineral oil-free powder means it’s velvety not chalky. Skin looks fresh thanks to the light reflecting properties and the yellow undertones in the formula act like a neutraliser to cover redness and uneven patches.
Guerlain Météorites Perles Powder, (£36) Available at www.harrods.com from the 29th January 2014
These spherical pigments and pearls of colour are legendary. Guerlain’s little pastel, hand-shaped beads are unique in texture and deliver a pure glow to the skin that is weightless and correcting. Each different coloured bead helps to even out the skin tone: pale green to correct redness, pink for a healthy glow, mauve to enhance luminosity and highlighting white and gold for radiance. Teamed with a matte foundation, the pearls create a dewy, illuminated from within effect, which is incredibly subtle with a glint of glitter in sight.
Principality Bruise Powder (£8.50)
For those looking for powders to enhance their S/FX work, this light weight powder deepens in colour when pressure is applied with your warm fingers to simulate a realistic bruise. It can be used on skin or silicone to create highly realistic small cuts, scratches and contusions. Made with cosmetic grade pigments, you can lightly dust on with a sponge or brush for light looking injury with a red tone, or when friction is applied a purplish black tone can be created for real dimension and depth. Easily removed with soap and water, it is great to use for frostbite simulation too.
Ben Nye Luxury Banana Powder (£8.15)
Ben Nye is famous for the selection of micro milled loose powders for all skin tones. The Banana Powder is probably the most noteworthy of these since Kim Kardashian posted a photo of it on her as applied by her make-up artist Mario Dedinavoic. The yellow loose powder is used for setting foundation and highlighting whilst being able to counteract any darkness. It leaves a satin and extremely natural matte finish to the skin and once blended is practically undetectable. This is great for editorial shoots as it photographs beautifully and causes not shiny flashback or ashy skin qualities; it just gives a lovely soft focus.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (£38)
These finishing powders caused quite a stir in the industry last year, due to the way they capture, diffuse and soften the way that light is reflected on the skin. Free of parabens, talc, fragrance, nano-particles and gluten, there are six universal shades for all skin tones and you select the one most pertinent to your situation for the lighting effect you want. Unlike traditional finishing powders, Hourglass uses transparent micron-size, colour-correcting particles – termed “photoluminescent technology” – to emulate the appearance of young, healthy skin. Each powder has different qualities such as to brighten, conceal imperfections, diminish pores, soften the appearance of wrinkles and even skin tone. Warpaint loves Diffused Light: a soft, warm, pale yellow powder to reduce redness, eliminate shine and give skin clarity. The soft champagne pearl of Luminous Light creates a soft, incandescent candlelit glow that we love for night time.
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder SPF 15 (£38)
A healthy glow can be hard to achieve on certain clients. With Caucasian and Asian skin tones it can be tricky to give that subtle naturalness when you don’t want to reach for a bronzer, iridescent highlighter or whitening product. Chanel, as always, has the answer in its highly sophisticated Les Beiges line. Enriched with cotton flower and white rose plant cells, these sheer hybrid powders give that brightened, revived complexion without ever looking cakey. Perfect above under eye concealer, it doesn’t crease, can be re-applied countless time over make-up and never looks heavy. It’s also great for outdoor location shoots because it contains an SPF factor ranging from 15 to 30, depending on the shade, as well as anti-UVA protection.
Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder (£32)
If you are a regular user of mineral powder on clients, but dislike that sometimes dusty, over-perfected look, then Youngblood could be your answer. This high-performance, super silky powder diffuses imperfections and absorbs excess oil to keep makeup looking fresh for hours. Available in translucent or warmth shades, the ultra fine texture leaves a cooling, soothing sensation on contact which is perfect for high-humidity conditions. This can be used before or after make-up, whether skin is under the HD spotlight or regular daylight. It really helps to keep skin balanced for a flawless, sheer pore-free finish.
Nars Light Reflecting Setting Powder (£25)
Many light reflecting powders have a slight hint of colour, but Nars has address this issue with its innovative mineral setting powder available in both loose and pressed formulas. This powder will not clog pores, thanks to Nars’ exclusive Light Reflecting Complex which helps skin to shine through makeup. Light reflection is enhanced, optically fading fine lines, wrinkles and pores leaving visibly smoothed skin. Ideal for touch-ups when moving between locations, regulating shine throughout the day and seamlessly setting foundation, the Vitamin E and glycerin in the powder guards against dryness and still keeps that luminous matte finish.
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