A new generation of loose powders is reviving a category long seen as messy and outdated. Once considered cumbersome and barely improved in decades, these products now blur, set and mattify with minimal fuss, according to beauty columnist Sali Hughes.
Why loose powder is making a comeback
Pressed compact powders have become so sophisticated in formulation and so finely milled in production that most people rely on them to keep shiny areas matte and makeup looking fresh past lunchtime. Loose powders, by contrast, seemed trapped in the past. But there have always been times when a proper dusting is beneficial.
A fine coating of loose powder locks down foundation and concealer like nothing else can, and no bridal or TV makeup artist, dancer or performer would be without it. Now, a flurry of new generation powders are offering more for the effort.
New formulas from Charlotte Tilbury and Kosas
Charlotte Tilbury's new Airbrush Flawless Blur Loose Powder (£40) is so good that Hughes thinks it will revive the entire category. Its finish is ultra smooth, refined and flattering, and the packaging dispenses with everything annoying about loose powder – no shaking messily from plastic sieves into lids. The weightless powder sits neatly under a fine gauge mesh, and users roll over the included puff to pick up exactly the right amount, then press it onto the skin, even under eyes, where it sets concealer without caking or creasing.
The word “blur” is thrown around often, but here it is exactly right – everything is softer and hazier, and it looks terrifically natural on camera.
Kosas makes one of Hughes' favourite pressed powders, Cloud Set (£35), and has now translated it to loose. This is a loose powder for the nervous, in that it does precisely what it should without really showing its workings. It is not overly mattifying – even dry skin still looks radiant, only without the “faux” glow of shimmer or glitter. As with the Tilbury, powder particles are microscopic and diaphanous, allowing creases around the nose to be coated without build-up or caking. The shades are realistic and approachable.
Longevity and shade range considerations
Staying power on both is very good, but if longevity is the primary goal, Maybelline Fit Me Loose Powder (£9.99) is the choice. Hughes feels certain it could be worn in a wind tunnel and still hold tight. However, as with all the high street powders tried and rated, the range of shades is woeful in the UK (more inclusive in the US), so if a shade works, it is worth snapping up.
