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“Most traditional setting powders give a matte finish, but many new-generation powders have a luminous glow to them,” says New York-based makeup artist Jas Doyle.Ī post shared by Wendi Miyake you use a brush, puff or sponge, you’ll want to let your base makeup dry for a minute before applying the setting powder. While setting powders absorb excess oils on the skin, creating a matte effect, that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on having a glowy complexion. Instead, it should have a smooth finish that seamlessly binds with your foundation, whether it is color-correcting, tinted or translucent. Moreover, a quality setting powder will keep your makeup in place without creasing or creating a “cakey” effect. Those oils “will begin to break down your face makeup as the day goes on,” Stiles says, so using a setting powder will prevent any slippage and shine. “Setting powders have a dual purpose - to set the makeup under it (liquid foundation, concealer, cream blush) while providing a base for powder products (powder blush, highlighter, contour), and to absorb excess oils on the skin,” explains celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles, who works with Lily Collins, Natasha Lyonne, Gabrielle Union and more.
Elf contour powder review how to#
It absorbs oil but repels water (see how we tested the waterproof power of some of the most popular setting powders in the TikTok below), ensuring long-lasting wear that is crease-, transfer- and setting powder should we test next? Credit to for this awesome idea! Link in our bio to shop our fav! #settingpowder #makeuphacks #makeuptest #makeuplastlonger #oilyskin #commissionearned ♬ The Spins X The Other Side x Kids - darcy stokesĪhead, we hear from six professional makeup artists about how setting powder secures makeup, how to apply it and the best setting powders to shop for every skin type and budget. I am just stating facts from my own experience and not trying to degrade the brand.Your CNN account Log in to your CNN accountĪt the end of the day, you want the makeup you carefully applied to still be there, and setting powder is the key to making sure your look stays put. They have color, but more so in terms of creating a softer look. I say this for every ELF review, their face products are lovely but the pigmentation is faint. I know my skin tone is light and really hope this review along with the swatches help you in some way! Photos are unedited and taken in natural light. This is the shade you want to add slowly, because it has some pigment and can look a tad muddy if used heavily. It has the same beautiful golden hue as the top right shade, but is deeper and just as lovely. The bottom right is a rich, warm brown and you really notice the red tones in this one. The top right is beautiful, subtle, and looks like a golden, apricot…if that even makes sense!?! Trust me, it’s pretty! The bottom left shade is a medium, warm brown. So it will add a little ‘glow’ to face but not much in terms of color payoff. The top left is the only one with micro shimmer and once applied with a brush showed up as faint gold glitter. Which is actually pretty normal for most powder contour products I have used in the past. If you just go all in too quickly, things can get a little patchy. I do recommend building up slowly and/or using a fluffy brush when contouring. So the darkest shade is a great cool tone and offers a subtle contour, which is perfect for beginners and lighter complexions!ĭeep Contour ($6): The deep kit is on the warm side and even on my light completion, made for a lovely bronzer palette. The formula is soft and I had no problems with blending any of the shades. I also used this shade to help diffuse the darker contour shade. The bottom left bronzing shade doesn’t have much pigment, but is great for adding a bit of warmth to the face. The lighter, apricot shade is a good flesh-tone match and I used this as a setting/foundation powder. The white shade is the only one with micro glitter and offers a lovely cream highlight without a ton of shimmer. The powders are smooth and blend out nicely, the pigmentation is great for the lighter skin tones and I used the heck out of this back in the day! I am not going to talk too much on this palette, since it has been around awhile. I haven’t reached for it in some time now, so this review is a nice trip down memory lane! Light/Medium Contour ($6): This is the first contouring palette I ever bought and helped ease me into the social media craze. How could any beauty blogger say no to them?!? ELF, the one brand that I can’t seem to shake! They are inexpensive, most of the products work, and they add new items to their line all the time!!
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