5 Ways To Set Your Makeup

Setting your makeup is often the step that people often overlook. I know it's the step that I seem to forget to do on occasion when I'm running out the door in a rush. Even with those who are fussy AF about their makeup, powder is the one product I can guarantee they wouldn't mind grabbing the cheapest one in the drugstore in an emergency. Powder just isn't as an exciting purchase as say, a lipstick. Setting products really can vary however, and I've pulled out a few of my favourite powder products, all of which set your makeup in a slightly different way.

The Traditional Powder

I'm going to start off with the most basic kind, a powder compact which offers a certain degree of coverage. One of my favourites from the drugstore is the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder (£8.99). I find this mattifies my skin without making it look too flat, and it never looks cakey. It is slightly more pricey than the average £2 powder, but I find it a lot more finely milled than one of the more basic offerings. It also kinda smells like fruit, which is a nice touch.

The Compact Translucent Powder

Another one of my drugstore favourites is the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder (£12). Unlike the Healthy Balance, it is translucent, meaning that it doesn't add any extra coverage, so it is great for use with high coverage foundations as it won't make your face look cakey. Translucent powders also have the benefit of making the skin look absolutely flawless. This one comes in a handy compact, with a mirror and a sponge for on-the-go touch-ups.

The Loose Powder

I do use a lot more pressed than loose powders, as I'm a clumsy gal and I do have the tendency to spill more of my loose powders than I put on my face. However, I do think loose powders always have a place in my makeup kit as you can get a much more flawless finish. One of my recent favourites has been the Vichy Dermablend Setting Powder* (£17) as it keeps my makeup looking fresh all day. Used with a large fluffy brush, it appears to blend away imperfections whilst being invisible on the skin and really lightweight. Plus the bonus thing about using a loose powder is that you can bake with it. You can pat it under your eyes with a sponge, leave on and then brush away to keep concealer in place. I also use it to sharpen my contour. It's my top pick to use when you want to spend a bit more time on your makeup for a special event.

The Glow Giver

If you have more of a dry complexion, or prefer more of a dewy finish, matte setting powders might be a bit too flat for you. Chances are, you'll probably still want to set your makeup, and that's where the non-matte powder comes in. The Hourglass offerings are brilliant as they aren't glittery in any way. I use the Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light (£40), which is like an Instagram filter in a compact, giving a warm, soft-focus glow to the skin. It still minimises excess oil and sets your makeup, whilst giving your skin a bit of life. It is the most expensive powder in my collection, but I've been using it for around 10 months and it still looks brand new, so I think it will last a really long time.

The Non-powder

I also love to use setting sprays. Sometimes I use them instead of a powder if I want a more fresh and dewy look, or I use them after powder to make the overall finish a bit less matte and powdery. I'm currently using the Makeup Revolution Pro Fix Oil-control Fixing Spray (£5), and whilst I'm not sure it's the most effective on the market, it's a good starter option as it's really affordable. I also really like the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray (£22) which really does keep your skin matte, although it is a lot more pricey. You can also use setting sprays to intensify the pigment of other products like highlighters and eyeshadows by dampening the brush with them. They're just a really handy thing to have in your makeup bag.

 

What do you use to set your makeup?

*Post contains PR sample kindly provided by Vichy, all views are my own.