Just like everything else, your makeup deserves a happy ending too. And for that, we have finishing powders! Having the best finishing powder for your skin tone is as crucial as having a foundation and concealer. Available as loose and pressed powders, these finishers are hailed as magic dust because of the blurring effect they deliver. So if you have visible imperfections or pores, finishing powder is all you need to get that flawless airbrushed finish. And, we bet many of you confuse finishing powders with setting powders or vice versa. Don’t worry! We are here to set them apart once and for all.

To make one thing clear— they are both used at the end of the makeup routine. They are the FINAL step. What sets them apart is their purpose: 

• A setting powder, as its name suggests, sets your makeup in place. It absorbs excess oil and unwanted shine and prolongs your makeup wear.
• A finishing powder acts as an enhancer. If you have visible pores, fine lines, or blemishes, this powder lends a blurring effect that makes your makeup appear flawless and airbrushed. 

But please note— using too much finishing powder can give your skin an unflattering white cast. So use it sparingly! Now that you know the difference between them, let’s find the best finishing powder for you.

• 1
  Best Overall

  DERMABLEND PROFESSIONAL Setting Powder

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Dermablend Professional’s setting powder prolongs makeup for up to 16 hours! A translucent loose powder that mattifies to give a non-shiny and natural airbrushed look, it is also the best finishing powder for dry skin and oily skin. With a feather-soft feel on the skin (yes, it’s weightless!), it can be used for setting, baking, and finishing your makeup look. Use it for face or body makeup, it absorbs the excess oil and shine and minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines to make your makeup appear flawless. It does appear white but goes on transparent, thus making it suitable for all skin tones. This versatile finishing powder is also free from harmful chemicals such as triclosan, sulfates, and phthalates.

2

Best for Blurring Effect

LORAC PRO Loose Flawless Setting Finishing Powder

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You might confuse this finishing powder with freshly ground cinnamon because it’s the same color! Lorac Pro Loose Flawless Setting Powder is a finely milled product that blurs the pores and lines and provides a smooth finish. It has a light-diffusing effect that looks like it’s your skin and not makeup. It is a great addition to your vanity if you have fine lines, large pores, and wrinkles that need a bit of covering. 

3

Best for Blurring Effect

e.l.f High Definition POWDER

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Ditch the photo filters and get yourself e.l.f HD powder instead. It’s a sheer loose powder that effortlessly blurs blemishes and other imperfections and delivers a soft-focus effect on your skin. A selfie-friendly powder you can use to set and finish your makeup, it blurs pores, fine lines, and blemishes with its translucent coverage. Flaunt a radiant complexion after using this powder. Packed in a sifter container that prevents wastage of the product, this powder is available in different shades too. It’s also free from harmful chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, triclosan, sulfates, nonylphenol ethoxylates,  hydroquinone, and triclocarban.

4

Best for Mature Skin

NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP HD FINISHING POWDER

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Vegan fam, this one’s for you all. Nyx Professional Makeup High Definition Finishing Powder effortlessly reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores for your makeup to appear smooth and flawless. A great option for those with blemishes and mature skin, this translucent silky-smooth powder is available in 3 shades to cater to all skin tones. Add this mineral-based finishing powder as the final step of your makeup for an all-time glam look.

5

Best for No White Cast

jane iredale Amazing Matte Loose Finish Powder

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Jane Iredale Amazing Matte Loose Finish Powder is all things amazing— it has a beautiful radiant sheer look that gives you medium buildable coverage. It is designed to work well on all skin types and provides a smooth and silky finish. You have to apply this with a chisel powder brush so that it blends well. This can also be used as a concealer as it really helps in covering scars and lines. It also works wonders to absorb the oil from the face.

6

Best for Long-lasting Coverage

Aesthetica TRANSLUCENT SETTING POWDER

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The long-lasting sheer coverage of this brand is no joke. If you don't mind loosening your purse strings a little, Aesthetica’s translucent setting powder does multiple tasks with its veil-like layer on your skin. A setting powder with the benefits of a finishing powder, it not only absorbs excess oil but also reduces the appearance of fine lines, pores, and blemishes. A translucent makeup setter that works round the clock to keep your look intact, it comes with a luxe velour powder puff for easy application. Also, you will never have a messy moment with this one! It comes in a powder sifter container to prevent product wastage and clumping. A starch-free and paraben-free loose-setting powder, give this powder a try if you desire a photo-ready look instantly.

7

e.l.f. Perfect Finish HD Powder

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A little bit of glow is always a good idea. If you agree, e.l.f Halo Glow Setting Powder is a great pick for you. It delivers a subtle sheen with the infused finely milled sapphire particles. A talc-free setting powder that blurs the appearance of fine lines and pores, it feels like a light veil on the skin. Also, its silky-smooth texture delivers a lit-from-within glow. And, behind this glow are no harmful chemicals. The powder does not contain parabens, phthalates, triclocarban, sulfates, hydroquinone, and nonylphenol ethoxylates. So glam up confidently!

8

est for No White Cast

REVLON PHOTOREADY TRANSLUCENT POWDER

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Micro-refined powders meet photochromic pigments in this pressed powder to deliver a flattering blur on your skin! From reducing the appearance of blemishes, pores, and fine lines to absorbing unwanted shine and oil, this translucent powder will prepare you for those flashlights in seconds. The infused photochromic pigments reflect and bend light to add a natural luminosity to your skin. Besides, it contains some nourishing ingredients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and extracts of aloe vera, kelp, matricaria, green tea, and more to protect, soothe, and care intensely. So if you are looking for a photo-ready glam look, this translucent pressed powder by Revlon is all you need.

9

e.l.f. HALO GLOW SETTING POWDER

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A little bit of glow is always a good idea. If you agree, e.l.f Halo Glow Setting Powder is a great pick for you. It delivers a subtle sheen with the infused finely milled sapphire particles. A talc-free setting powder that blurs the appearance of fine lines and pores, it feels like a light veil on the skin. Also, its silky-smooth texture delivers a lit-from-within glow. And, behind this glow are no harmful chemicals. The powder does not contain parabens, phthalates, triclocarban, sulfates, .hydroquinone, and nonylphenol ethoxylates. So glam up confidently!

10

IT Cosmetics BYE BYE PORES Pressed Setting Powder

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From pores to no pores instantly! IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed Setting Powder doesn’t eliminate pores but blankets them, so your makeup appears flawless! Curated with optical blurring technology, it mattifies your skin and makes you appear younger and fresh. A multitasking setting powder, it is infused with skin-loving ingredients. It has an intensely moisturizing silk ingredient with amino acids to condition and soften your skin, collagen (and peptides) for skin-firming, and antioxidants for minimizing the appearance of aging lines and imperfections. It also contains vitamin E, soya bean oil, aloe vera,  tea leaves, oat kernel, and extracts of olive fruit, hip rose, grape seed, and licorice to nourish and protect your skin. Wear it alone or over makeup, this setting powder truly cares for your skin.

11

bareMinerals MINERAL VEIL Finishing Powder

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The many benefits of this talc-free finishing powder will make you want it right away! If you have sensitive skin or visible open pores, bareMinerals Mineral Veil Finishing Powder is ideal for you because it is non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. A super light powder that reduces the appearance of pores and imperfections, it also absorbs excess oil to deliver a mattified look. Along with a blurring effect, it not only sets but also prolongs your makeup. And since it is sensitivity-friendly, the formula is free from harmful chemicals such as synthetic fragrances, parabens, PEGs, formaldehyde, gluten, SLS, and tree nuts.

12

WUNDER2 PERFECT SELFIE Setting Powder

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Bid goodbye to ashy skin and white cast with this selfie-friendly setting powder in your beauty arsenal. Available in 2 shades for fair to deep skin tones, it does what it says, gives you the perfect selfie-worthy glow. Buff on with your favorite powder puff or kabuki brush to get a flawless and airbrushed finish. A lightweight and oil-free powder, you can wear it alone, on makeup, and for touch-ups. There will never be a bad picture day with Wunder2 Perfect Selfie Setting Powder.

13

wet n wild barefocus CLARIFYING FINISHING POWDER

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Call it the most nourishing finishing powder because this powder from Wet N Wild is packed with umpteen skin-loving ingredients! A clarifying setting powder, it not only reduces the appearance of pores but also redness with witch hazel and tea tree extracts. To pamper, condition, and soothe your skin, it contains vitamin E, chamomile extracts, oatmeal, eucalyptus oil, and seabuckthorn. It also contains vegetable collagen to improve skin’s firmness and make it appear plump and hydrated. Besides, the multiple shade options of this lightweight setting powder blankets imperfections and work effortlessly on all skin types. Try it!

14

PHYSICIANS FORMULA NATURAL DEFENSE SETTING THE TONE FINISHING POWDER SPF 20

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This setting powder protects your skin, we kid you not! With 360 Total Defence Complex, it protects from harmful rays, blue light, and pollution that can cause skin damage and premature aging. With an SPF 20 for sun protection, the lightweight formula delivers a micro-blurring effect that reduces the appearance of imperfections and pores while perfecting your makeup look. Once applied, it forms a shield that protects, perfects, and blurs for a flawless complexion. And the best part, this breathable setting powder evens out skin tone and is free from paraben and gluten.

15

FOCALLURE LOOSE FACE POWDER

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Keep the greasy-sticky sebum at bay with Focallure Loose Face Powder. A must-try for those with oily and combination skin, this finely-milled ultralight powder effortlessly absorbs excess oil and shine to lend a fresh matte look. Whether you use it over bare skin, makeup, or for touch-ups, it keeps the greasiness at bay and prolongs your makeup. A translucent powder available for all skin tones, it also minimizes the look of pores and imperfections with its long-lasting coverage. And as a bonus, you get a luxe velour puff to get that ideal photo-finish soft glow.

No matter which one you pick, choose the right shade! And if you can’t decide, opt for a translucent shade that looks white but goes transparent on the skin for best results. Those are the 15 best finishing powders that are totally winning on the market today. Not sure how to choose the right one for yourself? We’ve got some expert tips for you below.

• Pigments:

Finishing powders are available in translucent and pigmented shades. Go for a translucent finishing powder to blur the appearance of pores, fine lines, and other imperfections but minus the coverage. However, if you want additional coverage over your makeup, pigmented finishing powder is the right pick for you.

• Formula:

This one’s slightly tricky but crucial to avoid more problems for your skin. Choose a formula suitable for your skin type. Powders with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and more are great for normal to dry skin. If you have oily or combination skin, pick a water-based formula to prevent caking and greasiness. And as far as sensitive and acne-prone skin is concerned, it’s best to opt for non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic formulas. You can also look for dermatologically-tested finishing powder to avoid skin troubles.

• Texture:

Powders, as you know, are available in pressed and loose textures. Choose a pressed finishing powder if you are going for sheer or light coverage. They are great for daily wear and for those who do not prefer heavy makeup. Loose blurring powders are MVPs when it comes to blurring imperfections. With little going a long way, you must use it sparingly to get a natural finish. 

• Finishing look:

Your finishing look does not have to be matte, always. If you are open to exploring this time, some powders do add a soft-focus glow to your skin or makeup. For example, e.l.f. Halo Glow Setting Powder has sapphire particles that add a soft sheen to the skin, whereas Revlon PhotoReady Translucent Powder enhances your natural luminosity.