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Beauty & Personal Care Face Makeup

Best Pressed Powders

Updated December 2021
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
Lightweight Flaw Coverage

A gorgeous pressed powder that looks great by itself or for setting your favorite liquid makeup.

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Lightweight Flaw Coverage
Bottom Line

A gorgeous pressed powder that looks great by itself or for setting your favorite liquid makeup.

Pros

Goes on silky smooth and feels lightweight on skin. Contains both moisturizing and light-reflecting ingredients for a beautiful uniform finish. Does a good job blotting oil; doesn't tend to get cakey or settle in fine lines. No sulfates.

Cons

Expensive, and the product doesn't seem to last very long. Available in limited shades.

Best Bang for the Buck
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder
Clinique
Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder
Popular Brand

A quality pressed powder by a brand that's been trusted for generations. Available in lots of shades and works well for most users.

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Popular Brand
Bottom Line

A quality pressed powder by a brand that's been trusted for generations. Available in lots of shades and works well for most users.

Pros

Sets itself apart by offering a choice of 16 shades, so finding one to match your skin tone shouldn't be an issue. Delivers a soft matte finish and controls oil. Made without parabens, fragrance, and mineral oil.

Cons

Comes with a subpar sponge. May require frequent touch-ups, especially if your skin is very oily.

tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder
tarte
Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder
Made With Minerals

The soft texture and mineral ingredients work well for many consumers, but it may not work for you if you have crepey skin or large pores.

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Made With Minerals
Bottom Line

The soft texture and mineral ingredients work well for many consumers, but it may not work for you if you have crepey skin or large pores.

Pros

A mineral-based powder that's made with skin-nourishing vitamins. Absorbs oil and sets other makeup products with a lightweight finish. Made without phthalates, parabens, and sulfates. Four shades are suitable for most skin tones.

Cons

Some reports of breakouts after using it. Has the tendency to emphasize lines and pores.

Kat Von D Lock-It Finishing Powder
Kat Von D
Lock-It Finishing Powder
Best for Absorbing Oil

If you have oily skin, there's a good chance this powder will impress you. You'll enjoy carrying the detail-rich compact, too.

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Best for Absorbing Oil
Bottom Line

If you have oily skin, there's a good chance this powder will impress you. You'll enjoy carrying the detail-rich compact, too.

Pros

Versatile, as it works well for setting makeup, blotting oil, or by itself. Great for oily skin. Vegan and free of parabens, phthalates, and sulfates. Fans love the pretty compact that it comes in.

Cons

Can be challenging to find the best shade – repeat users with fair-to-medium skin tones find the light shade too pale and the medium too dark.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Pressed Poreless Finish Airbrush Pressed Powder
It Cosmetics
Bye Bye Pores Pressed Poreless Finish Airbrush Pressed Powder
Pore Control

While this unique powder won't work for everyone, it has skin-perfecting ingredients that are great for those who can use it.

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Pore Control
Bottom Line

While this unique powder won't work for everyone, it has skin-perfecting ingredients that are great for those who can use it.

Pros

Offers the brand's award-winning formula, which contains ingredients that blur imperfections, like fine lines and pores. Works well for all types of skin; absorbs oil. Doesn't contain parabens, phthalates, or sulfates.

Cons

Only available in one shade, and although it's translucent, it can look pale or chalky on some skin tones.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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First Reviewed
December 12, 2021
30
Models
considered
28
Hours
researched
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Jennifer Manfrin
Written by Jennifer Manfrin

Updated December 2021

No makeup collection is complete without pressed powder. This versatile cosmetic comes in a solid cake-like form and is applied using a puff, brush, or sponge. Pressed powder can be used to set liquid foundation and concealer, blot oil, and touch up your makeup throughout the day. It can also be applied all by itself to reduce shine and provide light coverage. Pressed powder comes in many shades, so you'll need to choose one to match your skin tone. The right shade can help conceal blemishes and give your face a smooth, flawless finish.

Our Top Picks
Charlotte Tilbury
Best of the Best
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
Bottom Line
A gorgeous pressed powder that looks great by itself or for setting your favorite liquid makeup.
Shop Now
Clinique
Best Bang for the Buck
Clinique
Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder
Bottom Line
A quality pressed powder by a brand that's been trusted for generations. Available in lots of shades and works well for most users.
Shop Now
tarte
Top Pick
tarte
Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder
Bottom Line
The soft texture and mineral ingredients work well for many consumers, but it may not work for you if you have crepey skin or large pores.
Shop Now
Kat Von D
Top Pick
Kat Von D
Lock-It Finishing Powder
Bottom Line
If you have oily skin, there's a good chance this powder will impress you. You'll enjoy carrying the detail-rich compact, too.
Shop Now
It Cosmetics
Top Pick
It Cosmetics
Bye Bye Pores Pressed Poreless Finish Airbrush Pressed Powder
Bottom Line
While this unique powder won't work for everyone, it has skin-perfecting ingredients that are great for those who can use it.
Shop Now
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