Setting powders are an essential step in any makeup routine. They will ensure your makeup doesn’t fade, budge, or transfer, and they can create a flawless finish. However, you’ll want to pick the right setting powder for your skin type.
People with dry skin understand the struggle of shopping for powders. Setting powders can easily age dry skin, create a cakey effect, or cling onto dry patches. You can even risk altering the rest of your makeup with the wrong powder.
So what are the best setting powders for dry skin? The best powders for dry skin are hydrating, offer a dewy finish, feel lightweight, and don’t settle into fine lines. Look for a setting powder with a finely-milled texture and a luminous finish.
Are you ready to find the best setting powder for your dry skin? You’ll be surprised that it’s not as hard as it sounds!
How To Pick The Best Setting Powder For Dry Skin
Below are some things to consider before choosing a setting powder.
Finely-Milled Texture
Opt for a finely-milled setting powder. Finely-milled powders will offer a lightweight and undetectable finish. They set your face without leaving you flat. A finely-milled powder doesn’t cling to dry patches or settle in fine lines.
Color Vs Translucent
Setting powders can be translucent, or they can add color to your makeup. Translucent powders are more common because they don’t alter your makeup. However, colored setting powders can offer more coverage to the skin.
Pressed Vs Loose
Setting powders are available in a loose and pressed formula. Loose powders can be more lightweight, but they can also be messier. Pressed powders are easy to use and keep on the go, and they can offer the same benefits as loose powders.
Finish
Another thing to consider when choosing a setting powder is the finish. You can opt for a glowy, luminous, or illuminating finish for dry skin. However, setting powder with a natural or matte finish can work depending on your personal preference.
Clean Beauty
If you love clean formulas, it’s crucial to buy from a sustainably sourced and hopefully vegan, cruelty-free brand that incorporates skincare ingredients into the setting powder. You may also want to opt for products made with biodegradable materials or minimal amounts of plastic.
Cruelty-Free Or Vegan Beauty
For many of us animal lovers, finding a brand that doesn’t test on animals or includes animal byproducts is paramount. Makeup brands will state whether or not they include ingredients that are derived from or tested on animals, and if the brand isn’t specific, they most likely do.
This is something to keep in mind if you’re looking to stay away from such products.
The Best Setting Powders For Dry Skin
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Anastasia Beverly Hills Loose Powder | Multiple shades, no flashback |
| 2. | PÜR Pressed Mineral Makeup Powder | 4-in-1, SPF 15, full buildable coverage |
| 3. | Dermablend Illuminating Banana Powder | Universal sheer banana shade, smudge-proof |
| 4. | Undone Beauty Lightweight Powder | Clean beauty, oil controlling, translucent |
| 5. | It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Finishing Powder | Universal, blurring, skincare ingredients |
| 6. | Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder | No flashback, blurring, soft glow |
| 7. | Elf Halo Glow Setting Powder | Sapphire particles, lightweight, soft glow |
| 8. | Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder | No flashback, for deeper skin tones |
| 9. | Tatcha Silk Powder | Blurring, silk particles, protective |
| 10. | Pacifica Crystal Rays Luminous Setting Powder | Buildable coverage, shimmer free |
| 11. | Dragun Beauty Translucent Setting Powder | Nine shades, lightweight, hydrating |
| 12. | CoverFX Illuminating Setting Powder | Packed with skincare, natural finish |
| 13. | Maybelline Fit Me Loose Setting Powder | Several shades, matte, blurring |
1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Loose Powder
Anastasia Beverly Hills has created some game-changing products in the past, but now they focus on mastering the essential tools you need. For example, they made their Loose Setting Powder to set your makeup and provide a flawless finish.
This loose setting powder is available in multiple shades, so there is a match for every skin tone. It’s a finely milled powder that won’t settle in fine lines, wrinkles, or dry patches, which can be a major concern for those with dry skin.
Anastasia Beverly Hills’s setting powder will keep your makeup in place without clinging onto texture or dryness. It has a lightweight formula that won’t cake up on the face. This loose setting powder won’t flashback, so it’s ideal for photos.
This powder is suitable for all skin types, including dry skin. It works the best for those who love to wear makeup or glamorous looks. Although it is lightweight on the skin, it’s not the best to use for a natural look, as this powder doesn’t hold back.
Because it’s in a loose formula, you can easily control how much product you distribute on the face. You can also pair it with a setting spray for an extra boost of glow and hydration.
2. PÜR Pressed Mineral Makeup Powder
If you are looking for a multi-tasking product that eliminates the need for multiple cosmetic tools, your search has finally ended. PÜR has created a 4-in-1 pressed mineral powder that offers a flawless finish to your skin while incorporating skincare.
PÜR’s 4-in-1 powder offers medium to full buildable coverage, replaces foundations, eliminates the need for concealer, is infused with skincare, and contains SPF 15. It also smoothes the skin in seconds.
PUR claims that this powder can improve the overall appearance and texture of the skin. The Pressed Mineral Makeup Powder is the perfect match for those with dry skin. It will reduce the appearance of fine lines/wrinkles and blemishes.
Another benefit this powder offers is a hydrating finish so you can kiss cake face goodbye forever. It can minimize the appearance of discoloration and brighten the skin tone. It also has a beautiful blend of skincare ingredients.
You’ll find this powder formulated with mineral water, encapsulated Vitamin A, and SPF 15 broad-spectrum protection. Just sweep a light dusting of this powder over bare skin or your face makeup to lock in a flawless finish.
3. Dermablend Illuminating Banana Powder
Dermablend is a famous makeup line among oily and problematic skin. One of their most iconic products is their setting powder. However, they have finally formulated a version for normal and dry skin types.
This powder is the same Dermablend powder we know and love, just in an Illuminating formula for dry skin types. This banana shade is universal and suitable for all skin tones, and it leaves a warm and brightening effect on the skin.
Dermablend claims that this powder is long-lasting and lasts for around 16 hours. They state that this powder is smudge and transfer-resistant. So you can kiss ashy and lifeless powders goodbye because Dermablend has your replacement.
It’s easy to use. Dermablend recommends applying the powder on the face with its applicator and waiting 2 minutes for the setting powder to work its magic. Then dust off excess powder to reveal a glowy and illuminated skin finish.
It’s flash photography-safe. It will instantly brighten and blur your complexion and minimize the appearance of imperfections.
4. Undone Beauty Lightweight Powder
Undone Beauty’s mission is to provide clean beauty that enhances your natural features. They are among the latest no-makeup-makeup lines that follow today’s trends without sacrificing natural beauty. So it’s time to embrace yourself!
Their Under Over Powder is a highly versatile product that works well for all skin types, especially dry skin. You can use this setting powder to prime your face before foundation and set your face products.
This setting powder will do it all. However, if you have dry skin, you might want to skip priming your face with this powder; instead, use a light dusting to set your face in place. Undone Beauty’s powder will lock in your makeup and keep oil at bay.
Another benefit this powder provides is its lightweight texture. The Under Over powder is finely-milled, translucent, and weightless on the skin so that it will be undetectable. It’s a pressed powder, so there’s no worrying about spills!
The Under Over powder is formulated with Jojoba Extract to keep the skin happy, healthy, and balanced. Undone Beauty is vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten & paraben-free, so you can rest assured knowing you are getting a clean product.
5. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Finishing Powder
It Cosmetics has created a setting powder that has answered all your prayers. It Cosmetics is a cult-classic brand known for its high-performance products to improve your biggest skin concerns. This powder covers and illuminates.
This powder is for you if you need to add glow, radiance, or dimension to your dry skin. Bye Bye Pores Illumination will lightly blur the skin while adding light-reflecting properties to achieve that glow-from-within finish. It’s also extremely lightweight.
This is a translucent powder that can be used on bare skin or set the rest of your makeup in place. It Cosmetics states that this powder is a universal shade that will suit all skin tones and leave a glow without the shimmer.
Another benefit of this powder is that it’s infused with numerous skincare ingredients. Bye Bye Pores Illumination is formulated with antioxidants, peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, and anti-aging silk, ideal for keeping the skin healthy and youthful.
Bye Bye Pores Illumination won’t settle into fine lines or cling onto dry patches/texture, making it dry skin-friendly.
6. Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
Hourglass’s Veil Translucent Setting Powder has been a fan-favorite pick for years if you are looking to invest in your setting powder. This powder will lock in your makeup and provide a smooth finish without falling flat.
The Hourglass Veil Setting Powder is another universal product that will suit all skin tones and skin types. However, it’s especially beneficial for those with dry skin. Hourglass has figured out how powder can turn back the clock and create a soft glow.
Hourglass states that their powder contains “soft focus light reflecting particles” to diffuse imperfections and provide a radiant glow. If you are looking for a powder that leaves you looking hydrated, try Hourglass’s Veil Translucent Powder.
This powder is properly named because it genuinely acts as a lightweight veil on the skin and provides a flawless finish. The Veil Translucent Powder is also infused with diamond powder to reflect light without a stark flashback.
Use a light dusting of this powder to set your makeup, or pack it on if you love to bake and chisel your face. This is a luxurious powder that will make you feel like a queen with every use.
7. Elf Halo Glow Setting Powder
What if you are on a budget? Do you have to sacrifice a flawless face? Absolutely not, because E.l.f has created an affordable and high-quality setting powder.
This setting powder is ideal for all skin types, including dry skin.
Now you can finally get a luxurious, blurred, luminous finish without draining your wallet. The Halo Glow Setting Powder will leave the skin with a radiant finish which is perfect for dry skin because sometimes the wrong powder can leave your skin flat.
E.l.f states that this powder is formulated with “finely-milled and eco-friendly sapphire particles” to reflect light, offer a glowy finish and blur minor imperfections. Because it’s lightweight, it won’t settle into fine lines or wrinkles.
The Halo Glow Setting Powder is available in three different shades, so everyone has a match. To get the best results, E.l.f recommends using a small amount of powder on the skin. It can be applied to bare skin or over makeup.
Like the Undone Beauty powder, this one can also be used to prime the skin, but that will suit more oily skin types. Overall, E.l.f offers an amazing dupe to your favorite luxury powders.
8. Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder
Most translucent setting powders claim that they are universal and suitable for all skin tones. In some cases, that is a true statement, and other times it’s the opposite, which is why Sacha caters to medium, dark, and deep skin tones.
Nothing is worse than looking ashy, lifeless, or gray, and sometimes setting powders have that effect on deep skin tones. Thankfully, Sacha Buttercup has formulated a “flashback-safe” setting powder for deeper skin tones. Say hello to dimension!
Sacha’s powder has a mild yellow tone that will blend into the skin seamlessly, offering a brightening effect. This powder is finely-milled, so you don’t have to worry about cake face or the powder settling into problem areas.
The Buttercup Setting Powder is ideal for those who love to wear makeup, need long-lasting coverage, and wear glamourous looks. It’s fine texture makes it the best product to achieve an airbrushed finish without clinging to dry patches.
Sacha states that you can use this setting powder to highlight and contour, set your foundation, bake the face, or use it as a general all-over setting powder. Finally, there is now a powder option out there for everyone!
9. Tatcha Silk Powder
Tatcha is another high-end luxury brand that has earned rave reviews over the years.
They are mostly known for their skincare, but slowly Tatcha has been branching out into formulating makeup products like their Silk Powder Protective Setting Powder.
The Silk Powder instantly blurs the skin without leaving you flat or lifeless. It’s ideal for dry skin, thanks to its silk components. Tatcha claims that silk acts as a veil over the skin. It offers hydration and leaves you with a radiant glow-from-within.
Tatcha claims that this powder will keep your makeup in place for eight hours. It also offers numerous benefits like blurring fine lines and pores, protection against blue light and pollution, and keeping the skin hydrated and luminous.
This powder’s luminous finish is derived from Japanese Pearl Powder, which can also help improve the appearance of your skin’s texture and leave you looking healthy. This powder is free of yucky ingredients like talc.
All you need is a light dusting of this powder to achieve a luminous complexion. Pair it with your favorite primer and foundation, or wear it on bare skin.
10. Pacifica Crystal Rays Luminous Setting Powder
Pacifica is a vegan and cruelty-free brand that strives to offer clean alternatives to your favorite everyday makeup products. One product that is worth trying is the Crystal Rays Luminous Setting Powder. Say hello to multi-dimensional skin!
Crystal Rays Luminous Setting Powders offer all the benefits of a dewy glow without all the annoying shimmer and glitter. Sometimes powder with shimmer can cling to textured or dry areas and leave an unflattering finish, but this one is shimmer-free.
This powder is in a loose formulation, but it has a mesh net to assist with product distribution and create a mess-free environment. Pacifica also claims that this powder offers buildable coverage, and it can set makeup or bare skin.
Another benefit of Pacifica’s powder is its clean formula. As a result, you won’t find potentially sensitizing ingredients like talc, sulfates, or parabens. This powder will leave a dewy glow and help create a second-skin finish.
11. Dragun Beauty Translucent Setting Powder
Dragun Beauty was founded by beauty guru and social media star Nikita Dragun. Now, Nikita has released her own cosmetic line, which includes a collection of setting powders available in nine inclusive shades to suit every skin tone.
This powder can do it all, whether you need to set, blur, or brighten. This finely-milled ultra-lightweight powder will be undetectable on the skin and leave an airbrushed finish. It’s a beautiful powder for all skin types, even dry skin.
This powder is also infused with beneficial skincare ingredients to create a healthy skin finish. You’ll find that this setting powder contains plant-based amino acids to offer moisture and hydration to the skin, which is ideal for those who are dry.
For a lightweight and natural finish, Dragun Beauty recommends using a light dusting of this powder all over the face to set your makeup in place. However, if you want more coverage, you can use a sponge to bake or a dense brush to layer.
The Translucent Setting Powder will instantly minimize imperfections like texture, fine lines, wrinkles, pores, and more. So if you want to look photoshopped in real life, this powder is the closest thing that will get you there.
12. CoverFX Illuminating Setting Powder
CoverFX is a cosmetic brand that focuses on creating the most flawless base products like foundations, contour/highlighting products, concealers, and powders. One product anyone with dry skin should try is the Illuminating Setting Powder.
CoverFX’s setting powder will help you achieve a glow-from-within look like many other powders on this list. This is ideal for those who don’t like to wear too much makeup, and it’s comfortable for daily wear. It will also give a natural, second-skin finish.
This powder is infused with skincare ingredients that your face will soak up. You’ll find a beautiful blend of Green Tea and Vitamins E, C, & F, to fight harsh external environmental factors and help keep the skin happy and healthy.
CoverFX strives to offer clean, high-performing, and high-quality products. This powder is free of potentially sensitizing components like talc, mineral oil, sulfates, phthalates, and gluten. This luminous powder is also effortless to use.
CoverFX recommends applying this powder after applying the rest of your makeup. Then take a small amount of powder on a brush. CoverFX states to press, roll, and lightly sweep the product all over the face or where you need to glow.
13. Maybelline Fit Me Loose Setting Powder
Maybelline is a cult-favorite drugstore brand that has been around for decades. Their Fit Me line is one of the most raved-about affordable makeup lines. Their Loose Setting Powder is just as good as luxury or high-end setting powders.
The Fit Me Loose Setting Powder is available in multiple shades so that every skin tone can find its match. It’s a mineral-based powder suitable for all skin types, and it offers a matte but not flat finish. They will also add color to your makeup.
Maybelline’s Loose Setting Powder will lock in your makeup so it won’t budge throughout the day. Its mineral formula will mattify, blur, and offer a lightweight finish that is even suitable for dry skin.
It offers light coverage, making it the ideal everyday powder. Overall, the Maybelline Fit Me Loose Setting Powder is a universal powder that everyone will love. It’s also the most accessible and affordable setting powder.
Have you found the perfect setting powder for your dry skin? Which one are you most interested in trying?
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