Loose powder or pressed powder: is there that much of a difference? You aren’t alone if you’ve googled this question before. This post deep dives into all the important information around which powder to use to answer some of the most frequently Googled questions: is one better than the other if you have a specific skin type? Which is the best powder for oily skin or to achieve the ultimate matte face makeup?
You’re not alone in wanting to know the benefits of both and which will work best for you. Illamasqua Head of Makeup Mel Barrese says, “Pressed and loose powders generally do the same thing, they mattify and set makeup into place, but there are also some differences.”
So, this raises the age-old question –pressed powder or loose powder: Which one is best for you?
PRESSED POWDER OR LOOSE POWDER?
SKIN BASE PRESSED POWDER
It’s no secret we have just introduced our NEW Skin Base Pressed Powders, the missing piece to your Skin Base routine. This lightweight and matte formula is available in six shades and achieves a perfect finish time after time. With 10 hours of long-wear, our Skin Base Pressed Powder minimises pores and blurs imperfections for a shine-free finish.
“I love these powders because they are mattifying but sheer coverage, so they keep makeup in place and control shine, but they don’t build up when doing touch-ups. Also, because they are quite transparent, the shades adjust to all skin tones. Great results with very little effort.”
Our Skin Base Pressed Powder is velvet-smooth and vegan. Great for all skin types, when you combine this pressed powder with our Matte Veil Primer, it is the ideal powder for oily skin thanks to its mattifying properties. Perfect for touch-ups throughout the day, it also mattifies the face with minimal transfer onto mask and face coverings. One thing that is guaranteed with this matte face makeup: it leaves the skin feeling comfortable and looking refreshed.
WHY PRESSED POWDER?
PERFECT FOR TOUCH-UPS
Pressed powders are more compact and convenient for on-the-go applications. Skin Based Pressed Powder is excellent for touch-ups throughout the day, helping minimise the appearance of shine for up to 10 hours, without overloading the face with the product or changing the skin look.
WEAR ALONE
Our new Skin Base Pressed Powders gives lightweight coverage and a natural matte finish, so if you prefer a more natural look, you can skip the liquid foundation. Illamasqua Director of Artistry Pablo Rodriquez says, “The best feature about these pressed powders is they are mattifying. They are fantastic to control unwanted shine, especially on the T-zone, but they are so sheer that they do not build up while doing touch-ups throughout the day.
If you want a natural matte finish, it is better to apply it with a Powder Brush. For super matte skin with zero shine from every angle, use the pressed powder with a firm powder puff so you can add more pressure onto the skin.
PERFECT POWDER FOR OILY SKIN
A makeup bag essential for oily skin types. If you are prone to oily skin throughout the day, applying pressed powder over your liquid foundation and concealer can refresh your overall look. Using our Powder Brush dust powder to the key areas that need touching up, focusing primarily on the T-zone.
BUILD A NATURAL MAKEUP LOOK
Our Skin Based Pressed Powder is a great way to set concealer for a natural complexion and help minimise fine lines and creasing. Apply your primer for a natural look, and cover any blemishes or dark circles with our Skin Base Concealer Pen. Finish your natural skin look off with Skin Based Pressed Powder, applied with a big brush in circular motions for super- coverage.
PERFECT YOUR SKIN BASE ROUTINE
Mel Barrese says, “I like to apply [Skin Base Pressed Powder] after foundation and concealer to help set the look, increase long wear and keep shine at bay.”
Start with a smooth and blended base using our award-winning Skin Base Foundation and our Foundation Brush. Begin at the T-zone and blend outward, building up to your preferred coverage. Our Skin Base Foundation creates a real-skin effect making it the perfect base for any look.
Perfect your skin with our Skin Base Concealer Pen. A high-coverage, matte formula, our concealer pen will help you cover blemishes and skin imperfections. Our Skin Base Lift Concealer illuminates for flawless coverage and smooth texture to balance cool undertones to brighten under your eyes.
The ultimate final step to your Skin Base makeup routine, our NEW Skin Base Pressed Powder is perfect for adding the finishing touches to your look to set and perfect your complexion.
WHY LOOSE POWDER?
This makeup bag-staple can do everything from setting a liquid foundation to preventing oily skin or practising the baking technique. Our Loose Powder is finely milled and gives a very refined, smooth look to the skin. Loose Powder is soft and light and aims to fix your makeup flawlessly while holding it in place for long-wear to achieve a matte face makeup look.
WEAR ALONE
On the days where you don’t feel like wearing foundation, dust a few sheer layers of loose powder over your skin to give you a healthy, natural-looking complexion. You can use the loose powder by applying with a fluffy eyeshadow brush to certain areas, such as: under the eyes or around the nose and chin. Our Loose Powder is translucent so it won’t change the look of your makeup or the colour; it just sets and keeps shine at bay.
SET YOUR FOUNDATION
Another reason people love loose powder is that it seals in liquid foundation and makes it last longer, helping with oil control and makeup transfer. Apply a thick layer of the powder down the t- zone, using a medium-sized brush, like our Blusher Brush, and then leave for 5-10 mins.
You can then dust away from the excess, and you will be left with a very matte, silky-smooth skin look that will last. If you love a matte look, you can do this technique wherever you want the skin to be velvety matte, either all over, along the t- zone or simply under your eyes.
BAKING
Baking goes hand-in-hand with contour and highlighting and is a trendy technique. First used in stage makeup and the drag community, the baking technique involves coating a liquid foundation with a heavy amount of loose powder and leaving it to set, or ‘bake.’ for a period of time.
Once your foundation, concealer and contour are applied, tap Loose Powder to the highlighted areas of the face to help seal in the consistency and give a brighter, enhanced and smoother finish to the skin for a more dramatic look.
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