Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder – Shine Control

10 Reviews

1. 

   betrayedBuck5

   Reply

   I’ve tried many setting powders over liquid and powder foundation. This is by far the best! It keep shine away, blurs pores butter than any other product I’ve tried, doesn’t leave a white cast and covers redness. I love it!

2. 

   peacefulIcecream0

   Reply

   This pressed setting powder doesn’t control oil and is hard to apply evenly without looking cakey and white. The powder is too dense and pressed into the compact. The sponge that comes with it doesn’t really help in application. The white soft side helps pickup the product better but the beige side is porous not soft more for powder or cream foundation application it doesn’t work. Since the powder is so dense and pressed it applies blotchy you really have to blend it in and use a lot which lifts and messes up you concealer and foundation underneath. For me it did cause breakouts. It was so heavy and cakey it settled into every expression and fine line and did not apply well on top of the dry spots and pores its was so blotchy. You can’t apply conceal or foundation on top where it got smear or lifted off from applying it will separate. The only good thing about this is it did blur some redness. In the end it feels heavy and look super cakey and white. Its more of a mask on top of your foundation making your foundation harder to completely remove without double cleansing.

3. 

   giddyTortoise5

   Reply

   My favourite LM SA gave a full size of this pressed powder after one make over session and for a while, it just collected dust because I wasn’t keen on the idea of dusting white powder on my face.
   In my mission to use up my stash, I decided to start using this powder and I’m pleasantly surprised. It’s actually rather sheer and doesn’t leave a white film on my face; the key is to apply it sparingly. I take my Sephora #56 brush and lightly dust it all over and it works great under my eyes to set my concealer and prevent mascara smudges.

   LM is known for her fantastic powder textures and this is no exception. It’s very finely milled, goes on beautifully without leaving a chalky look. I’m NC30 and it works for me.
   The packaging is rather bulky and I wouldn’t actually pay for this pressed powder.

   I’d recommend this for very fair skin tones who have trouble finding a pressed powder in an appropriate shade as this is translucent and you don’t mind the price tag.

4. 

   innocentTomatoe5

   Reply

   HG product. The matte translucent makes my skin look amazingly calm and even. It doesn’t make me look ashy, but then I have really pale skin.

   This + Jackie Oates = me looking downright photoshopped. And not the bad kind of photoshopped where half your arm disappears, either; the good kind that you have to pay very expensive effects artists for.

5. 

   similarPoultry2

   Reply

   My absolute favorite pressed powder! This is my go to for setting my makeup. I will say that I tend to get very shiny very easily and this is one of the only powders I’ve come across that really controls shine.

   I have medium-light skin and I like that this is a translucent powder, I haven’t had any issue with it making me look pale or ashy or whatever. If I really, really layer it on with a sponge applicator then yes, it will make me look slightly lighter but only as expected and even after that it’s not like a white cast or anything.

   One of my favourite things about this powder is that it looks great in photos! And I mean flash photos!!! By looks great I mean it looks matte but no whiteness/illumination with flash.

   If you struggle with oily, shiny skin I highly, highly recommend this powder. It works best to absolutely mattify when applied with a dense, soft powder brush or a sponge like the one it comes with. If you don’t want an entirely matte look you can always dust it on lighter with a fluffy brush. Also I’m mildly acne prone and it has never broken me out.

6. 

   wearyApples1

   Reply

   I have never tried Laura Mercier and I am very pleased so far. This powder is great for on top of foundation and even on the go. Sometimes if I know I will be sweating and I am only wearing a bit of powder foundation, I will pat some of this onto places where I am most oily and I stay matte longer than without it. I like the packaging a lot because when you shut it there is a strong click and I know it isn’t going to accidentally open in my bag. Also there is a pretty good sized mirror that is ideal for people on the go.
   I remember this being a little pricey but a little goes a long way and I can see this powder lasting me for quite a while. Overall I can’t find anything back with this powder and recommend it to people who are oily, like to set their foundations or are on the go a lot. The compact isn’t very large and it doesn’t take up too much space in my handbag so that is another plus. If you are willing to spend the money then go ahead and give it a go!

7. 

   anxiousFlamingo4

   Reply

   This is just another Pressed powder that is too whitish and must be blended very, very well. The sales aassistant applied this powder for me (at Sephora) and when I went home, my face was looking little bit white and cakey.
   Another thing is that almost all powders and blushes (including LM) contain talc or mica. For instance, mica and talc becomes caught inside a pore, enlarging it for good (yuck!)

8. 

   wingedLard4

   Reply

   This powder was great. I have oily skin and have redness to cover and this product worked great for me. I don’t find that it was a miracle worker in terms of my redness, but it did ever so slightly have an effect in toning it down. It was also not a miracle worker in completely stopping oil from breaking through but worked a lot better than many products that I’ve tried. I would still get oily but not as oily, and that was a great accomplishment. I put a thin layer on my face after foundation and actually looked very natural and didn’t cling to any dry spots or settle into pores. I didn’t have any problems with looking “green” or chalky. The packaging was great, sleek and sturdy. I may repurchase down the line because I did like it a lot, but I am still on the hunt to see if anything else works better for me.

9. 

   murkySmelt7

   Reply

   Love this. Was using MAC blotting powder but it felt a bit grainy.
   Don’t be put off by the white colour, but i would advise to dust your face and blend with large brush after ‘setting’
   I use LM tinted moisturiser or similar and then ‘press’ this powder all over my face with the sponge. The white will be very noticeable sitting on top of your skin so take a large soft natural brush (i like MAC bronzer one) and swirl it round, dusting off excess and very lightly blending into foundation. I will then blot gently again if i need to with sponge during the day if oil starts to appear, and it doesn’t upset the finish too much.
   The result is a perfect matt finish without the cakey or pigmented or aged look i get if i use a normal powder.
   You also dont have to fret over colour matching and oxidising.
   Pricey but imo worth it.

10. 

    wearyAntelope3

    Reply

    My friend had bought this powder for her wedding, and let the bridesmaids use it. You know how it goes – you wake up at an ungodly hour to get your makeup and hair done, and are supposed to look great until midnight…right….

    I’ve only heard and seen and been recommended to use setting powder, but I did not really think it could be that much more different than my mineral powder that I use to dust sparingly after I apply my foundation.

    To my surprise, the ingredients for this powder really does “set” your face for quite some time. Mind you, during the wedding, I reapplied about 3 times. However, I use it on an almost daily basis now, especially when I know I will be putting in long hours at work.

    PROs:

    – It keeps my oil production at bay (though I am normal skin, I do not have oily skin)
    – Only a very small amount needs to be used
    – After a minute after application, my face “looks” flawless – it is matte, and seems to minimize the appearance of pores
    – The pressed powder form makes it easy to use while on-the-go

    CONs:

    – The price is a little more expensive than some other setting powders out there
    – By the 3rd application, my skin is dry and doesn’t give me that beautiful, matte appearance. Understand that it is a great product, but it won’t set your makeup forever!

    TIPS:

    – I still apply my foundation and mineral powder before I apply this
    – I bring with me a small retractable brush and instead of sweeping, I pat/blot my face with the brush – I believe this ensures that the skin is absorbing it
    – Use a small amount or you might look chalky