Make-Up For Beginners #5 - Powders


Make-Up, Beginners, Powders, Help, Advice, Information

For my next installment in my Make-Up For Beginners, I have decided to concentrate on the world of settings powders. There are so many options out there and trends flying about the social media world it can be hard to get a handle on what you really need, or what you should be doing.

I am hoping by the end of this post you will be able to make sense of setting powders and what you can do to suit your own needs.


1. What are Setting Powders
Setting to powders are generally used to lock in liquid or cream products on the face such as foundations or concealers. When we spend a period of time perfecting our base we don't want it to be ruined by fine cracks - which is what setting powder prevents from happening.


2. Are There Different Kinds of Powders?
As with every area of make-up nothing is every simple from the outset and there are multiple products available to confuse us all. I am here to make things a little clearer and hopefully allow you to pick the product that is right for your needs.

  • Mineral Powders
    • These kinds of powders are meant as a replacement for medium coverage foundations. It is best advised not to be putting mineral powders over your foundation as it will make things look very cakey and won't help your base at all.
  • Loose Powders
    •  Loose powders come in two varieties: Coloured and Translucent
    • Coloured: works to correct tones in your base and helps to brighten the face
    • Translucent:  doesn't change the colour of your foundation and it doesn't add any extra coverage
  • Pressed Powders
    • Pressed powders tend to add slightly more coverage than loose powders
    • They contain binders which can add a polished look to the skin
    • Best to apply these powders with a buffing motion


3. How Best To Apply Powder?
Powder is best applied as a last step. By the time you reach this stage you should be applying it to the foundation that you have already applied by pressing it into the skin. If you swipe it over the face you can cause the foundation or other products underneath to move about and potentially remove them altogether. 


4. What The Hell Is Baking?
You would be forgiven for thinking I may have lost my mind suddenly talking about baking but in this instance I am not referring to the kind of baking that involves ingredients and an oven. The kind of baking that I am talking about is not a new phenomenon it has been used in the drag community of years. It has now trickled its way into mainstream and every beauty blogger you see or read about is now using this make-up trick.

What is is I heard you ask? Well it's very similar in theory to highlighting but it is mostly used for setting concealer around the face. The technique is done by using a damp make-up sponge to pat a thick coat of loose powder under the eyes or any area where you have applied a product that you don't want to crease. You will then let the powder sit for 5-10 minutes before swiping it away with a fluffy brush. The end result is that the concealer or foundation underneath has been set and should be prevented from creasing throughout the day.


5. Things To Remember
As I am sure you have managed to pick up by now but every product you use tends to come with simple things to remember:
  • If you prefer a dewy fresh look apply powder sparingly on the face.
  • Make sure when using powder that you apply it lightly so as to avoid the heavy look
  • Best to pat the powder into the skin with a dense brush - such as a kabuki brush
  • If you use a coloured powder try and match it to your foundation so as to ensure it's not too noticeable
  • Tap off excess powder before applying to the skin to ensure you don't look too powdery


Well there we have it my guide to powders for beginners. I hope that you were able to pick up some tips and tricks and that you have a bit more of an understanding of the world of powders now.

Are there any powders that you have used and would recommend?

Powders, powders everywhere - but which one to choose?

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