I can’t remember the last time I actually wore a powder foundation on it’s own. Having dry skin, and often dry dehydrated skin in the winter, it just never seemed to set well on my face despite which product I tried. Even Bare Minerals looked cakey on me when I barely used any product. I am through and through a liquid/cream foundation girl.
That being said, I hate the sometimes tacky feeling you get with some foundations. That feeling like it is just sitting on your face, waiting to rub off on the first thing that touches it. Locking it in with a setting powder not only will help your foundation last a bit longer, it will also give you a more smooth finish.
I was originally introduced to the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Microfinish Powder by one of the Sephora Favorites kits. I was amazed at how much longer my base lasted, as well as not altering the coloring of whatever foundation I was using. It buffed so nicely into my skin, didn’t cause any flashback in photos since there is no SPF in it, and left my face feeling really silky.
The downside? It’s $34 for .3 oz. For a product that I use frequently, that is insane for me. I wish I could remember where I originally saw this recommendation so I could link to here and give her credit (though in the same post she also cited Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel as a dupe for Smashbox Photo Finish Primer). However, it was three computers ago, so no idea where that link is saved now. Anywho, she mentioned that Coastal Scents Silica Powder Spheres was almost an exact dupe of the MUFE.
Looking at the ingredients, they are the same. MUFE claims that their spheres are smaller, but in actual application I didn’t notice one iota of a difference. The only difference I noticed was that I occasionally got a little to heavy handed with the Coastal Scents one because I HAD SO MUCH MORE OF IT. SERIOUSLY WHY DID I BUY SO MUCH. Apparently I sometimes go a bit overboard with bargains. When I bought it, Coastal Scents had some kind of crazy 50% off sale. So naturally I decided the best course of action was to buy the 1lb bag. THE ONE POUND BAG YOU GUYS. WHAT WAS I THINKING?!
I guess was thinking, hey I can get a pound of this stuff for $25 on sale when the HD powder would cost roughly $1636 for that quantity (16 ounces in a pound and $34 for .3 ounces). I have been trying to get through this stuff for a year. I am mitigating exposure to bacteria by keeping the bag triple sealed in a cool dry place, and only occasionally filling up an old empty container for my daily use. I think the general recommendation is to toss out loose powders after about two years, and I doubt I’ll be able to use that much by then even.
For those of you who are more sane than I am, I completely recommend testing out the 1oz size (regularly priced $4.95), and not the 1lb bag no matter how good of a deal it is, because not all of us should suffer like this.
You can get the MUFE HD Microfinish Powder here, or the Coastal Scents Silica Powder Spheres here.
♡Em
