Loose powder and pressed powder: Loose powder is exactly what the name suggests. It tends to provide a sheerer, light application and can be best for someone with normal to oily skin. Pressed powder is merely loose powder with added waxes, binding agents, or emollients to keep the powder in a solid form. While pressed powder is heavier than loose powder, it is more convenient and a lot less messy. Both loose and pressed powders are perfectly fine options and it is a matter of personal preference which you use. What is essential, though, is to choose a powder that is the same color as your foundation. If your powder is lighter than your foundation, you can end up looking pasty and pale; if your powder is darker, you will look like you’re wearing a mask.
Pressed powder with sunscreen: A few cosmetics lines, including Paula’s Choice, Jane Iredale, Neutrogena, Stila, and Chanel, offer pressed powders that contain effective sunscreens. These powders are nearly identical to regular pressed powders except that they have a slightly thicker texture and provide more substantial coverage, along with an SPF 15 or greater, and include UVA-protecting ingredients, the most typically used being titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide. Because sunscreens must be applied liberally to ensure sun protection, I generally do not recommend relying on pressed powders with sunscreen as your sole source of UV protection. Most women simply would not use enough of the powder to get the designated SPF number, and overpowdering is not an attractive option. Therefore, pressed powders with effective sunscreens are an excellent way to add to the UV protection you get from your sunscreen or foundation with sunscreen, particularly for those with oily skin. For longer days in the sun or times when it is not feasible to redo your makeup to maintain sun protection, pressed powders with sunscreen can be very convenient and extremely practical.
Talc is the basic element in almost all loose and pressed powders, but some companies opt to use mica (which lends a shiny finish), cornstarch, or rice starch (both starches have a light but very dry feel). Keep in mind that using powders made from corn or rice is not the best option if you’re prone to breakouts. The bacteria that cause acne thrive on food ingredients like this, so why would you give something you don’t want (blemish-causing bacteria) what it needs to survive?
Application: Apply the powder with a large (but not too large), full, round brush. Avoid using a sponge or powder puff, which can put too much powder onto the face. Pick up some of the powder on the full end of the brush, knock off the excess, and brush it on using the same motion and direction as you did for the foundation. Apply everything in the same direction to help retain a smooth appearance.
If you are touching up your makeup later in the day, before powdering, use your sponge, a facial tissue, or oil-blotting paper to dab away excess oil from the face. Then apply the powder.
Some makeup artists use a powder puff to press the powder into the skin for a very flat, matte finish. As professional a touch as this may be, it is best only for photographs. A powder puff places too much powder on the skin and the result can look thick and heavy in real life. Powdering with a makeup sponge has the same effect as using a powder puff, although the pores of the sponge do allow for a slightly less matte look. However, this can still lay too much powder on the skin.
Pros: If you want to reduce shine or moisture on the face, powdering is the fastest, easiest way to get the job done. Sans foundation, powder can lend a polished, sophisticated look to the skin.
Cons: There are really no drawbacks to wearing powder, but cautions exist: Don’t overdo it, use the wrong color, or build up too much powder on the skin via frequent touch-ups.
Powder with shine: If you want to use something to make the skin look luminescent and shiny, one of the best ways to do this is with powder that has shine. Apply this after your foundation and regular powder, and only dust it over the areas you want to glow, such as the cheeks, chin, center of the forehead, shoulders, neck, and decolletage. Most makeup lines offer at least one shiny powder, and some lines offer several. If you want to try a shiny powder, be sure to check the finish in daylight so you can really see how shiny it is and decide if this is the look you had in mind. The best look is a soft, low-glow shimmer rather than obvious sparkles or, even more obvious, flecks of glitter.