10 Setting Powder Hacks For Your Makeup Routine

There are many layers to a beauty routine—Foundations, shadows, primers, and lipsticks galore. But out of all the beauty products in your makeup bag, a setting powder might just be your secret weapon. That’s right. Your loose face powder can go so much farther than just the typical dusting on your face. Below, we’re sharing eleven setting powder hacks to upgrade your beauty routine.

Setting Powder Hack #1: Apply Powder Before Foundation

Tik Tok has brought us some of our favorite makeup hacks as of late, including this one. Instead of applying setting powder last to lock in your look, some of Tik Tok’s brightest makeup stars have introduced us to applying powder before foundation. This small switch can work wonders because the powder soaks up oil on your skin and acts as a shield between your complexion and the rest of your makeup.

Setting Powder Hack #2: Taming Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, we’re sure setting powder has become a part of your daily makeup regimen. But it can also come in handy on those makeup free days. With just a dusting of translucent face powder, like  L'Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Sweep & Lock Loose Setting Face Powder, you can help keep the shine away and cut down on the need to blot throughout the day.

Setting Powder Hack #3: Lock In Lip Color 

If your lipstick always seems to wear away and transfer onto every glass you drink out of then take a sip of this trick. A little bit of setting powder can help keep your lip color in place. First, apply your favorite shade of the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick. Then, place a tissue gently against your lips. Dip a powder brush into your setting powder and press it onto your pout through the tissue. Pull the tissue away, and your lip look will be locked in.

Setting Powder Hack #4: Tone Down Blush And Bronzer

A little bit of blush or bronzer goes a long way. But sometimes the lighting is off, and your blush turns out way too dramatic or you pick up too much bronzer on your brush, leaving behind more of a muddy look than a golden shine. The good news is, you don’t need to jump straight to removing your makeup and starting over. You can go over overdone makeup with setting powder to make your lines less harsh and tone down the color a bit.

Editor’s tip: If you find you’re often scrapping makeup looks and redoing them, read our article on How To Fix Bad Makeup Without Starting Over.

Setting Powder Hack #5: Set Cream Or Liquid Eyeshadow

Loose powder can make just about every makeup product more long-lasting. This extends to eye makeup, too. If cream and liquid eyeshadows always crease and smudge when you wear them, try making them long-wearing with the help of setting powder. Apply the L’Oréal Paris Brilliant Eyes Shimmer Liquid Eye Shadow Makeup as you normally would, then use a small brush to dust on a layer of powder. If you use an eye primer underneath it all too, your shadow will be practically unstoppable.

Setting Powder Hack #6: Catch Eyeshadow Fallout

You can be a master at blending eyeshadow and still end up with fallout beneath your eyes. While you can always saturate a cotton pad with makeup remover and wipe it all away, sometimes that makes even more of a mess. If you know fallout is going to be a factor, be proactive. Before doing your eye makeup, apply a generous amount of setting powder beneath each eye. That way, when you break out your shadows, any fallout will land on top of the powder. When you’re done with your eye makeup look, all you have to do is use a clean makeup brush to wipe away the powder underneath your eyes, and the fallout will go with it.

Setting Powder Hack  #7: Bake Your Makeup

Makeup baking is one of the biggest beauty trends to come out of the last few years and it still has a place in this skinimalistic beauty world. The technique uses a setting powder to lock in your makeup and make it last longer and look better. Next time you’re applying a full face of makeup, put on your foundation, then apply your concealer beneath your eyes. Blend the concealer out before using a makeup sponge to press a heavy layer of powder on top. Leave the powder to sit—or bake—while you apply your eye makeup. When you finish, sweep the excess powder away to reveal brighter under-eyes that won’t crease.

Setting Powder Hack #8: Hide Your Eyebrows

You may not need this trick every day, but when it’s time to rock a crazy costume or mix up your look, being able to glue down your eyebrows is a must. Besides glue, this makeup technique involves—you guessed it—translucent powder. You layer glue, powder, concealer, and foundation on to effectively hide your eyebrows—temporarily, of course.

Setting Powder Hack #9: Mattify Your Lip Color

While setting powder can be used to prevent transfer it can also be used to give any lip color a matte finish. just apply your favorite cream lipstick or lip gloss like you normally would. Then, use a small lip brush to pick up a little powder and gently dab it onto your lips for an instant mattifying effect. 

Setting Powder Hack #10: Even Your Skin Tone

If you want to use a setting powder to help even out your skin tone, look for a tinted option, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Tinted Loose Setting Powder. It comes in two tinted shades for light and deep skin tones. This setting powder helps cancel out redness, dark circles, and other imperfections. You can also layer it on top of your foundation for extra coverage. It has a lightweight matte finish that won’t leave behind any visible layer of white powder. 

Editor’s Tip: Stash this product in your purse for quick on-the-go touch-ups. If your foundation or concealer starts to fade throughout the day, you can use this tinted face powder to give your complexion a boost. 

Next: Translucent vs. Tinted Face Powder: Which Is Better?

Photo Credit: Chaunte Vaughn