Indispensable in beauty routines, since loose powder has come to compete with compact powder on the cosmetic market, many now swear by it. Airy and delicate, loose powder embodies the perfect finish as it has the art of lightly sublimating the face, without overloading it with material or clogging its pores.

Thanks to this product, the skin remains luminous and fresh. But then, what can be the secret of this cosmetic apart? In this article, PasseportSanté tells you all about loose powder.

Applying a powder (whether loose or compact, it doesn’t matter) is the ultimate makeup finishing step.

Thanks to the latter, the shine of the face, which can appear during the day, is reduced, imperfections less apparent, pores blurred, skin smoothed, mattified and more protected against external aggressions.

Finally, the beauty is also fixed for longer. You will understand, over the years, the powder has carved out a place of choice in beauty kits, so much so that it is now available in different forms.

If compact powder has long had the monopoly, since the offer has diversified and loose powder made its appearance, many do not know which version of this flagship cosmetic to turn to. Because, if the compact powder and the loose powder have many points in common, like their mattifying, sublimating and fixing action, they also have notable differences.

Compact powder

Most often, it is in a relatively thin case that we find the compact powder, which is in solid form.

To be applied using a small mousse (usually supplied with it), it helps to reduce small imperfections and thus unify and smooth the skin. Easy to handle, the compact powder can be taken anywhere and easily slipped into a bag, making it perfect for touch-ups during the day.

As for its finish: it is velvety at will. This cosmetic has such covering properties that it can in certain cases be substituted for the foundation.

Loose powder

Very volatile and generally packaged in a relatively large case, loose powder is less practical than compact powder and therefore more difficult to take everywhere.

However, it has other significant advantages: first of all, its finish is velvety, matte, while remaining very natural and light. Then, as it absorbs excess sebum and does not clog pores, it is ideal for use on oily, combination and / or blemish-prone skin. Finally, once deposited on the skin, it is much easier to work with than a compact powder and does not leave traces in its path.

Unlike compact powder, which is generally intended to be tinted, loose powder is most often available in a neutral, transparent or universal shade. It’s hard to go wrong, the latter having the art of adapting to all skin tones whatever they may be.

Absolutely imperceptible on the skin: it does its work, it smooths, blurs, mattifies, enhances the complexion and sets makeup discreetly. We still recommend that you opt for a shade that is slightly pinkish if your undertone is cold and instead for a peach, beige or golden shade if your undertone is warm.

Good to know

To determine the type of your undertone, you just have to rely on the color of your veins: are they blue-purple? Your undertones are cold. Is the color of your veins more like olive green? Your undertones are warm. Neither ? In this case, your undertone is neutral.

Ultra-fine, the loose powder is preferably applied using a powder puff and not a brush. To do this, just gently pat the skin in the areas where it is needed the most. Most often, it is on the T zone that it is necessary to insist (forehead, nose, chin), in particular if your skin is combination to oily.

Pay attention to the application 

Even with a loose powder, it is essential to keep the hand light. Indeed, applied in too large a quantity, it will have no other results than to dull the complexion. So, to avoid the mask effect, do not forget to go there sparingly: the skin must breathe under the powder.

Our advice 

Pat your puff on the back of your hand before applying it to the face to remove excess material. However, make sure that there is not too much loss: a case of loose powder is supposed to last several months.

Finally, do not forget that this cosmetic is applied as a finish to perfect the complexion. Here is the order of application to follow: first the foundation, the foundation, the concealer, then the loose powder.