NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP HD Studio Finishing Powder, Translucent Finish

If you're looking for a affordable and quality finishing powder, then this is it! I personally love this powder, it softens the rest of my makeup giving me a smooth and finished look. Although I use very little (since a little goes a long way) I love how it absorbs most of the oil from my face for a long period of time. Despite its greatness, I wouldn't say that I use this on a daily basis, but rather for when I go out and know that I will be taking a lot of pictures! I was initially skeptical of the product before buying it due to the reviews about "flashback" and "white faces," but I can assure that if you use it the right way, you won't look ghostly in pictures! So I'm going to clarify a few things that some may be confused about: 1. Since this is a finishing powder, you should use it only after you have applied everything -- foundation, powder, bronzer, blush, etc. THEN this powder. 2. Only use this ONE time!! This is not a touch up powder or something that provides extra coverage. So for all you face bakers out there, this is not the thing for that (honestly, no finishing powder really should be). 3. You must use the smallest amount EVER! A little goes a longggg way. So look at your brush. You think it looks good? Ok, cool! Now shake off even more excess. Trust me. 4. To avoid white streaks and moving your perfectly placed makeup always remember to PAT on your powder! Even when blending, just pat in circles. The main ingredient in this product (and most finishing powders) is Silica. And for those who don't know, Silica is strongly holographic so it possesses light reflecting properties... AKA it's a light reflective ingredient. So if you use too much and take a photo with flash, the flash is going to reflect off your face and make it look white. But that's ONLY if you use too much! HD finishing powders are meant to provide a finished soft and smooth look that are great on cameras and photography if you use it the right way! I personally like to use a kabuki brush with black bristles because they are not only great for applying this powder, but also great for determining if you are using too much! If you can see the powder on your brush, then you have too much. If you use the powder in this way, you shouldn't have any flashback problems but rather a flawless finished face!

I can see why many of the reviews are either love it, or hate it, but let me explain the pros and cons, and why I personally gave this 5 stars. This product is phenomenal for oily skin. My skin is so oily that with most setting powders, I will have to blot 3-4 times a day, reapply, ruin my contour, and basically be makeup-less and melting by the end of the day. It gets to a point with other setting powders where many days I am too frustrated to do makeup because I know the oil will just come through and ruin everything. I've tried Stay Matte by Rimmel, E.L.F.'s HD powder, Maybelline Fit Me matte + poreless powder, Dream Matte, even NYX's other powder, "Set it Don't Fret It," basically every drug store powder for oily skin whether pressed or loose, I've tried it and have gotten oily by lunch time. That's with a primer and setting spray. However, with this powder, I am able to take a big fluffy brush, dip it into the powder (you don't need much!) swirl it in my oily zones, and apply my setting spray. I leave my house with the confidence that my face will not melt off and that my skin will stay matte. If I'm really oily, maybe I will need to apply about 4-5 hours later, but this stuff is amazing. Now all that being said: this is NOT good for dry skin in my experience and it is NOT good for the under-eye area. I do acne peels for old acne scarring, and when I do them, my face becomes very dry and has patches of dryness. If I attempt to use this powder, even with a moisturizer before applying anything, my skin will look terrible. If you have dry skin, you may want to check out Coty Airspun Loose Powder. My friends with dry skin have had great experiences with it, and it's affordable! Additionally, the NYX powder creases like no body's business if you use it under your eyes to bake. NYC makes some good, cheap loose powders, if you're into affordable baking. Overall, this powder has saved my face and my makeup experience, but I would direct your attention else where if you have drier skin or you are considering baking with this powder.

The powder feels very lightweight and sets makeup nicely, giving a soft-focus finish and reducing shine. It works best when applied in a thin layer. However, it can leave a white cast with flash photography and may emphasize dry patches if the skin isn’t well moisturized. Overall, great quality for the price and perfect for everyday use

This is a great deal for a great translucent powder! I have used several "HD" powders including the MakeupForever one by Sephora and other oil absorbent powders (Laura Mercier, Neutrogena, all sorts of rice powders). I prefer the translucent because I am very particular about my foundation matching my skin perfectly and I don't need any extra covered; I just like to set my face with a nice matte finish. I will prelude by saying I am pretty oily in the T-zone and carry oil-absorbant papers with me because I typically need them around 11AM if I applied before 6AM.This sounds pretty reasonable and I have lived many years with that sort of routine. Until I bought this powder. Now I don't touch my face all day and my makeup is flawless. It makes my skin very silky and matte (I add highlighter to not look to intense) and the oil stays away. I cannot speak on behalf of those with sensitive skin or dry skin types, but for me and my skin this works famously and doesn't cost as much as other powders I have previously used. I have read where people had a hard time opening this and that its "messy" but its not much messier than other loose eyeshadows or other loose face powders. If you haven't experienced those before then I can see where this would be a bit of a "mess." However, I am quite used to loose face powders and a great way to avoid the mess is to either keep it upright in your makeup drawer or cabinet or gently move it back and forth on a flat surface a few seconds to sift some of the powder back down. Thats what seems to work for me and I don't waste a speck of the powder. Well, thats another great drugstore brand for the books! I love this powder!

Will buy again. Amazing product. No residue and doesn't cover makeup, just bakes it in for all day no shine.

Love this product for setting my under eyes. Smooths and fills and holds all day. The reason I give it 3 stars is because the first time I purchased the powder, it was odorless. The second time I purchased it, the smell was VERY off putting. I hesitate to even put it on my face.

So I've been wearing makeup for years, but only recently decided to Do Something about the sometimes-often 'melting makeup' look happening on my face when it hits mid-afternoon. I have combo skin in that my T-zone gets SUPER oily and my chin and cheeks do not. My skin is also stubborn in that the pores on my nose are quite large, so you can imagine how makeup might settle on my nose with a double whammy of giant pores + oil. (If you can't imagine, the oil would basically melt the makeup off, but makeup that settled into my pores would proudly stay. So I had weird dots on my nose. YIKES.) I decided I needed to change my routine, which includes adding more products like this. The container is on the small side and may shock you at first because of how white it is, but you don't need to use a whole lot so it goes on invisible. Use the very tip of your powder brush, because the powder is so fine that any more force will send it straight up into the fluff. I recommend tapping and swirling your brush into the lid very gently before applying, and when applying, use a light tapping motion to get the powder to shake onto your face. THEN tap into the lid again, you'd be surprised at how much slips into your brush from the first go. For anyone who has also suffered from "melting face", "cakey layers", and "pore pockets" here are some tips: - Allow more 'setting' time between moisturizer, sunscreen, and primer before applying actual makeup. It's like applying nail polish, you need to give it some time to dry before you start the next layer, or else you get something that gets tacky and gunky. - Pat in your primer, especially around your pores. It's better to pat/tap in your moisturizer/primer vs. rubbing it in, but this is especially key for primer. Patting will settle the primer into your pores more efficiently, allowing a more even surface. I currently use e.l.f. Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer - I'm trying out primers at the moment, and this for the price is pretty good so far. - Stipple foundation, instead of brushing/stroking it on. Less of a chance of your brush/sponge/fingers rubbing away your carefully laid groundwork. - When all your makeup is done (foundation, colored powder, bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, etc etc. whatever your routine is), use the setting powder. - Apply finishing spray - lightly mist your face. I currently use NYX Cosmetics Make Up Setting Spray, Matte Finish/Long Lasting, 2.03 Ounce , which the reviews mentioned is comparable to Urban Decay's All Nighter (which is TRIPLE the cost) I know it's a lot of steps, and you could probably cut out a decent amount in the middle, but considering my stubborn oily skin, this is the best for me so far. Hope that helps!

This translucent powder works really well for me. It gives a smooth finish without feeling heavy and sets my makeup perfectly. I have oily skin and it keeps the shine away for hours without making my face look cakey. I apply it to key areas and it looks very natural. I love it.