Best Powder: The 2023 Glam Beauty Awards

Setting powder can sometimes be treated like a bit of an afterthought when it comes to building an everyday makeup routine. It's purpose is a noble one, however. Without setting powder, all that time you spent applying the perfect full face of makeup could end up wasted when it slides off or fades away after only a couple of hours. Setting your makeup with a powder is an absolute must if you're looking for long-lasting coverage, especially during the warm weather seasons. But not all setting powders are created equal.

Welcome the 2023 Glam Beauty Awards. For this category, we put popular setting powders to the test, examining each product's application ease, overall look, and staying powder. Read on for our thoroughly vetted list of the top five best setting powders you'll find on the market.

Read more about the 2023 Glam Beauty Awards methodology and all the top picks here.

Coty's famous Airspun Loose Face Powder brings a whole new meaning to the term classic. This silky, ultra-fine translucent powder has been on the market for nearly a century. If you ever played with your mother's or grandmother's makeup as a kid, you've probably run into its signature packaging and iconic scent. As with all true classics, there's a reason this powder's popularity hasn't died out over the decades — it works, even with the updated talc-free formula.

Airspun does everything a good setting powder should. It holds your foundation, concealer, blush, bronzer, and highlighter in place all day, and it does so without the slightest bit of grit, cakiness, or creasing. Because the formula is so unbelievably smooth, it mattifies without appearing dry or crumbly. It somehow allows a slight, healthy glow to appear where shine once lived. The translucent powder appears to have just enough of a tint to avoid a harsh white cast but not enough to appear pigmented on the skin. We couldn't find a single flaw and would even recommend it for oil control on makeup free days. 

Purchase Airspun Loose Powder on Amazon for $7. 

If you work long hours or just don't enjoy living that reapplication life, Morphe has your back with its Bake & Set powder. One generous application of this powder over your concealer, foundation, and other base products will ensure that they will not budge for hours. And it works its magic with minimal product needed and without a harsh white cast. Morphe Bake & Set Powder's texture isn't quite as silken as Airspun's, but it's far from gritty or cakey.

We found the matte finish of Morphe Bake & Set Powder's to be a tad on the drying side. If your skin tends to be oily, this extra oil absorbing action may be an advantage for you. Those with dry or mature skin, however, may wish to proceed with caution to avoid exacerbating dry patches, flakes, fine lines, or uneven skin texture. 

Purchase Morphe Bake & Set Powder at Target for $14. 

Need more than just setting and mattifying in your under-eye area? Florence by mills You Matte-r Translucent Powder offers the additional benefit of brightening, causing an instant awakening in the appearance of the skin under the eyes. The finish is a natural matte that does allow a bit of diffused glow to shine through. This powder is lightweight and truly translucent, containing no trace of pigment. No worries about a skin tone mismatch here.

Unfortunately, the lack of tint leaves a bright white pressed powder that can create a bit of a ghostly cast on your skin and result in some flashback when taking photos. These effects are amplified when you apply the product heavily. If you're on the hunt for a powder to set a full face of heavy makeup with, you may need to keep looking. If you're looking for a powder specifically for setting and brightening your under-eye concealer or for minimally applying to a natural or no-makeup makeup look, this could be the one for you. 

Purchase Florence by mills You Matte-r Translucent Powder at Target for $18. 

The issue that can sometimes emerge with translucent setting powders is that a product that is truly colorless ends up taking the form of a white powder that can leave a ghostly cast on your skin. While this might not be visible under natural or artificial light sources, it nearly always appears in a very unflattering way when a photo is taken using the flash function. The wearer is then left looking like cakey and unnaturally pale in said photo for all of time.

Makeup Revolution Loose Baking Powder manages to nail the right balance between a tiny, nearly undetectable amount of pigment and a stark white powder. The result is a translucent product that doesn't leave a visible white cast or create flashback in photos. The powder is also highly blendable with a nearly silky matte finish. 

The main drawback of this product is its packaging. The bottle is similar to salt shaker with a lid, leaving you no option other than shaking messy loose powder directly into your hands or a surface to apply. But if you're not afraid of a mess wherever you apply your makeup, then you'll enjoy the other benefits this product has to offer. 

Purchase Makeup Revolution Loose Baking Powder on Amazon for $8. 

If you struggle with dry skin that is typically exacerbated by matte powders, Ami Colé Skin Melt Talc-Free Loose Setting Powder is what you've been looking for. This nourishing formula features hyaluronic acid and baobab seed extract to keep delicate skin hydrated even as it mattifies. The result is a setting powder that feels almost creamy once applied and creates a naturally glowing satin finish that mimics healthy bare skin. 

The only real drawback we noted is that the small amount of pigment added to prevent flashback does produce a slightly warm cast that could clash with very cool skin tones. Props absolutely must be given for Ami Colé Skin Melt Talc-Free Loose Setting Powder's superior packaging, which features a hinged spill-proof second lid along with a mesh trampoline for easy dispensing. 

Purchase Ami Colé Skin Melt Talc-Free Loose Setting Powder at Sephora for $22.