10 best face powders for dry skin that set make-up and keep shine at bay

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For those who are well acquainted with dry skin, the search for products that create a luminous and dewy base can be an extremely trying one.  

Despite the rise in serums and foundations for dry and dehydrated skin in recent years, there are fewer powders on offer that are marketed towards keeping shine at bay while hydrating the skin and helping make-up last longer.

Face powders come in many forms: there are translucent powders, powders for baking and brightening areas and powders that are pigmented to provide light to medium coverage.  

Make-up artist Krishnaa Sodha shares her top tips for using face powder on dry skin: “Whether it’s full glam or a natural look you are going for, powder is needed to ensure that make-up lasts a long time, as well as giving your complexion a flawless finish.”

“Those with dry skin can skip setting the entire face with powder as it absorbs the oil that dry skin lacks and this can dry out your complexion,” says Sodha.  

She advises that make-up wearers with dry skin should set their make-up with a loose powder in a lighter or translucent shade, this should be applied under the eyes and around the nose. While those using powder as a base should pair it with a hydrating spray.

If those with dry skin invest in the wrong powder, it can result in accentuated lines and dry patches, which can ruin the work of hydrating primers and foundations.  

Armed with a prepped and moisturised face we tested out a range formulas to see how they fared on dry skin – looking out for the those that would set make-up in place and keep shine at bay without any of the over-mattifying properties typical of powders.

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