Perfecting Powders

[zeebs]

I know there are probably a zillion threads on this topic already, but the search feature is kind of frustrating (perhaps I should cross-post this in the Wish List forum).

I'd like to know more about the perfecting powders - what are the differences between them? How tinted are they?

Does anybody use all of them? Can anybody NOT use them?

I guess I just want to know more about others' experiences with the various perfecting powders.

Thanks!

[Rhys]

I'll give it a shot, but all of them are translucent, at least - nothing's going to make you look like you just powdered your face with flour. I would use either a big floofy powder brush that isn't very dense (you can find them at Walgreens? I think - in America, and most chemist shops woldwide for cheap), or a fibre optic brush - you don't want to go really heavy with them.

Original Silk Perfecting Powder - gotta have it, no matter who you are. Truly translucent, blurs pores, can be used in lieu of foundation in a pinch - it really does a wonderful job of evening out your skin tone and minor imperfections. If you're a bit greasy, it'll tone that down, and if you're a bit dry it will leave you glowy in a nice way (and believe me in how conservative I am on that one - most glowys I've tried have been near-radioactive on me - this one is just a lovely 'fresh face' look). I use it under foundation as a primer and it helps keep me from drying out.

Datebait - If it was you with the funky skintone, this one might not work for you. All of the perfecting powders share the soft focus/fresh face/blur imperfection qualities, but this one is slightly pink. Not pink the way radiances are, but a little on the pink side - perfect if you're cool toned, works for most neutral girls, and some warm girls, too.

Love Lure - more for warm girls and neutral girls, but cool girls can wear it, too. If you have an olive or gold complexion, this one might be your HG of finishing powders. Even I can pull it off, and do when I'm going for a warmer look. Light tan with just the slightest touch of gold - looks way better than I'm describing it. Also picks up golden skin undertones. Very pretty.

Tempt Tryst - if you have typically Asian skin tone and are light to light medium, this is probably the one I'd pick. For stronger yellow undertones regardless of ethnicity. Not sure if it would work with gold undertones - maybe it would if you're truly gold with no pink, but I like Love Lure better for gold tone skin. This is the only one I can't wear, but a lot of girls love it, especially because it perks up the under eye area as well as giving a nice glow (again fresh face, not radioactivity) to skin all over. I need to try it very lightly for under eye only - this one I can't wear all over, but I am near as cool as they come. It looks fabulous on Jen, though.

Any of them: Where you have imperfections, like pores that are a bit too big - go lighter on that area - save it til last so there isn't loads of powder on the brush. If you goof it won't be disastrous, but you just need the lightest touch to blur anything you don't want the world to see.

And if you're having a no-foundation day but want just the lightest bit of cover and perk-up, use one of these. They are really that good. I don't know how many brands I've tried, but these are the only ones where I'm on a second jar of two of them, instead of the first jar still sitting there over 3/4 full.

[Rhys]

If it helps any, in the pic I was wearing a combo of Love Lure and Datebait over a 16 white/1 ebony base. Of course, the flat was about 85 degrees and it was less than a week after my last surgery - so I was getting sweaty from both the heat and a fever, but even still it wasn't bad. Forgive my horrible un-photogenic-ness, please!

[~*mikie*~]

That's a *fine* pic, Rhys!

Zeebs, I am one whose favorite *isn't* the Perfecting Powder as I really need a little hint of color. White is great, white is good, but white shows up as white on my skintone. I prefer a mixture of DateBait & LoveLure ~ LOVE them both.

hCTiRJrNc8f7iirZKY5tnQXEVTShWFnJ0060.jpg (3.17 KiB) Viewed 5561 times

mikie

[JenW]

The only thing I might add to what our other experts have said, is that Love Lure is probably the most pigmented of the three. I love it as a bronzer when I am pale, but in the summer I can use it as my finisher. Honestly, If you made me pick just one, it would be hard. I think Date Bait gets the most 'face time' for me, though, over the course of the whole year.

[frond]

I've been using PP white solo.. but lately started adding some Date Bait into the mix. Then I kinda bronze with Love Lure... if that makes any sense. To me, it gives my face a little bit more contour? definition? very subtle effect.. but nice

[Rhys]

I think you just hit the scary part, Frond.

So let me revise my opening statement: Yes, you need all of them, because you'll just feel compelled to mix - the 'I'd like sort of pink, but I want a little tan in there, too' or 'gold is good, but I think I want to lighten it up a bit today'

IOW - grab them during the sample sale, as that's probably going to be the only way you can really tell.

But I honestly don't think I'll use a full size of Tempt Tryst ever. I'm already on container 2 of my f/s's of the original and Date Bait, and Love Lure hasn't been around that long!

[~*mikie*~]

I want to know how,lol...how some folks have gone through full-sizes of any of the perfecting powders? I use DateBait *daily*...& have since last September..& when I got LoveLure began mixing that in,too. But even w/daily usage, I'm nowhere near "through" anything...so that always floors me?!? Maybe I don't use anywhere near as much as others do. Can tell you what, though...may tweak my colors further when my new deep ebony & peach arrive, hehe...might make a whole host of finishers.

mikie

[JenW]

Mikie-
It must have ta little to do with the dry versus oily skin. Since mid-August I have used up a Date Bait and Perfecting Powder. I am typically combo, but oilier when it is above 60 degrees. I don't get dry until about late November, and it runs through late Feb. Then back to oilier. I guess we all have slightly different usage rates. I am probably higher than average on how fast I use things up, and a little of it could have been early on, and not knowing the perfect amount to shake out into my swirly bowl.

[Rhys]

I use a lot less finishing powder with the FO brush. Part of it is I do have trouble getting the right amount into a swirly bowl and part of it was when I was using a big floofy brush I was trying to get the brush covered, but lightly. The FO brush is way easier for me in that regard. I've been using the original Perfecting Powder under foundation since I first got it. And I've made up a lot of other people with my stuff, too.

I'm always amazed at those 5 gr blush samples that say 'good for 3 - 6 applications' - those I could use every day for a year, I think. 3 - 6 apps - not without being CAKED. And most of it would still fall off my face. Cos those I'm always really careful to just grab a few grains with a brush.

So put it down to technical difficulties here?