My search for the perfect loose powder...

I've been trying out a couple of brands during my search for the perfect loose powder. I remember my time as a university student, where I didn't care about product quality and my main concerns were oily skin and acne (other than putting as many make up as possible to look cool). I switched between Becca, Prescriptive, Laura Mercier, MAC, Clinique, Bobbi Brown... and so on... the list just goes on. I gotta say that I'm not impressed by most of the loose powder I tried, as they don't seem to live up to their raving review. Some are thrown out after pilling dust at the bottom of my make-up drawer and some I did repurchase.

As I get older and wiser (and not too easily succumb to what the praises sang by Sales Assistant), I realised that I need more than one loose powder at a time (yippiiee....) as each have different purpose, coverage, texture, and colour. So, here is some of the loose powder I currently use. They're not really comparable to each other, I'm just sharing my thoughts on some of my 'regulars'...

1. Shu Uemura - Matte Face Powder

image credit: google image

Colour: I actualy use 5 YR light and Colourless at different time of the year.
Texture & Staying Power: finely milled powder that goes on smooth and light. It stays for about 4-6 hours (I work in an air conditioned room all day).
My take on it: On most days, I wear moisturizer, sunblock, a little bit primer, under eye concealer and straight to loose powder. So I use the 5 YR light when I feel that my skin is blotchy or uneven. When I need just a slight colour from my loose powder, I actually mix the 5 YR light and colourless together. But most days, I just apply the colourless matte face powder using bobbi brown's kabuki brush. The face powder does even out my skin tone (even the colourless helps to even out my skin tone slightly). It reduces oil on my face, but I do have to blot my face using oil control film just before I went out for lunch. I generally don't like the idea of touching up my loose powder since it feels like it combines together with the oil on my face and congested my pores. So I guess my perfect idea of a loose powder is one that stays on at least 8 hours straight. But since Shu Uemura loose powder doesn't make me break out at all, it doesn't oxidize or turn dark like some mineralized loose powder, and it even out my complexion, this is the one that I keep repurchasing year after year.
Price: Rp 510,000 in Shu Uemura counters in Indonesia (or $39 online). My auntie travels back and forth between Singapore and Indonesia, so I usually ask my auntie to buy them in Singapore airport on her way home
Would I repurchase? Yeah!


2. Make Up Forever - HD Microfinish Powder

image credit: instyle.com

Colour: It's a white powder... not transclucent, but white like those old style powder that my granny used to wear.
Texture & Staying Power: It's really finely milled powder, as it's advertised to give you flawless complexion in 6x magnification of high definition cameras.The texture is what actually made me decide to buy the loose powder. When I wear foundation, it stays on 6-8 hours (but I think it depends on your foundation staying power). When I wear it on its own, it stays on only for about 4 hours then my face get all oily and muddy coloured.
My take on it: This is definitely a good finishing powder due to its extremely fine texture, but not something that you can wear on its own, especially when you have pores the size of China like me! When I wear it on top of my foundation, it helps to set it and stop it from looking cakey or creasing into fine lines. Sometimes I pat it lightly around my eyes to brighten up any under eye discolouration and to set my under eye concealer. I think its fine texture makes it wonderful to set any concealer or foundation. Some days, I also use my large powder brush to dust the powder on top of my Shu Uemura l/p to brighten up my face.
Price: approximately Rp 300,000 (around USD 33) for 10g in Indonesian counter
Would I repurchase? It's not my number one l/p, but it's something nice to have (when you have the extra cash...)


3. Pure Luxe - Silica Powder and Translucent Powder


image credit: pureluxe

Colour: both are translucent in colour.
Texture & Staying Power: They're not as finely milled as Shu Uemura or Make Up For Ever, but still goes on smoothly. The silica powder stays on better than the translucent powder... may be because it's a primer powder
My take on it: Firstly, the powders takes forever in shipping. I just realized that orders made through the website are not directly processed and shipped like other larger cosmetic companies. I thought it was lost and was just about to ring up the local post office when I arrive home one day and saw the package placed on my desk. So I eagerly try them on (I was actually patient enough to wait till the next morning to play around with it.... hehehe...)The silica powder absorb the oil on my face, allowing the flawless skin achieved in the morning to last till late afternoon. I put it on before 7 am and I noticed slight oil on my face around 3 pm, while usually I have to blot my face just before I leave for lunch at 12. So it's effective in absorbing the natural oil. I haven't tried to wear it when I'm out and about (and getting all sweaty from the dirt and dust in Jakarta) as I don't really go out and about too much. But I'll let you know its staying power after I have a chance to do it. While for the translucent powder, well... it's translucent... It doesn't do anything much and I don't see any difference from wearing it. It doesn't stay on as long as the Shu Uemura nor feel as nice. Generally, it's an okay loose powder... but I'm not in love with it...
Price: Silica cost $14 Translucent cost $12 (30 g each) from the Pure Luxe website.
Would I repurchase? I love the silica powder as primer. But I prefer Shu Uemura's translucent powder though it cost more...


4. Anna Sui Loose Powder

image credit: fragrancex.com
Colour: light purple (YES! It's my fave colour... Purple!!!) with very fine shimmer
Texture & Staying Power: I love the application, as it comes with delicate and fluffy purple puff and faintly you can smell the rose scent when you're applying it. I didn't really notice how long it stays on...
My take on it: Initially I bought the compact version of this purple powder, but I just love the packaging and thought it'll look pretty and lady like sitting on my vanity table. I use the powder when I'm going out somewhere fun as it makes my skin glow and shimmer. I pat them lightly on my cheek (after I put on my blush) and on my nose, just like how you put on highlighter. But you really need a light hand to apply the powder or you'll end up like a disco ball, especially when you have oily skin like me. Some of my friend who use it complains of looking pasty, but I think if it looks pasty then you've picked the wrong colour or you put on waaaayyy to much...
Price: I bought a couple of items together with the powder a while back, so I can't recall the exact price... but it was around $40.
Would I repurchase? Not if I found something better... but I'll keep the cannister for sure :)


I'm still waiting to try on a couple of loose powders...
- MAC mineralized loose foundation (I know it really is a foundation, but it still applies like loose powder)
- Illamasqua Pink Face Brightener (I'll be off to London in June, so I'll get to try the whole Illamasqua loose powder range... can't wait!!!)
- NARS loose powders
... aarrghh... can't even list them down since there are too many!! T__T

I'm quoting my sister when I say... I'm dreaming of a day where money grows on trees and flowers and can only be picked by me.... so I can go on cosmetic spending spree all day...