While bronzer is hailed as the hero of the contouring world, loose powder could be the secret key to highlighting, balancing and illuminating a range of skin tones.

I’ve said it thrice and I’ll say it again: loose powders are the miracle workers of the make-up world!

What other product can set your foundation in place, double as a highlighter, brighten the complexion and reverse-contour all in one flick of the wrist? I’ll wait…

And now, the offerings on the market have evolved into subtle, weightless shades that support a range of different skin tones (so no more chalky effect) and feel super light on the skin.

While bronzer is hailed as the hero of the contouring world, using the right loose powder works beautifully as a contrast. By applying it along the top of the jawline, sweeping it out underneath the eyes and along the the top of the cheekbones, or dabbing loose powder in the centre of the forehead, you’ll achieve a glowing reverse-contour effect.

The secret is in the application. The more loose powder you apply (either with a make up sponge of brush); and the longer you let the particles sit on top of the skin before brushing off the excess with a fluffy brush, the more powerful the effect! This technique (which in the past has been referred to as ‘baking’), allows the product to set and become one with the skin, absorbing the glow and lightness of the powder and thereby naturally throwing off that beautiful, reflective light. And that’s exactly the effect you want on those facial areas! To open them up, magnify the contrasts and balance the face.

The key is choosing the right powder formula so that the texture of the skin is not compromised. These formulas are weightless, brightening and work on not only mattifying the skin and adding longevity to your base, but also by colour correcting skin to look LIT from within… what a win!

How to achieve an elegantly contoured look – without packing on the bronzer

I like to apply these high-breed powders with a beauty blender or even cotton pad rather then a brush. It allows me to pack the product on. Roll your sponge in the powder, then dab and roll it gently on to the skin and across the high areas of the face mentioned earlier. You want to create a dusting of product, rather than press it into the skin too firmly. The key is to let the powder do the work by giving it time to settle on to the skin. Your job is simply to decide how intense or subtle you want the effect, while the powder does all the work! The softer the effect, the sooner you’ll dust the powder away with a clean brush. The more airbrushed you want to look, the longer you leave the product on the skin. Play with the timing! Start with a few minutes and build the duration to suit your preference and occasion.

Below are four of my favourite products that balance, brighten, mattify and help colour-correct the four main skin undertones.

Curious? Read on!

Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder in Sugar Cookie 

This product is as delicious as it sounds: a universal, quintessential all-round powder for light-to-medium skins. Its neutral tone makes it perfect for brightening under the eyes and disguising any dark circles. It smells delicious too, so refrain from using it in your cooking (lol) – because it’s that good. This extremely light and silky texture blends seamlessly into the skin, leaving it matte with a hint of sheen for a luminous finish that controls shine throughout the day.

FENTY BEAUTY Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Setting Powder in Lavender

FENTY is the gift that keeps on giving – and this powder in Lavender is perfect for light-to-medium skins that are dull and suffer pigmentation. Super brightening, it’s perfect if your skin tone – or the shadows under your eyes – throw green. Apply it on areas you want to highlight, such as under your eyes, along the top of the jawline and centre of the forehead. It’s the perfect balancer, without needing to wear a heavier camouflage cream. Pppst, there is also a shade called Cashew in this range, which is really great for dark skin types to lift, brighten and highlight – without adding shine. It’s the perfect alternative to a luminizer, where the gold tones don’t look quite right against darker skin. Cashew is matte, but has a nice honey, creamy, coffee-with-milk vibe through its colour.

Mecca Max Banana Bake Skin Filter

Of course I’m going to include this classic… it’s just too good not to! The universal hue is perfect for medium skin tones, and whether you have dark circles or not, the yellow hint of shade will brighten the skin to really nail that reverse contour look. While this is not a loose powder per se, I love the convenience and ease of this compact, while the formulation lusciously melts on the skin. In just the right shade of delicious to kick up your highlights, you’ll neutralise redness and zap oily shine + maximise your glow. The Banana Bake has long been the weapon inside the pro makeup artists’ arsenal, and with good reason!

Morphe Bake & Set Setting Powder In Rich

For darker skins, this translucent powder in Banana Rich gives you the ultimate airbrushed look! It really brightens the skin with zero ashiness, and I think it’s important that brands continue creating make up specifically for darker skin tones. Formulated to absorb oil and seamlessly lock in makeup, these power-packs provide a perfectly matte finish with zero flashback. Hello, closeups. This formula is really lightweight on the skin and has a really great choice of 5 shades. Well done Morphe.

 CREDITS

Words: Alina Berdi | Make up and Concept: Max May