If you're normal to dry, it's usually an option rather than a necessity to set your liquid foundation. After all, you don't want to mattify or accentuate dry patches and flaking skin. However, a lot of dewy or dry skin foundations can be very fluid, tacky, or prone to migrating throughout the day.
So what do?
Enter setting powders that are meant to impart a glow on the skin. Yes, they exist. I haven't been having too much trouble with dry patches or flakes this winter, so these work perfectly in conjunction with any "dewy" liquid foundations that I wear. (If you do have dry spots, you might want to look into a setting spray such as MAC Fix+ or Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray.)
Clockwise: NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused, BareMinerals MineralVeil, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, Guerlain Meteorites in Teint Dore, and MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus.
For every day setting, I usually reach for the Hourglass Diffused powder. It's yellow toned and gives my skin a more satin finish with no visible sparkles. I'm already half way through the pan which is a first for me. The NARS LRP is also a great option of setting my foundation down without mattifying it, but I don't reach for it often since it is loose, messy, and so finely milled that it becomes a deadly dust vapor of lung cancer. (Yet, don't buy the pressed version, It's very dry and does not perform the same.)
If I'm feeling like giving my face some warmth or a more obvious highlight (think ultra natural contouring) I will reach for the Ambient Palette instead. I like Radiant Light (right) for the edges of my face and Incandescent Light (middle) to softly highlight. Dim Light (left) is too beige/peach for my olive skin, so I don't reach for it.
The BareMinerals Mineral Veil is the most matte out of all of these powders. I set only my T-zone, focusing on the sides of my nose, in order to prevent oils from seeping through. I also only use this loose powder if I'm wearing a very dewy foundation such as Benefit Hello Flawless, where things can slip and slide by lunchtime at work if not set properly.
Now, here's the shocker of the bunch: Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. Yes, I believe it's for brightening the undereye area, but it's absolutely gorgeous on top of a matte and full coverage foundation. It brings back some dimension to your skin without obvious glitter, just a hint of shimmer.
For a more subtle glow, Guerlain Meteorites are perfect. I love the fancy packaging but don't care for the violet scent (it's strong!) However, it's still very much a magic product (this is the old formula and packaging). My skin never looks "done" when I use this powder to set since it blurs any fine lines and makes my skin look healthy. Teint Dore is more flattering to warmer skintones.
Finally, my ride or die MAC MSFN in Light Plus. I can use it as a very lightweight powder foundation on very good skin days because it has sheer to light coverage and doesn't dry out the skin at all. In fact, it can get super glowy after a few hours of wear if you're on the combo side. I also love using this powder on top of any satin to matte foundations that need a tad more coverage.
Don't be afraid of setting powders! They can give you even more glow, longer wear time for your foundation, and be gentle to your drier skin.
xo Be
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