The 13 Best Setting Powders, as Ranked by a Beauty Editor With Oily Skin

This is the product for tackling shine in the summer months.

Setting powders are the Marmite of the makeup world—you either love them or you hate them. Yet despite having oily skin since being a teenager, setting powder has fallen by the wayside for me in recent years, with glowier makeup looks featuring glowing foundations and cream blushers dominating the beauty scene.

However, incorporating a setting powder into your routine doesn't mean compromising on radiance. "Ensure you use a hydrating base [as a part of your skincare routine] beforehand to keep your makeup looking fresh, but without that cakey look," advises celebrity makeup artist Brooke Simons. "Then use the powder sparingly and just on the areas that need setting. For example, avoid the cheekbone area, as you'll want this to look glowy, but use it on the T-zone where you may become oilier throughout the day."

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(Image credit: @sabinasocol)

And after recently rediscovering Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Powder during a particularly hot spell here in London recently, I was reminded of just how hardworking a decent setting powder is. My shiny skin was instantly transformed into a smooth, even and shine-free complexion with just a light dusting. Did I look dull? Not in the slightest. There was still radiance, but in a controlled way. And when I emerged from a humid tube journey later that afternoon, my makeup was still well and truly in check. Suffice to say, I have used a setting powder on my face every day since, and there are some seriously good ones on the market right now.

Mica Ricketts selection of best setting powders

(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)

Ahead, these are the 13 best setting powders that I've tried and recommend for keeping oiliness at bay but radiance shining through.

Shop the Best Setting Powders

1. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

2. Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Matte Translucent Setting Powder

Mica Ricketts holding Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Matte Translucent Setting Powder

(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)

3. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish

4. Hourglass Vanish Airbrushed Pressed Powder

Mica Ricketts holding Hourglass Vanish Airbrushed Pressed Powder

(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)

5. Aime Skincare Powder Foundation

6. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Setting Powder

Mica Ricketts holding Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Setting Powder

(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)

7. E.l.f. Cosmetics Halo Glow Setting Powder

8. NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder

9. MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skin Finish

10. Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder

11. By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder 8HA

Mica Ricketts holding By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder 8HA

(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)

12. Refy Skin Finish

13. Glossier Wowder

This story was previously published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Mica Ricketts is a freelance beauty editor, copywriter and regular contributor toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK. She also writes for titles including Marie Claire Refinery 29 and Cosmopolitan, and previously worked atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK as Beauty Editor. With experience in both editorial and content management, she also works with beauty brands and small businesses on brand messaging and content strategy. As a busy mum of two, she is passionate about finding efficacious beauty products that can disguise all signs of tiredness with minimal effort.