The 10 Best Pressed Powders to Control Shine and Smooth Your Complexion

Best Overall

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder

View On Sephora $28 View On Nordstrom $41 View On Charlottetilbury.com

Read Full Review: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Review

Designed to set makeup in place, keep shine to a minimum, and blur the skin, this iconic pressed powder from Charlotte Tilbury is truly as good as people say it is. It’s matte but not thick, heavy, or chalky, so it will help you achieve a smooth and glamorous makeup look without looking cakey. In fact, it's so smooth that it creates an airbrushed effect on the skin. There are only four shades, but because it’s a setting powder (as opposed to a powder foundation), they are pretty versatile on a wide range of skin tones. When testing this one out, we enjoyed that the soft and effective formula works nicely on all skin types by controlling shine without looking too dry, thus making it our best overall pick.

Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes 

Best Budget

Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Pressed Powder

View On Amazon $8 View On Ulta $10 View On Target $6

Read Full Review: Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder Review

With an incredibly soft and silky texture that works to absorb oil and suppress shine, this pressed powder from Maybelline is an affordable, effective, and welcome addition to any makeup kit. It comes in a big shade range (especially for the drugstore), and the formula isn't too stiff or chalky. The finish is quite matte, making it an excellent choice for people with oily skin, but it's also nice for dry skin if you apply just a light layer to your T-zone using a fluffy powder brush.

Shades: 24 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Shade Range

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Powder Foundation

View On Sephora $40 View On Ulta $40 View On Fentybeauty.com

When it comes to shade inclusivity, it’s hard to beat Fenty Beauty. With 50 different colors across all skin undertones, this light-as-air powder has a soft matte finish for a glamorous, poreless look. Though it's designed as a full-on powder foundation to offer medium coverage, it's also a nice product to use to set liquid makeup in place or add even more coverage on top of foundation, making it quite versatile. An added bonus is that it comes with a sponge applicator in the packaging, making it convenient and travel-friendly.

Shades: 50 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Dry Skin

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder

View On Ulta $44 View On Walmart $37 View On Walmart $37

Those with dry skin often fear that applying powder will exacerbate dryness, but that's not always the case. Take this beloved powder from MAC, for example. It's lightweight, formulated with hydrating ingredients like jojoba oil, and has a very fine luminosity to it. The texture is incredibly smooth and it works to set makeup in place without highlighting dry patches or creating a cakey appearance. Although it's not ideal for controlling excess oil for long periods of time, it does a nice job of setting makeup in place and creating an even finish that looks skin-like. We also love that it comes in 14 shades and offers a bit of sheer coverage.

Shades: 14 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Oily Skin

NYX Professional Makeup Finishing Powder

View On Amazon $11 View On Ulta $12 View On Walmart $12

This ultra-fine pressed powder comes in three shades (translucent, banana, and mint green) to set and correct your makeup. While the translucent does a stellar job at suppressing shine, the banana will help to camouflage dark circles, and the mint green will combat redness. As for its oil-controlling capabilities, we're seriously impressed. It works to keep shine at bay for several hours before needing to touch up. Because the texture is so weightless, it doesn't look cakey or heavy on the skin, though it can be a bit drying if you over-apply. However, if you're prone to a greasy T-zone or you live in a humid climate, this drugstore buy could be the key to keeping your makeup looking its best.

Shades: 3 universal shades | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Sensitive Skin

Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Talc-Free Vegan Powder

View On Amazon $35 View On Sephora $18 View On Nordstrom $35

An editor go-to and a favorite of Vargas, this powder has a super light texture and a natural-looking finish, making it the powder for those who hate powder. "It’s weightless and gets rid of shine but not the glow," says Vargas. "You can reapply it throughout the day and it won’t cake on you." Instead of mattifying, it just softens and blurs the skin, reducing shine but keeping radiance intact. It also has a super clean formulation, and the fact it doesn’t contain any sulfates, parabens, talc, fragrance, or silicones makes it a smart choice for those with sensitive skin.

Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for All Skin Types

Lys Beauty Pressed Setting Powder

View On Sephora $19 View On Lysbeauty.com View On Cultbeauty.com

Formulated with skin-nourishing niacinamide, green tea extract, and sodium hyaluronate, this powder promotes a healthy complexion while cutting shine and locking makeup into place all day. It seriously impressed us when we put it to the test in our lab. We loved that it blurred the appearance of fine lines and pores but still kept the skin hydrated and plump. And even after applying a few layers, it remained lightweight and skin-like while creating a subtle glow. We also appreciate that it's talc-free which is great for those with sensitive skin since talc can be an irritant.

Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for a Luminous Finish

Sephora Collection Microsmooth Multi-Tasking Baked Face Powder

View On Sephora $20

With a luminous finish but long-wearing capabilities, Sephora’s Microsmooth powder is proof that you really can have it all. The baked formula has a very subtle shimmer that illuminates the skin, but it still does a great job of absorbing excess oil. It's very lightweight and doesn't create a powdery or cakey finish. It also comes in 15 shades that range from fair to dark, though it's worth noting that some online reviewers say it oxidizes (darkens a bit) a few minutes after application. If you're looking for a powder to set makeup and control excess oil without sacrificing your glow, this one is a fantastic choice.

Shades: 15 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Under the Eyes

Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Blurring Under-Eye Setting Powder

View On Sephora $35 View On Ulta $34 View On Patmcgrath.com

Finding the perfect pressed powder to set your makeup can be tricky, but finding one that won't crease under your eyes or settle into fine lines is even more challenging. We're happy to say that this pick from Pat McGrath fits the bill—it was specifically formulated to blur and illuminate your under-eyes (no drying or cakiness here). With a soft, weightless formula, it works to set concealer in place, prevent creasing, and smooth the appearance of the under-eye area.

"I've been using this powder to set my under-eyes for years, and not much compares to how smooth it makes the area look. I'm prone to creasing and this formula helps keep it at a minimum without creating a dry or cakey finish." – Alyssa Kaplan, Commerce Writer

Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No