If you have oily skin or love to wear cream products, you'd know the importance of having a good translucent and coloured face powder to help keep your skin matte. Living in a country where the weather’s mostly hot and humid, beauty lovers find that battling the mid-day greasiness is a common concern. Luckily, there are a lot of good options that can help control the shine without giving any of the dreaded flashback.
What does a translucent powder do?
Translucent powder is a makeup essential for anyone looking to set their foundation and create a smooth, matte finish. Unlike tinted powders, which add coverage and colour, translucent powders help your makeup last longer, minimise pores, and control oil without altering the shade of your foundation.
It’s often used as a setting powder to lock in your base products, making it perfect for people with oily skin or those who need long-lasting makeup throughout the day.
To apply, simply dust a small amount over your T-zone or oily areas using a fluffy brush or powder puff. It’s also great for “baking” under the eyes to set concealer, giving a flawless, crease-free finish. And don’t worry — most modern translucent powders are finely milled and won’t leave a white cast or flashback in photos.
Read on to discover the best translucent face powders that are perfect for Singaporean skin.
1. HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Loose Powder
SGD62 (sephora.sg)
Got oily skin or tend to break out in the humidity? The HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Loose Powder has your back. Infused with BHAs and salicylic acid, it’s not only great for setting your makeup but also helps keep those pesky breakouts at bay. This lightweight powder controls shine while gently exfoliating your skin throughout the day. It’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for long-lasting oil control that doesn’t feel heavy. Plus, it won’t clog your pores — a must in Singapore’s weather!
Shop here.
2. ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Loose Setting Powder
SGD67 (sephora.sg)
The ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Loose Setting Powder is a fan favourite for a good reason. This oil-free, paraben-free, and sulfate-free powder feels super lightweight, but it does an outstanding job of controlling shine and blurring imperfections. Available in three shades — Translucent, Vanilla, and Banana — you’ll easily find one that suits your skin tone. Whether you're out and about all day or just want a flawless, soft matte finish, it will keep you looking fresh without feeling heavy.
Get yours here.
3. DECORTÉ Loose Powder
SGD70 (decorte-cosmetics.com/sg)
For those looking for an ultra-luxurious powder that doubles as skincare, the DECORTÉ Loose Powder is a standout option. Offering ten shades and five different textures, this setting powder uses "Harmonised Prism Technology" to give your skin a radiant glow while keeping it matte for up to 12 hours. It’s designed to cover imperfections like pores and uneven skin tone while offering a soft, silky finish that feels weightless.
Buy it here.
4. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
SGD89 (sephora.sg)
The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder is a cult fave among beauty lovers and professional makeup artists for its lightweight and non-flashback formula. It creates a soft-focus finish on your skin without settling into any fine lines. If you have a deeper skin tone, it also comes in Honey and Medium Deep.
You can find it on Sephora.sg.
5. One/Size Ultimate Setting Powder
SGD56 (sephora.sg)
Need to be photo-ready in a jiffy? Pick up the One/Size Ultimate Setting Powder. This finely milled setting powder — available in translucent and dark/deep variants — blurs any appearance of pores and texture but leaves your skin still looking like skin. If you want to prolong your skincare and base makeup products, lightly dust some of this powder and you're ready to go.
Get it via Sephora.sg.
6. Shiseido Synchro Skin Invisible Silk Loose Powder
SGD72 (sephora.sg)
If you're a fan of the Synchro Skin Foundation, then you'll love the Shiseido Synchro Skin Invisible Silk Loose Powder. It boasts the same self-refreshing technology of the foundation, as well as cellulose powder, which helps the product control any oil or shine up to eight hours after application. It is also formulated with 4-Fold Technology to help protect your skin from air pollutants. If you're looking for an over-achieving setting powder, it's available in matte and radiant finishes.
Shop it on Sephora.sg.
7. RMS Beauty "Un" Powder
SGD67 (Photo from: sephora.sg)
The RMS Beauty "Un" Powder does everything you want in a talc-free translucent loose powder. It reflects light, sets makeup, minimises pores, softens skin, and absorbs oil. All without leaving flashback-causing residue. It also claims to have a "clean" formula as it's non-GMO, non-nano, soy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Want to make the switch? You can buy it from Sephora.sg.
8. Catrice Nude Illusion Loose Powder
SGD11.85 (guardian.com.sg)
The Catrice Nude Illusion Loose Powder is an affordable and good-quality translucent powder. It contains pure, micro-fine white powder that is designed to create a velvety matte and soft-focus finish for your skin.
Find it at Guardian Singapore stores and on the Guardian e-store.
9. GIVENCHY Prisme Libre 4-Color Loose Powder
SGD90. (sephora.sg)
Don't be scared of the colours you see in this powder — they mix beautifully to give the skin not only a matte but also a bright, beautiful finish. This cult-favourite powder, which has a signature sensory texture, feels and looks great on the skin as it colour-corrects blemishes and gives you a shine-free yet still luminous-looking complexion.
Try this if you're ready to step out of your translucent powder comfort zone and explore products with added colour-correcting properties. Check out our review of this product here.
Discover five shades of this product here.
10. Pixi H2O Skinveil Powder
SGD40. (sephora.sg)
Looking for a powder that blurs, cools, refreshes and hydrates? The Pixi H2O Skinveil Powder contains a botanical-boosted formula — tea and aloe leaf extracts to be exact — that leaves your skin soothed and hydrated whenever you wear it.
Check it out on Sephora.sg.
This article was first published on 31 December 2021. Last updated: 9 September 2024.
Stay matte with these foundations made for oily skin.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].
