The Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder is probably not unfamiliar to long-time beauty lovers. Since its launch back in 2010, this radiant matte finishing powder has become a bestseller in luxury beauty capitals like France and Asian beauty markets such as China and Hong Kong. Perhaps due to Asian skin showing discolouration earlier compared to other ethnicities, as well as humidity always being a factor, brightening powders like Givenchy’s have become an ideal makeup product for the Asian consumer — that includes us, of course. And intrigued by it we were.
The Prisme Libre powder currently has six “harmonies” or colour combinations (with four available locally in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines) that cater to fair to medium skin tones. Each promises to brighten, colour-correct, blur, and mattify the complexion regardless of skin type.
The product’s promises are quite lofty — it’s a list that needs a meticulous eye’s observation and expertise to prove. And so we asked Editor and Head of Content Becks to give her verdict on whether or not this bestselling powder lives up to its hype.
*The product was sent as a press gift. The views and opinions of the reviewer are independent and purely editorial.
First impressions, claims, and packaging
G for Givenchy and good quality? Let’s see.
“I always thought that I’d have no use for loose powder,” Becks shared, saying that she rarely wears a full face of makeup or foundation. But when she does have makeup on, she prefers a matte-but-better skin look. So she was intrigued upon discovering the four radiance-boosting powder shades — instead of the more commonly seen single white powder — in the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder.
Of the four shades you get under the Givenchy-branded sifter, two are made to colour-correct your skin tone. The green powder corrects any redness while the purple tone neutralises sallow, yellow tones in your complexion. The other two shades claim to boost your skin’s radiance with light adaptable pigments. These pigments adjust to any environment to give you a glowy appearance.
Other than the four hues, the G monograms that sift the powder onto the powder puff is the other highlight that differentiates it from other loose powders. Just like other powders, though, it can be tricky to bring while on the go. “This may not be ideal to carry around as the powder might seep through and become messy.”
Application and usage
Shake, stamp, and blend!
Becks used the 01 Mousseline Pastel variant, which is recommended for those with fair skin. To apply the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder, shake the container while pressing the puff, stamp the puff to your cheek, and then blend away. This gives the perfect mix of the different powders in one application. “The puff feels luxurious on the skin and is good enough for quick touch-ups, if needed,” Becks recalled.
The application is fool-proof, but you do need to take your time if you want to use it on your full face. “Very little product is dispensed for each application. I wished I could pour out its content and get more of the product at one go,” she observed. “But this means it's buildable and is actually great for control."
Texture-wise, there was an obvious absence of the white film that typically comes with finishing powders. The Givenchy powder is finely milled, so it went on smoothly and felt weightless. It created a more natural skin finish — exactly what Becks looks for in base products. “There was absolutely no extra layer-feel.”
(Left) Before the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder: With under eye concealer on. (Right) After: A more even and brighter complexion is observed, even though the flakiness on the forehead became more obvious.
Becks' complexion is fairly even, and although it would be challenging to vouch for the effectiveness of the colour-correctors, a more even skin tone is observed. She also has combination skin where some parts of her skin is dry while the rest of her face is fairly balanced. “As my skin was a little dehydrated and my forehead was slightly flaky even before makeup, I noticed that the flakiness was more obvious after using the product,” Becks shared. Any type of powder can emphasise pre-existing texture, so it’s best to use it sparingly.
After wearing her makeup for six hours, Becks also noticed that there was less creasing on her under eye makeup as compared to the times she went without setting it with powder.
“It did what it claims to do: it mattifies, blurs and most noticeably, it brightens the skin. I did see a visible healthy glow on my complexion,” Becks said.
Final thoughts
The Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder lives up to its skin-enhancing claims.
In all, the product does live up to its promise of brightening and mattifying the skin. As a finishing powder, it also helps your makeup last a little bit longer than usual.
While those with normal to oily skin can benefit from using the powder to set their foundation or concealer, those with slightly drier skin may want to consider using it on areas where they want a brighter and more even tone. It’s not an all-over face product, in that sense, but the lasting radiant finish will appeal to the right user.
Makeup lovers who have a penchant for natural makeup looks that strike the perfect balance of matte and glowy skin will appreciate the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder.
If you want to try it for yourself, it’s available in Singapore for ~USD66.14 at Givenchy Beauty counters and Sephora Singapore.
Need to banish dark circles? Read our thoughts on the Fenty Beauty Bright Fix Undereye Brightener.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected].
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