How to Apply Setting Powder Without Looking Cakey (Mature Skin, Fall)

Q: Brush or puff?

Either. What matters is that you press it on instead of sweeping it across the whole face. Sweeping is how the cheeks get powdered by accident.

Q: Which powder should I use?

Match the powder to your skin, not the ad. A translucent pressed powder for a light finishing veil on skin that isn't oily; a loose setting powder when you want to cut shine and add a little coverage; a creaseless setting powder for oilier skin that needs mattifying.

The short version: As the weather cools, skin gets drier, and powder that looked fine in July now settles into lines and makes mature skin look heavier. The fix: powder only where you actually need it (nose, chin, center of the forehead), leave the cheeks and the outer face bare, and pick a powder that matches your skin, not the one in the ad. Less powder, more glow. You can do this at home tonight.

Every fall somebody sits in my chair and says, "I look tired and I don't know why. I'm doing the same thing I always do." That's the problem. You're doing the same thing. Your skin isn't.

1
Cooler weather = drier skin.Powder that looked fine in July now sits in texture and lines and makes mature skin look heavier.
2
Powder only where you actually need it.Sides of the nose, chin, center of the forehead. That's it.
3
Leave the cheeks and outer face bare.That's where light bounces. That's the glow. Less powder = more glow = beautiful skin.

How to apply setting powder without looking cakey: where it goes, and where it doesn't

A woman's face showing where to apply setting powder: forehead, nose and chin only

Powder hereLeave alone

Press, don't sweep. A small fluffy brush or a puff.

Yes, powder here

Sides of the nose
Chin
Center of the forehead

The places that actually get shiny.

No, leave these alone

Cheeks
Temples and outer edges of the face
Under the eyes if you're over 40

These are the places you want light to bounce off.

The questions I get every fall

Why does powder make me look older in the fall?

Because dry skin has more visible texture, and powder sits on top of texture instead of blurring it. In summer, your skin's own oil was doing the blending for you. In fall, you have to choose your spots.

Do I need to powder at all?

Only where you get shine. If you don't have oily skin and your foundation lasts, a light veil over the T-zone is plenty. Some days, nothing at all.

Brush or puff?

Either. What matters is that you press it on instead of sweeping it across the whole face. Sweeping is how the cheeks get powdered by accident.

My foundation looks dry now. Is that the powder?

Usually it's the moisturizer. Fix that first: go one step richer for fall. Then see how little powder you actually need.

Which powder should I use?

Here are the three I actually reach for, and who each one is for. Pick the one that matches your skin, not the one your friend uses. (The shop buttons are my personal links*.)

LimeLife Perfect Translucent Powder compact

Light veil · not oily

LimeLife Translucent Pressed Powder

For finishing your look. If you don't need a lot of powder, don't have oily skin, and just want a light veil to help your foundation set up and look more professional, this is the one.

Shop LimeLife*

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre loose powder

Reduce shine · a little coverage

Chanel Poudre (Loose Setting Powder)

When you want to cut shine, add a touch of coverage, and give your makeup a more finished, more professional look.

Shop Chanel*

Oilier skin · mattify

Tarte Creaseless Setting Powder

For oilier skin. It mattifies, adds coverage, and reduces shine without sitting heavy.

Shop Tarte on Amazon*

* Some of these are my personal links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I actually use in the studio.

The do-it-yourself checklist

Try this for one week. It's free.

Tonight, powder only the sides of your nose, your chin, and the center of your forehead. Skip the cheeks completely.
Look at yourself in daylight, not bathroom light. If a spot looks shiny, press (don't sweep) a tiny bit more.
If your foundation feels tight or looks dry, fix the moisturizer first. Go richer. Do that before you touch powder.
Do it every day for a week and notice the difference in photos.

You don't need me for any of that. You can do this yourself.

Less Powder, More Glow