These Blurring Powders Erase Your Pores (Temporarily) (2025)

A flawless makeup look is all about the details, and the best blurring powders are the secret to a smooth, soft-focus finish. A good formula does more than just set makeup; it creates a smooth effect that keeps oily skin in check without making your skin look flat, cakey, or heavy. Whether it’s locking in a full beat, preventing undereye concealer from settling into fine lines, or keeping foundation from creasing by lunchtime, the right powder can make all the difference. “All skin types can benefit from a blurring powder,” shares makeup artist Dihan FC. “A great blurring powder for me is one that melts into the skin. When you’re looking at the skin in real life, the skin looks like your skin but perfectly enhanced.” And with so many blurring powders now offering skin-care-forward formulas—think ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin—creating an airbrushed and hydrated canvas go hand in hand.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder, $42
• Best Full Coverage: Make Up For Ever HD Skin Setting Powder, $43
• Best Shade Range: Gucci Poudre De Beauté Mat Naturel Face Powder, $65
• Best Lightweight: Em Cosmetics Portrait Mode Setting Powder, $38
• Best Humidity-Proof: One/Size Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder, $34
• Best Light-Diffusing: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, $47
• Best Brightening: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder, $49
• Best Color-Correcting: Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder, $60
• Best Matte: Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder, $39
• Best Travel-Friendly: Laneige Neo Blurring Powder, $25
• Best Drugstore: Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder, $11

So, which ones actually deliver? There’s the right formula for everyone, from those who prefer a more mattifying pressed powder look to those who like a radiant complexion. We’ve rounded up the best blurring powders that keep shine at bay, prevent creasing, and ensure your makeup looks flawless from morning to midnight. Trust us, your concealer will thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do blurring powders work?
• What is the difference between setting powders and blurring powders?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Overall: Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: Worried about your powder clinging to dry patches? That won’t be the case here. Nars’ Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder is formulated with hydrating glycerin and vitamin E to retain moisture and prevent the tight, flaky feeling that powders can sometimes cause, while algae extract soothes the skin. Dihan recommends this product because of the illuminating finish. “It reflects light while keeping the skin’s natural glow and has a very lightweight application,”’ she explains.

Tester feedback: “I'm wary of powders, but this is the rare formula that sets, mattifies, and blurs—all without setting off my acne-prone skin,” shares interim commerce director Deanna Pai. “Best of all, it doesn't leave my skin looking flat or overly dry—instead, it actually diffuses light so my skin looks glowy.”

Key ingredients: glycerin, vitamin E, Photochromic Technology | Shades: 1Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Best Full Coverage: Make Up For Ever HD Skin Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: Available in six shades, Make Up For Ever's HD Skin Setting Powder is a long-wearing, ultra-matte product that blurs pores and minimizes texture to a T. Though it sounds like it might feel heavy, this makeup-setter feels very lightweight on the skin. The finely milled texture blends seamlessly so you can do it all—set foundation, bake under the eyes, or touch up your makeup throughout the day.

Tester feedback: “I love this gentle powder for reducing oily spots and setting my makeup for the day," senior director of audience development Lexi Herrick says. “The applicator is so soft and forgiving and the color range is strong for different seasons. I find it to be a very buildable product, depending on how matte of a look I am going for."

Key ingredients: cornstarch, kaolin clay blend | Shades: 6

Best Shade Range: Gucci Poudre De Beauté Mat Naturel Face Powder

Why it's worth it: Gucci’s Poudre De Beauté Mat Naturel considers undertones and not just depth—so whether you’re fair with cool undertones or deep with golden ones, there are multiple pigments for you to find your best fit. This luxurious formula comes in 14 versatile shades, each designed to flex across multiple skin tones, and is infused with blurring microspheres for a soft-focus effect. Black rose oil keeps skin feeling hydrated and fresh, so you’re left with a matte finish that doesn’t feel tight or uncomfortable, so it works for both oily and dry skin types.

Tester feedback: “My friends always ask me what my secret to my airbrushed-level complexion is, and it's the Gucci Poudre De Beauté Mat Naturel,” says commerce writer Jennifer Hussein. “A few pats of this powder keep my look locked in place all day long with a freshly applied finish, even if I've been out and about all day.”

Key ingredients: micro-reflecting lamellar powders, emollient agents | Shades: 7

Best Lightweight: Em Cosmetics Portrait Mode Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: Em Cosmetics Portrait Mode melts into the skin like butter and gives a stunning soft-focus effect that doesn’t feel heavy. This talc-free powder seamlessly blends into the skin, smoothing over pores and fine lines while still letting your natural glow peek through. Unlike heavier setting powders, this sheer formula controls shine without making your face look dry or flat, so your makeup stays fresh all day. The ultra-fine texture makes it perfect for touch-ups since it never cakes or settles weirdly, even when dusted over concealer. Additionally, the included custom thin powder puff is designed to pick up just the right amount of product, helping you avoid excess powder while fitting snugly into contoured areas like around your nose and eyebrows.

Tester feedback: Despite dealing with combination skin and large pores on and around my nose for—checks notes—my whole life, I didn’t see the need for powders until recently,” says commerce editor Sarah Han. “Em Cosmetics sold me on Portrait Mode (clever name!)—it’s so lightweight I nearly can’t believe I have it on and my cheeks look airbrushed with just one pat each. Speaking of application, I love how flexible and bendable the thin puff is—it gets into the curves of my nose without causing the product to overload or cake. Also, I have nothing against loose powders but I’m also a messy gal and like having a compact I know won’t explode into the lid when I toss it into my work bag or suitcase.”

Key ingredients: glycerin, squalane | Shades: 1

Best Humidity-Proof: One/Size Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: The One/Size Ultimate Blurring Powder delivers a smooth, soft-focus finish while keeping shine at bay. What makes its formula unique is its microfine blurring pigments, which seamlessly smooth the skin and are designed to last up to 24 hours so you don’t have to worry about frequent touch-ups. Its mattifying yet lightweight formula will keep you feeling fresh as you move.

Tester feedback: “This is the powder I used as I spent hours dripping in the sun throughout Coachella weekend, and it didn’t budge even once. Seriously, it’s my holy grail,” says Allure contributor Daisy Maldonado. “It’s lightweight and great at keeping away the greasy feel amid extreme humidity without feeling heavy.”

Key ingredients: cornstarch, Performance Powder Microspheres | Shades: 7

More blurring powders we love:

Best Light-Diffusing: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder is the OG for a reason—it blurs pores like a soft-focus filter, locks in makeup all day, and creates an airbrushed finish. The secret? Microfine, finely milled talc to prevent creasing, and silica to diffuse light. The powder also contains vitamins C and E, which add a subtle conditioning effect, so it never feels drying. Another feature we love? There’s zero flashback or ungodly white cast, because who can forget the distinct horror of seeing that in your tagged photos? Whether you’re setting concealer, controlling shine, or baking under your eyes, this blurring powder is fit for every makeup routine.

Key ingredients: vitamin C and E powders, botanical blurring powder, amino acids | Shades: 4

Best Brightening: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: Hourglass’s viral Veil Translucent Setting Powder features light-reflecting particles that give the skin a soft, luminous glow without looking glittery or greasy. It sets makeup while subtly lifting and enhancing the high points of your face—perfect for under the eyes or anywhere you want some extra radiance. The weightless formula comes in four shades and blends in seamlessly, which is why celebs like Hailey Bieber swear by it. Unlike traditional brightening powders that can be too white or chalky, this finely milled powder beautifully adapts to different skin tones.

Key ingredients: silica, mica | Shades: 3

Best Color-Correcting: Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder

Why it's worth it: If you’re dealing with redness or hyperpigmentation you want to even out, Givenchy Prisme Libre has just what you’ve been looking for. This tone-evening loose powder features four different tinted shades that, when swirled together, help neutralize discoloration and brighten the complexion. The specific color-correcting benefits depend on the shade you choose. Green neutralizes redness, lavender brightens dullness, peach corrects dark circles, and beige helps smooth everything out—so you get a naturally balanced, radiant finish.

Key ingredients: glycerin, Prismatic Light Technology | Shades: 6

Best Matte: Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder

Why it's worth it: Matte is back, but not in the excessively cakey finish you remember. Huda Beauty’s Easy Bake setting powder is a fan-favorite on TikTok because of how well it brightens, blurs, and sets makeup to look as poreless and matte as possible. It combines vitamin E and rice starch powder into a micronized powder and is available in nine shades. It’s designed to lock makeup in place and keep your makeup matte for hours, even in humid or hot conditions.

Key ingredients: vitamin E, rice starch powder | Shades: 9

Best Travel-Friendly: Laneige Neo Blurring Powder

Why it's worth it: Want to ensure your makeup looks fresh as you go about your day? Laneige’s Neo Blurring Powder is a super portable compact you can throw in your purse and keep with you at all times. Formulated with a blend of three powders and Blue Hyaluronic Acid for a velvety-smooth, semi-matte finish, this formula feels incredibly natural and breathable. The best part? The built-in mirror and mess-free design—lightly press the included puff onto the mesh covering to dispense powder—makes it travel- and bag-proof.

Key ingredients: Blue Hyaluronic Acid, mint extract, licorice powder, chamomile water

Best Drugstore: Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder

Why it's worth it: We love an affordable and effective beauty product. Dihan swears by Maybelline New York’s Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder because its lightweight, finely milled texture sets makeup seamlessly. The formula is buildable and versatile, making it perfect for everything from setting foundation to baking under the eyes, and leaves behind a soft, natural finish that suits a wide range of skin types.

Key ingredients: silica | Shades: 8

Frequently Asked Questions

How do blurring powders work?

While blurring powders might appear as though they work like magic, the science behind the makeup product is that much more interesting. “Blurring powders use a combination of ingredients like silica, silicones, and mica to create a smooth, matte finish on the skin,” explains cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline. “Silica absorbs oil and fills in fine lines, while silicones form a silky layer that blurs pores and evens texture. Mica reflects light, giving the skin a soft-focus effect and minimizing imperfections.” Together, these ingredients create a polished look by diffusing light and masking skin irregularities.

What is the difference between setting powders and blurring powders?

It’s easy to conflate blurring powders and setting powders, but there is a difference. ”A setting powder is one of the last steps in your makeup application that creates longevity for your look,” shares Dihan. Whereas, a blurring powder, she says, is meant to be put on after you set makeup to pull all the products together and create a “filtered” look to the skin.

Meet the experts

• Dihan FC, a New York City-based makeup artist and esthetician
• Krupa Koestline, an Orlando-based cosmetic chemist

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best blurring powders, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

The perfect makeup routine isn't complete without these finishing touches:

• 13 Best Mascaras for Peak Volume, Length, and Lift
• 13 Best Lip Oils for a Glossy Finish (Without the Stickiness)
• 15 Best Setting Sprays for All-Day Makeup Perfection

Now, watch Keke Palmer react to TikTok trends:

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