We can imagine how polarising it must be for newcomers to makeup to find that not only is there a difference between setting and finishing powders, but there are a multitude of colour options when it comes to setting powders. Beyond translucent and your regular shades, you might find that there are pink, purple, and green setting powders out there too. How does that even work? Well, reader, it isn’t all that complicated—it just boils down to colour theory.
What is green setting powder?
It is, as its name suggests, a green-toned setting powder. You use it the same way you’d use any other setting powder: to set your makeup at the very last step. Personally, I use setting powder after letting my foundation sit for a bit, so that it lasts longer throughout the day. Plus, I prefer a matte look and hate the tacky feeling of hair sticking onto my face—a setting powder helps with that.
As for the colour, a green setting powder helps cancel out redness in your skin. It won’t actually turn your skin green when used correctly, since most setting powders are fine-milled and pretty translucent when applied onto the skin.
Who is it for?
Green setting powder is perfect for people who have rosacea, blemishes, and sensitive skin that’s prone to redness. Green cancels out red, making your skin look more evenly toned after.
But wait…wouldn’t full-coverage foundation hide my redness?
You’re right—it would. But for some who don’t prefer going the route of full-coverage foundation on the daily and prefer something lighter, like a tinted moisturiser, the latter may not work as well to cover redness—especially if it’s quite severe, such as rosacea. For that, a green setting powder would work wonders.
Where can I buy green setting powder?
Thanks to the rising trends of matcha and pistachio, more makeup brands are coming out with green setting powders—so you have more than enough for your pick. Here are some green setting powders we’d recommend, below:
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Ultra Blur in Mint
Mint Green is the new shade joining Laura Mercier’s iconic Translucent Loose Setting Powder range. It corrects redness while hydrating the skin thanks to its formulation, which includes hyaluronic acid. So not only is your makeup not set and not budging for 16 hours, you’ll also get the hydrating and calming properties of the setting powder. A win-win, we say.
RM155 (travel size), RM289 (full-sized) | Available at all Laura Mercier stores in Malaysia
Prada Beauty Reset Rebalancing Setting Powder
Prada’s iconic green is translated into a very luxurious setting powder set in a hefty case that is sure to turn heads and add numbers to your “what’s in my bag” TikTok. Luxe factor aside, this setting powder is actually quite commendable. The formula is infused with squalane and silica for a smooth finish, while the mint green is translucent, delivering a matte and bright finish without being too green. Like most Prada Beauty products, this one is also refillable.
Available at all Prada Beauty stores in Malaysia.
Huda Beauty Easy Bake Matcha Milk Cake Powder
Joining the brand’s popular Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder range is Matcha Milk Cake, a green-hued setting powder designed for fair to medium skin tones. It’s a two-in-one powder that combines brightening cherry blossom with a colour-correcting matcha-toned powder to help neutralise redness, even out skin tone, and brighten the under eye—all in one product. With 18 hours of wear and a soft-focus, blurring finish, it’s the perfect powder for a full beat, and then some more.
RM210 | Shop here
PeriPera Filter Fit Blur Pact in #01 Blur Mint
If you still view green setting powders with a slight trepidation, the PeriPera Filter Fit Blur Pact is a good starting point. Fairly affordable and small in size, this blurring setting powder naturally evens out redness in the skin while giving skin a blurry, matte look that anyone would love in our tropical weather.
RM59 | Shop here
tfit Translucent Set Finishing Powder in 03 Green
The next time you’re travelling to South Korea, consider picking this up during your Olive Young pilgrimage. Perfect for our hot weather, this setting powder has oil control, is waterproof, and allegedly lasts for 24 hours. Its mesh cover ensures that every pat of powder is the right amount, so you don’t even need to dust it off before applying it to your skin.
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