When it comes to keeping your base looking fresh all day, powders are often the unsung heroes of a make-up routine. While setting powders—usually loose in texture—are designed to lock foundation in place with a lightweight veil, pressed powders offer more versatility. Compact and travel-friendly, they can mattify shine, refine skin texture, and in some cases even provide coverage like a foundation.
The difference comes down to finish and function: a loose setting powder tends to give a softer, more diffused look that keeps make-up from creasing, while a pressed powder can double as a perfecting layer for touch-ups or even act as a foundation substitute. You might lean towards pressed if you prefer portability, want a bit more coverage, or need a product that smooths on quickly without fuss.
If you’re looking for new options, these recently launched pressed powders deliver everything from seamless matt finishes to skin-blurring technology—all in sleek compacts that are as practical as they are beautiful.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Matte Powder Foundation
Estée Lauder’s latest powder foundation transforms skin with a velvety matt finish that feels surprisingly lightweight. Thanks to its Dual Fusion Process, the powder starts as a cream before being refined into a micro-fine texture, giving it comfortable wear that resists sweat, humidity, and water. Buildable from medium to full coverage, it’s perfect if you want a powder that holds up in any climate. We’d keep this on hand for days when only a long-lasting, polished finish will do.
Shop the Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Matte Powder Foundation here!
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Refillable
Often praised for its cashmere-like texture, Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish gives skin that coveted soft-focus effect. Infused with sweet almond oil and rose wax, it doesn’t just blur imperfections but also keeps skin feeling smooth and lightly hydrated. With its illuminating pigments, it can be swept over your T-zone to reduce shine or dusted across the whole face for a perfected glow. It’s one to reach for when you want a powder that never looks flat.
Shop the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Refillable here!
Givenchy Prisme Libre 4-Colour Pressed Powder
Givenchy takes its iconic loose powder format and translates it into a portable pressed version with four colour-correcting shades in one compact. Each combination balances the complexion while keeping shine under control, leaving skin matt but never dry. The built-in brush and mirror make it perfect for travel or quick touch-ups.
Shop the Givenchy Prisme Libre 4-Colour Pressed Powder here!
Laura Mercier Real Flawless Feather Matte Powder Foundation
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Laura Mercier’s new powder foundation goes beyond basic mattifying—it’s infused with primer technology for 16 hours of fade-proof wear. The formula balances shine control with hydration, while the pigments blur pores and fine lines without looking heavy. Offering sheer to medium coverage, it gives skin a natural, real-skin finish. If you like your powder to feel like a second skin while still standing up to humidity, this is the one to try.
Shop the Laura Mercier Real Flawless Feather Matte Powder Foundation here!
ONE/SIZE Bouclé Silk Powder
This finishing powder by ONE/SIZE delivers a luminous, airbrushed look with its sheer but buildable coverage. Hand-baked for a featherlight texture, it smooths over imperfections and evens tone while staying comfortable all day. Enriched with vegan silk, it has a luxe, soft-focus effect that flatters in any light.
Shop the ONE/SIZE Bouclé Silk Powder here!
Gucci Beauty Matte Powder
Gucci’s latest compact proves that mattifying doesn’t have to mean drying. With a buttermelt texture and Black Rose Oil, the formula glides onto skin and controls shine without settling into fine lines. Light-to-medium coverage makes it ideal for touch-ups, while the talc-free finish keeps it feeling weightless.
Shop the Gucci Beauty Matte Powder here!
