Pressed powders are one of the staples in every pinay’s kikay kit. They are either used to set liquid foundation and concealer or worn alone if you want a lightweight base with a natural-looking finish. They’re compact, pigmented, and easy to apply, making them perfect for on-the-go Filipinas.
Many brands are releasing their own versions of pressed powders. That is why we have curated a list of the ten best pressed powders you can find online. To help you know what to consider when browsing for the right pressed powder, we have also prepared a buying guide, fact-checked by visual and makeup artist Ida Siasoco, with all the tips and tricks you need to find the perfect product.
Makeup artist and hairstylist since 2017 and has worked on various commercial and editorial projects. Likes to put glitter on everything and believes that "you can never put too much blush".
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
Experts featured in this article only reviewed the content of our buying guide. They had no part in the selection or ranking of products or services listed.
The products and services listed are ranked independently by the editorial team based on the points mentioned in our thoroughly researched buying guide (as of 01-16-2023).
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Pressed powders have different finishes based on your skin’s needs. It’s important to know your skin type to find the right one, so that as the day goes by, your makeup still remains beautifully intact.
To add a healthy glow to your skin, go for a pressed powder with an illuminating finish. This will add a radiant shine for those with dry skin, giving you the appearance of a soft, smooth, and supple complexion.
Sheer pressed powders usually have this type of finish. To achieve this look, these pressed powders may contain hydrating ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, or natural lusters like mica.
Pressed powders are amazing at controlling excess shine, so if you have oily skin, you won’t go wrong with using one. For best results, get a pressed powder with a matte finish, as this will help control your shine throughout the day.
This is because they may contain oil-absorbing ingredients like kaolin clay or rice powder. Matte pressed powders also tend to have medium to full coverage, so this is great for those who want to cover up blemishes or acne marks.
Pressed powders can be used for different types of looks, depending on the coverage they provide. All you need to do is to pick between a pressed powder with light or sheer coverage, medium coverage, full coverage, or buildable coverage.
Light coverage pressed powders are usually sheer and illuminating since they’re made to enhance your natural skin. They’re lightweight, so they’re able to let your skin breathe and feel very comfortable to wear all day. They’re also perfect for those who like the trendy no-makeup, makeup or “clean girl” look.
If you want something lightweight but want more coverage than what a sheer pressed powder offers, medium coverage pressed powders are the ones for you. They provide just the right amount of coverage to stay comfortable while still giving you a flawless base for the rest of your makeup.
From its name, full coverage pressed powders provide total coverage, blurring pores, blemishes, and imperfections. It will help you achieve the appearance of soft, smooth, and flawless skin. This is ideal for those with skin concerns like acne marks, uneven skin tone, and fine lines or wrinkles.
Buildable pressed powders are quite versatile, allowing you to get as little or as much coverage as you want. To get more coverage, all you have to do is to apply more product to your face. This is great for those who like to do different looks and for those who are out all day since you can apply more product without it creasing or looking cakey.
For your pressed powder to blend seamlessly onto your skin, you need to get the right shade. On the other hand, you can also opt for a translucent powder, which will match every skin tone.
Translucent pressed powders are sheer and colorless, meant to be used to set your liquid face makeup such as foundation and concealer. It can also be used for touch-ups throughout the day and to reduce oiliness in the middle of the day or afternoon. It will give your skin a smooth, picture-perfect finish.
Pigmented pressed powders provide more coverage, so they’re great for those on the go or as an alternative to liquid foundation. To get the right shade, check if you have cool, warm, or neutral undertones. If you have bluish veins, you have cool undertones. If you have greenish veins, you have warm undertones. If you have both, you have a neutral undertone.
You can also find your perfect shade by using your foundation shade as a reference when browsing for a pressed powder. If you don’t use foundation, you can look at the skin tone around your jawline to determine whether you should get a fair, light, medium, or deep pressed powder shade.
From ₱5,300
Get a stunning glow with this pressed powder from Guerlain. It's formulated with dual-faceted gold pigments that have a shimmering effect, illuminating your skin beautifully. It will brighten up dark areas, hide signs of tiredness, and give you a healthy and radiant complexion.
Its formula is somewhere between a foundation and pressed powder, providing light coverage. It's lightweight, soft, and velvety, gliding on the skin smoothly and giving you an even and flawless base.
It has SPF 15 PA++, too, which offers protection for your skin against the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. This pressed powder also has a delicate floral scent with peach and rose notes, helping you feel fresh every day.
From ₱3,307
Liquid foundations and concealers are holy grails for flawless face makeup. To set them in place the whole day, a solid translucent pressed powder is needed. This one from By Terry has got you covered, as it mattifies your skin and gives your makeup the perfect finish. Moreover, since it's colorless, it suits all skin tones.
Additionally, it contains skin-loving ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, to ensure it doesn't dry out your skin. It's fragrance-free, oil-free, and paraben-free with a vegan formula, so even those with sensitive skin can use it. Customers have vouched for this product, saying that their makeup doesn't budge after using it.
From ₱2,750
As the saying goes, less is more. This applies to makeup, too, as proven by this sheer pressed powder that will help you achieve a smooth and glowing base. It's oil-free and oil-absorbing, ideal for those with oily skin. Plus, it contains vitamin E, which nourishes your skin to improve its texture and complexion.
This pressed powder also has a unique yellow base that complements Asian skin, giving your skin a natural-looking finish regardless of which shade you're in. Many users love it, with one customer saying that this product is sakto for warm-toned morena skin. They also mentioned they love how the product blends seamlessly onto your skin.
From ₱2,150
Lock your makeup in place with this weightless pressed powder from NARS. It's smooth, easily blendable, and luxurious, setting your face makeup beautifully. Utilizing Photocromatic technology, this pressed powder optimizes light reflection on your skin to adjust to new sources of light, so your skin will look perfect on camera and in person.
It fades fine lines, wrinkles, and pores, creating a soft focus effect, giving the appearance of soft and radiant skin. It's able to control shine, too, making it suitable for mid-day touchups, especially on hot days when your face makeup needs a little help staying in place. It can even be used to set bold lip colors, eyeshadows, and blush!
From ₱599
The L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Pressed Powder has remained popular over the years, being the go-to pressed powder for those with oily skin. It absorbs excess oil and reduces the shine on your face for up to 16 hours, keeping your skin looking matte and smooth. It can also be used alone or to set liquid foundation.
It's a crowd favorite, with reviews saying that it stays true to its promises since customers report that their makeup lasts all day without the need for retouching. They also like the shades that it comes in because it's perfect for most pinay skin tones. If you're looking for a long-wear, matte pressed powder, look no further than this one!
From ₱249
Since it's hot and sunny in the Philippines, matte pressed powders are all the hype. This one by Maybelline deserves the attention it's been getting, as it leaves behind a poreless-looking finish that stays perfectly matte for up to 16 hours. Plus, it controls shine, while making your skin look natural.
It uses Perlite Mineral technology, which absorbs oil to mattify the skin. It also contains micro-powders that blurs pores, which makes it possible to achieve soft and smooth-looking skin. Since it has medium coverage, this pressed powder is suitable to be worn alone as a makeup base, to even out your skin tone and make your face appear more radiant.
From ₱325
This pressed powder is skincare and makeup in one, featuring a double sebum-control system that regulates the oil on your face. It's infused with Jeju minerals like kaolin as well as mint and green tea extracts responsible for keeping oil at bay and ensuring your skin stays matte but hydrated.
You can use this pressed powder to blot excess oil and apply it throughout the day to prevent your skin from looking greasy. It's also best used as the last step of your makeup routine and to set your makeup. Customers rave about it, saying that it's smooth and lightweight, perfect for the Philippine weather.
From ₱265
Cover up minor blemishes with this pressed powder's buildable light to medium coverage. It will even out your skin tone, giving you a fresh look. It does this using rice powder, which has a mattifying effect that can control shine for up to 8 hours. Since it's a mineral pressed powder, it will let your skin breathe and won't clog your pores.
Moreover, Human Nature is known for its organic, cruelty-free, and vegan formula. That is why it’s no surprise that this pressed powder contains beneficial natural ingredients like vitamin E to nourish your skin. It's free from talc and mineral oil, too, only using ingredients that are great for your skin.
From ₱273
This pressed powder has a unique finish. It has light-reflecting particles that give you a subtle glow while leaving an oil-controlling matte finish. It provides you with medium to full coverage, helping you camouflage any imperfections and giving you the skin of your dreams.
Because of its features, it's suitable for all skin types and will work well in the hot Philippine weather. Many customers commend this product, saying that this powder helps them look fresh all day and that it looks so natural even though it's a medium to full coverage pressed powder.
From ₱150
Get the smooth, matte complexion of your dreams without breaking the bank with this oil-control pressed powder from Careline. Costing less than Php 200, it will leave your skin shine-free. Moreover, it contains vitamin E to ensure your skin stays nourished and doesn’t get dried out.
This is perfect for students and beginners in makeup because it does its job well at a budget-friendly price. It has made many customers happy, and they said that it's lightweight and natural-looking. They also like how the shades match their skin, so this pressed powder is definitely a strong contender.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Dip your makeup brush or sponge in the powder and press it gently onto your skin where you applied your liquid foundation to set it. Do this all over your face and neck to get a nice and even makeup base.
Yes, pressed powder can be used to set your other face makeup products. It will help your makeup last longer, ensuring that it doesn’t crease or move all day. It's also helpful in controlling oiliness and shine.
Pressed powder won’t cause acne as long as you remove it properly at the end of the day. Before washing your face and doing your skincare routine, you can remove the remnants of pressed powder with a makeup remover or micellar water.
Getting a flawless base is important to any type of makeup look, so it's key to have great products that will help you achieve flawless and even skin to work with. Check out our other articles below for more curated lists of the best face makeup.
Author: Bianca Angela Dela Cruz
Editor: J. CuizonOur buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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