Trust me when I say we now have something that rivals the forever iconic Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder on the market! At last, yes! I've been using this brand new product for quite some time now and today I'm ready to tell you all the nice things about it. At the end of the post I'll also compare it to the LM powder in case you are looking for an alternative for whatever reason. Let's begin!
Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder is a translucent loose setting powder that can be applied to set your makeup for an all-day wear while imparting a soft-focus airbrushed finish. There are currently 2 shades in the lineup (Light and Deep). Mine is Light and shown here in this post. While the color appears neutral beige in the tub, it actually applies translucent on the skin and will not alter the color of your foundation/makeup.
First up, how about the ingenius packaging? OK, the tub is much smaller in size compared to many loose setting powders out there but that can be a good thing because it takes less room to store/keep in your purse. To prevent powder spillage, Cover FX decided to add a second lid hinged to the sifter inside so that there's no powder waste during travel. This simple trick works well as I've thrown it into my travel bag and later discovered my makeup bag to be powder(mess)-free. The second lid also has room to store a small powder puff if you wish to carry one with and it completely and hygienically separates the puff from the powder under it.
For me, the best feature of this powder is the fact that it does not contain talc. I know many brands that use cosmetic-grade talc but I still feel better when I find a product free of it especially when it is something I use on a daily basis. Besides being talc-free, it is also free of parabens, fragrance, gluten, and mineral oil which my sensitive, acne-prone skin is thankful for!
Most setting powders I've tried take away quite a bit of my skin's natural glow after use leaving my face with a flat-matte appearance. Not the case with the Cover FX. With its ultra finely-milled and silky smooth texture, it sets your complexion to a soft-matte finish while enhancing the healthy glow of your skin underneath. It accomplishes this by having the perfect amount of light diffusing particles mixed in the powder to retain the luminous, airbrushed look. (Don't be alarmed, it's not the super shimmery kind of particles. You won't even notice it unless you look super up-close!) It never turns white, chalky, or ashy on me and my skin never feels dried out. It's the kind of powder that gives you the benefit of wearing a powder but doesn't make you feel like you're wearing one!
Its sheer coverage allows it to blend into the skin seamlessly while softly blurring pores and fine lines. It works so well under the eye area, too. It doesn't crease and certainly does not emphasize dry patches — perfect for baking if you're into that technique. And another bonus point: it doesn't flashback! I find it to be able to keep my makeup in place for long hours. However, it does about average in terms of oil control as my face would become dewy in my usual places by lunch time.
In the photo below, I'm wearing the Light color on the right side and you can see that the powder helps take away shine around my nose for a soft matte appearance yet at the same time the rest of my face still looks like skin.
Onto the comparison with the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder.
- Price per gram/oz
Cover FX: You get 10g (0.35 oz) for $35 so it's $3.5/g ($100/oz)
Laura Mercier: You get 29g (1 oz) for $38 so it's $1.31/g ($38/oz)
Laura Mercier wins! - Oil control
Cover FX: average
Laura Mercier: excellent
Laura Mercier wins! - Packaging
Cover FX: mess-free
Laura Mercier: waste-prone
Cover FX wins! - Ingredients
Cover FX: talc-free, paraben-free
Laura Mercier: has talc and parabens
Cover FX wins! - Usage
Cover FX: great under eye and all over face
Laura Mercier: creases under eye, OK all over face
Cover FX wins! - Finish
Cover FX: soft matte with healthy glow
Laura Mercier: flat matte with slight ashy tone
No winner (individual preference)
As you can see, they are both excellent products! Each has their pros and cons, what is best depends on your preferences. I know I can't choose between the two because some days I prefer my face ultra matte and oil control at the maximum so I'd pick the Laura Mercier. However, on other days where I prefer a slight radiant look, or if I'm wearing an under eye concealer, or wanting my skin to look like skin, I'd go for the Cover FX. It is simply impossible for me to pick either one for you. For now, though, I've just been enjoying the Cover FX features just a little more!
That's about it for what I have to say about the awesomeness of the Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder. I have a few more wonderful items from them to share with you in the following weeks so please check back to see what they might be! :)
What's your go-to translucent setting powder?
Purchase
US$35 at Sephora
Coming soon to Sephora Thailand
Disclosure: The product mentioned was provided free of charge for review consideration. All opinions expressed herein are honest and my own.
I think this review convincd me to finally get a full size of the Laura Mercier powder. I had a travel size that I loved, but somehow never purchased the bigger pot. But as I rarely want a luminous finish, I guess I should accept that it is the perfect powder for me.
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
It might shock you but I have never tried Laura Mercier’s transluscent powder. At the moment I don’t even have any loose powder. I have been using Laura Mercier’s Candleglow Powder or Mac Mineralize SF. But out of these two, I think I would prefer the Cover FX powder.
I tend to like a more satin look, and Armani has been good with most foundations, recently though I have been having issues with it and my newer MUFE foundation. I don’t want to buy another powder, but I might have to at some point! I just got a dermablend mini, so it’s my next try. I think though I might have to get MUFE’s, Hourglass, or NARS. Those are others I’ve tried and liked. LM is nice too though. I haven’t used it in years however.