The best setting powders, according to celebrities

Ready, set, glam.

Whether snapping selfies or hitting the red carpet, stars often owe their airbrushed makeup looks to quality setting powders.

So when it comes to adding one to your own beauty bag, who better to look to for suggestions?

Keep scrolling to explore (and shop) the pressed powders stars trust the most — plus a celebrity makeup artist’s expert tips on adding them to your makeup routine.

When it comes to scoring celebrity fans, it’s tough to top this makeup topper. Lori Harvey told Vogue she discovered it from her makeup artist, while Saweetie, Olivia Culpo, Ashley Tisdale and Shay Mitchell all included it in their own “Beauty Secrets” videos with the iconic fashion outlet. 

“Powder for me is crucial,” the latter star said while applying both the Laura Mercier must-have in both tinted and translucent shades. 

And Bella Hadid’s proven it’s great for on-the-go touch-ups, as she swiped some on in the backseat of her car on TikTok in 2025. (“Bake her down to the gods,” she quipped.) 

Even Kim Kardashian’s longtime makeup artist, Mario Dedivanovic (aka Makeup by Mario), told Page Six Style in 2019 that he’d been using it for years.

“It’s an iconic product that just sets makeup beautifully,” he said, adding that it helps your glam “last for a really long time.”

While undeniably an investment, Givenchy’s loose powder does double duty. Each shade comes equipped with four colors, designed to set makeup, color-correct and even skin tone simultaneously.

Even drugstore beauty aficionado Bethenny Frankel dubbed the product worthwhile, having featured it in a TikTok roundup of the the best loose powders on the market. (“I apologize when they’re expensive, but I’m not going to start lying to you,” she said.)

She’s not alone in her love for the luxe beauty buy; Kylie Jenner included it in her Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video in 2022, while Suni Lee shouted it out while showing off her 10-minute Olympic beauty routine in an Allure video. 

Of all the powerhouse powders on this list, Fenty’s is the only one to make a cameo at the Super Bowl halftime show, as Rihanna swiped some on mid-performance in 2023.

The big game isn’t the only high-profile sporting event it’s played a role in, however, as Simone Biles included Invisimatte in a “GRWM” video before her taking home gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. 

Issa Rae also highlighted it in a Vogue video, while Martha Stewart’s makeup artist, Daisy Toye, featured it in a ShopMy roundup of the star’s “favorites.”

It seems no red carpet’s complete without Charlotte Tilbury’s cosmetics. From the Emmys to the Grammys, plenty of A-listers rock full faces of Tilbury’s products — often locked in with this top-rated setting powder.

Brand ambassador Michaela Jaé Rodriguez called the smoothing beauty buy “crucial” in a Page Six Style interview, while Rita Ora and Sydney Sweeney both name-checked it in Vogue videos. 

It’s also popular among Tilbury’s beauty-industry peers; Lorrie Turk, Taylor Swift’s longtime makeup artist, featured it on her holiday gift guide in 2024

Given it’s created by celebrity makeup artist Danessa Myricks, it’s perhaps no surprise this lightweight powder’s become a fixture for stars and glam pros alike. Gabrielle Union shouted it out in her Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video, while Usher wore it during his Super Bowl halftime show in 2024.

Celebrity makeup artist RaeDawn Johnson, who frequently works with Gayle King, also tells us it’s among her go-tos.

“Danessa Myricks’ loose powders are so finely milled; they are perfection for all skin types,” she raves.

While she might be known for her “J.Lo glow,” even Jennifer Lopez keeps mattifying powders on hand. The star reached for this staple in her Vogue “Beauty Secrets” video, calling it her “finishing touch.”

Nicola Peltz Beckham is also a Make Up For Ever fan, as she applied a similar setting powder from the brand in her own installment of the series.

FAQs

How to use setting powder

Celebrity makeup artist and Balaeyon founder RaeDawn Johnson tells Page Six Style she typically recommends using a “soft, denser fluffy brush” to apply powders.

“Always go back over your concealer and foundation …. to ensure product didn’t sink into any pores or lines,” she says, warning that too much powder can “create cracks and creases.”

What is the best setting powder for under the eyes?

Johnson calls MAC Mineralize Skinfinish her most “tried-and-true” under-eye setting powder, saying it delivers “an airbrushed finish every time” and is “one of the best products MAC has ever created.”

What is the difference between setting powder and setting spray?

While they have a similar purpose, Johnson tells us setting powders and sprays are “two totally different things.”

“I feel for the best photoshoot-ready face, you need both,” adds the beauty pro, who recommends applying setting spray after powder to “settle” the look.

What’s the difference between loose and pressed setting powders?

While the beauty pro keeps both in her arsenal, she recommends pressed powders for oilier skin because they “absorb oil quicker and leave a seamless finish when you already have makeup on.”

“Loose powder should be more finely milled — which means a softer natural finish — whereas pressed powder will provide more coverage and is ideal for touch-ups through the day,” she explains.

Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Hannah Southwick, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Page Six Style. Hannah spies deals on actually affordable celebrity-worn styles, puts Hollywood’s favorite labels to the test and finds the beauty products that keep stars red carpet-ready. She consults stylists and industry pros — including celebs themselves — for firsthand product recommendations, trend predictions and more. In addition to writing for Page Six since 2020, her work has been featured in USA Today and Parade.