Splurge or Save? The Smartest Beauty Buys

Splurge or Save on Face Powder?

Splurge.

If you're using powder as an all-purpose foundation/concealer/
makeup setter, it's worth buying one that stays on and makes your skin look flawless. Multipurpose formulas, which typically look like compacts, cost a bit more. A well-made powder with higher-quality pigments will last longer because you don't need to apply so much of it. "I'd invest here, because it's difficult to match your shade at a drugstore," says Tekeyla Perdue, senior artistic director of aesthetics at Mitchell's Salons & Day Spas in Cincinnati. Recommended product: Prescriptives Flawless Skin Total Protection Pressed Powder ($30, prescriptives.com) blends well, thanks to micronized and silicone-treated powders.
 
 

The Exception

If all you need is a colorless translucent powder to set your makeup without changing your look, you don't need to spend a ton, says Clark. Drugstores carry a host of options, from loose powders to compacts.