A box of foundations is in every woman's makeup bag, and unlike many liquid products, these are great for oily and combination skin types because their formula helps maintain radiance to an extent. Even if you're not prone to oiliness or breakouts, foundation can be used for light touch-ups, or to keep your face makeup looking all day long. If you're looking to switch up your foundation — or just curious about the latest and greatest compact powder formulas — we've rounded up 10 essential compact and loose powders from top brands like Dior, KVD Beauty, and more to complete your look. Since these coveted products are endorsed by artists, editors, and beauty enthusiasts, we bet they'll become one of your favorites too. Here, the best powder foundations to buy right now.
KVD
Beauty Lock-It Powder Foundation
Shop at kvdveganbeauty.com
$37 $22 (40% OFF)
This refillable, top-rated powder is highly ranked by over 1,200 KVD Beauty customers, and provides a seamless matte finish thanks to a blend of rice powder extract and kaolin (a clay mineral). Bonus: you can also snag it right now for 40 percent off.
Dior
Backstage Face & Body Powder-No-Powder
$40 at Sephora
This popular pressed powder works for both face and body, and is infused in a gel base that provides light coverage and a natural-looking finish.
L'Oréal Paris
Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation in a Powder
Now 20% Off
$13 at Amazon$13 at Walmart$16 at Ulta Beauty
$11.99 $9.75 (19% OFF)
This drugstore favorite has gone viral on both TikTok and Amazon, with over 15,000 shoppers adding the transfer-, water-, and sweat-proof foundation to their shopping carts.
Shiseido
Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Custom Finish Powder Foundation
$45 at Nordstrom$42 at Walmart$45 at Bloomingdale's
Over 1,300 Nordstrom customers swear by Shiseido's powder foundation formula, which is not only non-comedogenic and dermatologist-tested, but designed to minimize shine for up to eight hours per wear.
It Cosmetics
Bye Bye Foundation Powder
Shop at IT Cosmetics
$19.50 $14.62 (25% OFF)
"A good powder foundation should even out the skin tone and create a seamless look to the skin," says celebrity makeup artist Shannon Pezzetta. The pro always keeps this top-rated option from It Cosmetics in her kit, which contains flexible color pigments that won't settle into fine lines.
Fenty Beauty
Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Powder Foundation
$1 at Fenty Beauty
Available in 50 shade options—as is customary for Fenty Beauty—this best-selling foundation compact from the brand has a featherweight formula that's sweat- and crease-resistant, and won't create flashback in photos.
Laura Mercier
Smooth Finish Foundation Powder
$48 at lauramercier.com
Laura Mercier products are well-known for their seamless, long-lasting finish; this popular oil- and fragrance-free foundation is no exception. It includes a handy sponge applicator that can be used dry for sheer to medium coverage, or wet when you need a little something extra.
Too Faced
Born This Way Pressed Powder Foundation
$39 at Nordstrom$29 at Walmart$39 at Macy's
This pick combines the creaminess of a liquid foundation with the mattifying power of a powder into a single, jack-of-all-trades face product.
Wander Beauty
Wanderlust Powder Foundation
$40 at wanderbeauty.com
A few swipes of this best-selling foundation from Wander Beauty provides a full-coverage look that still has a skin-like, natural finish. One satisfied Wander Beauty customer writes, "I love this foundation. It's the only brand that I've found that has a color that matches my skin tone and doesn't look dry/cakey or sit in my lines!"
bareMinerals
Original Loose Powder Mineral Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15
$33 at bareminerals.com
Avendaño swears by bareMinerals' loose powder foundation to mattify skin. "This is one of my favorite powder foundations because there's a huge shade range for different skin tones and undertones," says the pro. "It's also made with five mineral ingredients for a lightweight and buildable formula with a natural, luminous finish."
