Review: Stila Sheer Pressed Powder

I think almost everyone gets mid-afternoon oilies. No matter how normal, dry, or combination your skin is, somehow is manages to make your t-zone look like an oil slick by lunchtime. And that makes your makeup slowly disappear, and before you know it...it's not pretty. Maybe that's just me. I hope not.

That's where Stila's Pressed Powder comes to the rescue!


It comes in the cutest silver, flower covered compact with a handy mirror inside (great for touchups), and a flimsy applicator sponge. Ditch the sponge and spring for a face brush (I like this one. It's less than $20 and doubles as a blush brush). You'll get a much more even application with the brush. The powder is really finely milled, so it doesn't cake up if you have to apply it more than once in a day. What I use this for is keeping the mid-day oilies away, and for setting my makeup. It does a great job setting my makeup, and keeps it looking nice and fresh all day. As for keeping the shine away, it does a pretty good job. I still get a little oily towards the end of the day, but not nearly as badly as I would without the powder.

It comes in the three different shades, light (which it's pictured in), medium, and dark. That seems limiting, but the powder applies so sheerly that it will fit most skin tones. This powder won't conceal imperfections, as the coverage is pretty minimal, but it will even out your skin tone a bit.

My only issue with this powder is that it runs out pretty quickly. I hit pan, using in once a day, in about three weeks. That was two months ago, and I'm about 2/3s of the way through with it. Still, I'd say it's worth the $28. This is the only powder I've found that doesn't accentuate my flakes (it seems to hide them!) or get gross and cakey, and for that I'm willing to shell out my Starbucks money.

Stila Sheer Pressed Powder, $28 at sephora.com

Image Sources:
Pressed Powder: sephora.com