The 4 Best Powder Compacts, According to InStyle's Beauty Team

By Marianne Mychaskiw
Jun 11, 2016 @ 4:00 pm
Courtesy; Time Inc. Digital Studio

Next to a trusted SPF and a pack of blotting papers, pressed powder is one skin staple we constantly find ourselves reaching for during the summer. Finding the perfect formula, however, can be tricky. While some versions work wonders at mattifying excess shine, they end up looking chalky or caked-on a few hours in. Alternately, some powders seem to melt off within minutes. Here, our beauty team reveals the powder compacts they currently have stashed in their handbags. Read on to shop each one now.

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1 of 5

Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation

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$36
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"Cover FX’s extensive range of shades makes it super easy to find the perfect match (G70 is the perfect cover up for my golden brown skin). This powder gets rids of shine, hides imperfections and never looks cakey—making it a staple in any bag I’m toting around."

—Sheryl George, Beauty Editor

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2 of 5

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Compact

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$62
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"Summer's crazy heat and humidity certainly doesn't hep the fact that my skin gets pretty reflective to begin with, so any time my forehead starts to shine bright like a certain Rihanna single, I use a brush to apply a layer of Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk Pressed Powder. It sets to a velvety, natural-looking finish that won't quit all day, and can even be worn solo when I'm not feeling that layer of tinted moisturizer."

—Marianne Mychaskiw, Associate Beauty Editor

3 of 5

MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder

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$23
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"My favorite compact is MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder in NC15. In the suburban town I grew up in, MAC was considered the makeup brand to use and you weren’t a cool-girl unless your Caboodle was filled with the brand’s products. This powder compact is one of the first MAC products I convinced my mom to buy me. Several years later, it’s still my go-to powder because it has a weightless finish that feels invisible when it’s on, and it isn’t too matte that it makes my complexion look flat. This shade is also a perfect match with the concealers and foundations I use, so it blends seamlessly with the rest of my makeup and sets it for the day."

—Erin Lukas, Beauty Writer

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4 of 5

Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder

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$32
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"I worship at the altar of Laura Mercier—her Pressed Setting Powder is like fairy dust for my oily skin. It instantly nixes shine without leaving the least bit of powdery cast."

—Dianna Mazzone, Assistant Beauty Editor

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