By stufflovely
Powder foundations and I have just never gotten along. To me, they’re kind of like that friend-of-a-friend you only see once in a blue moon… and every time you do, you end up in a screaming match over some random topic while your mutual buddies look on, horrified. It’s not personal, just preference. Dior, however, has just launched its Backstage Face & Body Powder-No-Powder foundation. After using it, I’m starting to feel an enemies-to-lovers plot twist coming on.
This $40 powder comes in 10 shades, ranging from fair to dark, all of which have neutral undertones. My skin is quite fair with a combination of cool and neutral undertones; the second-lightest shade 1N is a near-perfect match for me, even though I thought it’d be too dark at first glance. My main issue with powder foundations is that they’re too matte for my taste and skin type — they often leave me looking more like a dried-out vampire than a supermodel — but I predicted I wouldn’t have this problem with Dior’s when I noticed its subtle shimmer, only visible in direct light.
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King confirms my suspicions after taking a look at its ingredient list: “This formula has high levels of dimethicone, which is considered a skin protectant and gives a silky-smooth feel,” she explains.” “It also contains mica, which gives a light-reflecting appearance.”
Boy, I love it when I’m right.
I apply Powder-No-Powder with the Backstage Face Brush, which is so soft that I started rubbing it all over my face the second I opened it for the first time. It’s got a rounded triangular base with short, dense bristles coming out of one side. (A similar, more affordable alternative would be something like the Real Techniques Angled Kabuki Brush.) I swirl it around the pan with lots of pressure to load the brush up before swiping it all over my face — it doesn’t require a lick of effort or expertise.
To cover my perpetual redness and the darker area around my eyes, I repeat this process once or twice until I’m at medium coverage. It doesn’t camouflage my sparse red acne marks (something to consider if you are acne-prone and want something to cover spots) but takes care of everything else all on its own. I don’t bother to apply to concealer before or after.