10 Best Compact Powders You Can Get Your Hands On For A Flawless Base

Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Finish compact has fueled beauty enthusiasts' love for finishing powders that have an extremely lightweight finish and do a great job at setting your makeup instead of adding loads of pigment. This one's a super-finely milled powder that blurs the look of lines and imperfections for a soft focus-finish, thus the name 'airbrush flawless finish'. Moisturising ingredients like sweet almond oil and rose wax help to promote smoothness and moisture of the skin so a light whiff of this powder would give you a radiant satin finish instead of a full-on matte finish, perfect for natural-looking makeup!

Number of shades available: Four

Nykaa rating: 4.3

The OG compact used by pro-makeup artists for packing on coverage, the M.A.C Studio Fix Powder has a loyal fan-following. Since this compact is a full-coverage powder foundation, it has loads of pigment and can cover even the most stubborn acne spots. However, it can look a bit heavy if you don't go easy on it. We would suggest buying it solely for touch-ups when you notice your foundation fading and need some touch up. You can also set your makeup with it if you don't mind using a light hand for picking minimum product on the brush and tapping onto the skin for the perfect base. Special mention to the inclusive range which has thirty-eight shades to accommodate all skin tones and undertones.

Number of shades available: Thirty-eight

Nykaa rating: 4.3

This 'oldie but a goodie' drugstore compact powder was granted a new life in 2023 by TikTok beauty creators who couldn't stop raving about how flawless and smooth it made the skin look. It has just the right amount of coverage; neither too much nor too less and sets the makeup quite well. This one sits well on the skin both with and without makeup so incase you are looking for a compact powder to apply over your skincare routine to control oil-secretion, this one's a great affordable option!

Number of shades available: Nine

Nykaa rating: 4.5

Another TikTok favourite from last year, the L'Oreal Paris Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation In A Powder is a heavy-duty powder foundation that claims to covers like a liquid, and mattifies with non cakey look. Talking about the coverage, it is actually quite full-coverage, covers pigmentation, and other skin imperfections like acne, acne scars, and dark spots quite well but not as much as the MAC one does. So on days you want to skip liquid and cream base products, simply pat this on with the cushion applicator that comes with it and you will be good to go!

Number of shades available: Six

Nykaa rating: 4.1

Probably the cheapest compact powder on the list, Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder is a holy-grail for drugstore makeup lovers because it is super pocket-friendly and does the job right! It mattifies and sets the makeup extremely well with an even swipe of the powder. However, don't expect a lot of coverage and smoothening from it. This one's perfect for carrying on vacations when you want to leave your costlier compact powders at home and carry a full-proof one that wouldn't break the bank.

Number of shades available: Eleven

Nykaa rating: 4.4

Last year, NYX was one of the most viral makeup brands on the internet thanks to their high-quality formulations and innovative products that keep you hooked. The NYX Professional Makeup Can't Stop Won't Stop Powder should be on your radar if you have a non-dry skin type. It does a mind-blowing (no exaggeration) job at mattifying your face and keeping everything in place for a good seven to eight hours. The coverage is light to medium but can be built up if you like. Also, they have a translucent shade available in case you want to ditch the coverage altogether and just want to set your makeup in place.

Number of shades available: Five

Nykaa rating: 4.2

For those who loathe mattifying or satin-finish compact powders, this one's just the thing for you! This iconic powder from Kiko has a luminous finish, thanks to micronized pigments and add glowing radiance to the skin. So basically, this one's a finishing powder that would set your makeup in place but also add a hint of glow because of the finely milled pearlescent particles. The powder has an extremely smooth finish and also hydrates the skin with the help of vitamin E and argan oil. For dry skin folks, this one's the best powder on the list, take our word! Kiko Milano isn't actively selling on online retailers so hop into a store near you to get your hands on it ASAP.

Number of shades available: Four

Nykaa rating: 4

Primer + Foundation = Matte Powder. Truth be told, the thought of primer and foundation in a powder formula feels weird, but once you apply this powder — all hesitations go away. A light-weight compact powder that instantly mattifies the skin to give a smooth finish that doesn't feel chalky or heavy. The primer infused in it gives it a satin touch that sits comfortably on the skin, and also gives more longevity. All in all, a great compact powder if you have a pink undertone to your skin since they don't have options for neutral and yellow undertones.

Number of shades available: Six

Nykaa rating: 4.3

PAC's Take Cover range has some of the most high-performance base makeup products (particularly the concealer). This compact powder is ultra smooth, mattifying and full-coverage so a little goes a long way with this one. What's more to love is that it doesn't dry out the skin unlike typical compact powders back in the day. The texture is very smooth and velvety which makes the blend super quick and easy. Also, it's available in twenty different shades which is quite impressive.

Number of shades available: Twenty

Nykaa rating: 4.5

This newly released pressed powder deserves all of the praise it has received on Instagram. Huda Beauty's extremely popular Easy Bake Loose Powder has long been regarded as one of the best loose powders in the world, and with the release of a compact version with pressed pigment, we are confident that this will not be far behind. If you are a full beat queen, then don't think twice and get your hands on it without a second thought! Its full coverage, mattifying, blurring and especially great for light baking for those who enjoy a targeted application for their powders (read: brightening for a snatched look).

Number of shades available: Seven

Nykaa rating: 5