Clinique Blended Face Powder and Brush in 20 Invisible Blend

Powders

May 11

Don't you just hate how our faces turn into impromptu grease pans when the heat goes up? When I know that I'll be out the whole day, I take extra precautions to keep oil at bay. I use a reliable primer (Guerlain L'Or) and dust a generous amount of loose translucent powder on top of my makeup.

The Clinique Blended Face Powder and Brush in 20 Invisible Blend (P1,800) has been a trustworthy ally this past month or so. It's a huge help in absorbing oil! I like that it has very little coverage; since it's translucent, it doesn't make my face look too white. I love using it on top of tinted moisturizers like the Clinique Supermoisture Makeup and the Colour Collection Gluta-White BB Cream. This combo feels lighter than full makeup, plus it looks more natural since coverage is sheer. I just cover up spots with concealer.

What I like about the product

The powder is fine and well-milled. It is easy to distribute evenly with a big fluffy brush.
Helps control oil. When I have it on, oil becomes a problem only after four or five hours. (But then again, I use the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap for oily skin, which helps tremendously).
Completely mattifies the face. It has a very smooth, very flawless finish.
Suitable for all skin types, from dry to oily.
No scent or fragrance.
Didn't break me out.
For the price, you get a big jar with 35 grams of product plus a nice retractable brush for re-application.

Clinique powder on top of liquid foundation. I also dusted a bit of Guerlan Meteorites to get that glowy finish.

What I don't like about the product

It can look cakey and powdery if you wear too much. What I do is, I layer it on with the brush instead of using a large amount of powder in one go.
Sifter holes are BIG. I covered half of the holes with the silver sticker, but too much product still came out. Carefully poke only 3 or 4 holes so you won't end up getting too much powder whenever you shake it out.

Neutral

Brush is okay. You won't go WOW, but it's very useful when you need to blot on the go. It's certainly better than using a sponge or powder puff because the finish will look less cakey if you stick with the brush. The brush is the right size for a handbag or purse and is retractable.

Recommendations

I recommend the Clinique Blended Face Powder and Brush in 20 Invisible Blend for oily-skinned girls or just anyone who likes a matte, smooth finish after makeup. It's translucent so it should work for all skin tones. The full jar is inconvenient to travel with, but I suggest you take a bit of powder and place it inside a small jar with a sifter. Or you can just reserve it for home use to just seal your makeup (which is what I do) and use a different pressed powder for blotting.

I have observed that it's way better to set cream or liquid makeup with loose powder. Pressed powder is too packed, so it ends up getting stuck in patches on the moist makeup. It's a little hard to explain. Loose powder, on the other hand, glides evenly on top of the wet makeup.