SPLURGE
Chanel Poudre Purete Perfection Long-Wear Shine Control Powder,
$81, from Chanel counters
Morpho Fit powder particles are made to feel weightless on the skin. The compact also comes with SPF 20 PA++ and promises to blur out imperfections.
Review: This product blurred out the pores on my face but did not cover the redness. It is indeed lightweight and I did not feel like I was wearing any make-up. My skin stayed matte when I was in the air-conditioned office, but after lunch in a stuffy coffee shop, my nose turned shiny while the rest of my face remained relatively more matte than usual.
I like the double-sided sponge. The feathery side is made for sheer application, while the rubbery sponge side picks up more powder to give skin higher coverage.
SAVE
L'Oreal Paris Mat Magique All-In-One Matte Transforming Powder,
$30.90 from selected personal care stores
Promising 12 hours of matte skin with sebum-absorbing Volcanic Perlite particles, this compact offers SPF 34 PA+++ as well. It also claims to blur out imperfections such as enlarged pores.
Review: Like the Chanel compact, this one is lightweight. It made my pores less visible but did not cover the redness on my face. My skin stayed matte when I was in air-conditioning and it turned dewy, not oily, after a steamboat dinner.
This article was first run in The Straits Times newspaper on July 11, 2014. For similar stories, go to sph.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.