2013: The Year of Glowing Skin

Happy New Year, Beauties!  I know, I'm a little late, but I'm here with an exciting declaration - I am so happy to announce that flat, matte skin is out!  Thanks to a bevy of new releases from some major brands, the beauty counters are now flooded with brightening and illuminating powders that work to correct skin discoloration or texture issues while reflecting light in a way that gives the skin a lit-from-within glow.

Hallelujah!  I have been waiting for this moment for so long! *Tear* I'm being a bit dramatic, but seriously, I hate the look of traditional mattifying/setting powders that leave a flat matte finish on the skin, which often photographs terribly and has a tendency to look muddy.  Not to mention the fact that traditional powders tend to settle into lines and pores, exaggerating the problem they're supposed to hide.

Combining the optical diffusion technology provided by industry favorite HD powders, these new brightening powders kick things up a notch with the inclusion of light reflecting ingredients like mica and even tiny flecks of diamonds, and skin hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, seaweed extracts and vitamins.  Available in both translucent and color-correcting formulations, these powders are the perfect addition to any makeup routine, and even look great dusted over bare skin.

Read on for some of my favorites and application tips:

 

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder

NARS' translucent setting powder has a silky, lightweight consistency that glides over skin and uses an exclusive Light Reflecting Complex that diffuses light and blurs the appearance of pores, lines and wrinkles, while absorbing excess oil.  Available in both pressed and loose formulations, this powder leaves the skin with a luminous finish and can be used all over the face, or just in the t-zone to highlight and brighten.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

These new powders from Hourglass come in six shades that create a soft luminescence on the skin.  According to the brand, "The transparent micron-sized spheres with an entrapped diamond core—called photoluminescent technology—do not simply cloak imperfections like traditional powder, but rather, alter and refine the perceived appearance of the complexion by manipulating and filtering out harsh light."  Sounds good to me!  Available in shades that tone down redness, add a sun-kissed glow, or a moonlit dew to the skin, these powders can be used on the planes of the face or all over, depending on which color you choose.

 

Bobbi Brown Brightening Finishing Powder Porcelain Pearl 0.23 oz

Bobbi Brown's latest finishing powders come in two colors and use a blend of colors to both neutralize slight discolorations and to illuminate the skin.  Of the two shades, Pearl (pictured above) is best used as a highlighter on all but the lightest skin tones, while Nude can be used to add warmth to light-to-medium skin tones, and as a highlight for darker skins.  With extracts of mulberry, grape and scutellaria, these finely-milled powders leave a fresh-looking finish on the skin that's not too shimmery - just radiant and glowing.

 

Charlotte Ronson Closer Finishing Powder Closer Finishing Powder 1

While this isn't a new release, I still really love this powder.  Packaged in a dispenser with brush attached (which I'm honestly not a huge fan of, but it's a great formula nonetheless), this is a great alternative to traditional powders for on-the-go touchups.  Charlotte supposedly created this with Rashida Jones in mind, who has some of the most beautiful glowing skin around, so color me sold!  With Light Filter Technology, this formula creates a youthful appearance on the skin by refracting light and converting UV light to blue light.  While I can't speak to the light conversion science, I can say that I really like the radiance this leaves on the skin, and how well it works on all skin types.