Best Sheer Face Powders of 2026

Charlotte Powell Avatar
Charlotte Powell
Last Updated: 2 Feb 2026

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Sheer face powders are a popular cosmetic product used to set makeup, control oil, and achieve a flawless finish. These powders come in a variety of shades and finishes, and are designed to be applied after foundation and concealer. They are often used to mattify the skin and create a smooth, even complexion. Sheer face powders can also be used throughout the day to touch up shine and keep makeup in place. With a range of options available, these powders are a versatile addition to any makeup collection.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Loose Powder Cover #TOP 1
Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Loose Powder
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder 101 Cover #TOP 2
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder 101
ftb score rating icon 9.8
e.l.f. Prime & Stay Tinted Finishing Powder Cover #TOP 3
e.l.f. Prime & Stay Tinted Finishing Powder
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Sheer Face Powders

Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Loose Powder

28776
translucent
10 g (Pack of 1)
Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Loose Powder Cover
Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Sheer Loose Powder, Lightweight Powder, 10g, Translucent Matte

The Collection Loose Powder is a lightweight, vitamin-enriched setting powder that helps keep your makeup in place while being kind to your skin. With its oil-free formula, you can bid farewell to unwanted shine and enjoy a smooth matte finish. This powder is designed to enhance the brightness of your skin, giving you a subtle, healthy glow. Its lightweight texture ensures a breathable finish, preventing any cakey appearance and reducing the visibility of creases and pores.

What We Like
Vitamin E enriched for skin health
Oil-free for a matte finish
Lightweight and breathable texture
Improves skin brightness
Vegan-friendly product

Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder 101

6HX1010000
Invisible Matte
7.6 g (Pack of 1)
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder 101 Cover
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder For Oily Skin Types | Matte Finish + Minimises Shine

The Clinique Stay-Matte Powder is designed for combination skin, offering a lightweight solution at 7.6 grams. Its compact size makes it convenient to carry, ensuring you can touch up your makeup on the go. With a volume of 7.6 millilitres, this pressed powder provides excellent coverage while helping to control shine throughout the day, keeping your complexion looking fresh. Weighing only 0.27 ounces, it's perfect for those who prefer a natural matte finish without the heaviness of traditional powders.

What We Like
Lightweight and portable
Controls shine effectively
Great for combination skin
Natural matte finish

e.l.f. Prime & Stay Tinted Finishing Powder

23211
Sheer
4.8 g (Pack of 1)
e.l.f. Prime & Stay Tinted Finishing Powder Cover
e.l.f. Prime & Stay Finishing Powder, Lightweight, Tinted, Long Lasting, Blurs Imperfections, Smooths Fine Lines, Controls Shine, Sets Makeup, Sheer 5g

The e.l.f. Finishing Powder is a lightweight, tinted powder designed to set your makeup while providing a smooth, shine-free complexion. You can easily apply it with a face blending brush, allowing you to blur fine lines and imperfections effortlessly. Whether you prefer to use it over makeup or on bare skin for light coverage, this powder is incredibly versatile. It is also compact and travel-friendly, making it perfect for daily use.

What We Like
Lightweight and tinted formula
Blurs fine lines and imperfections
Easy application with a brush
Travel-friendly packaging
Cruelty-free and vegan

Collection Lasting Perfection Sheer Loose Powder Transparent

28774
Transparent/Green
10 g (Pack of 1)
Collection Lasting Perfection Sheer Loose Powder Transparent Cover
Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Sheer Loose Powder, Lightweight Powder, 10g, Transparent

The Collection Sheer Loose Powder is enriched with Vitamin E, which helps keep your makeup in place while caring for your skin's natural condition. It brightens your complexion, giving you a subtle, healthy glow without drying your skin out. This powder offers an oil-free finish, reducing shine and leaving your skin with a smooth matte look. Lightweight in texture, it avoids cakiness and works to minimise creases and visible pores, providing a breathable and comfortable finish throughout the day.

What We Like
Vitamin E enriched
Brightens skin subtly
Oil-free matte finish
Lightweight, non-cakey
Minimises pores and creases

e.l.f. High Definition Loose Powder for Radiance

83331
translucent
8 g (Pack of 1)
e.l.f. High Definition Loose Powder for Radiance Cover
e.l.f. High Definition Powder, Loose Powder, Lightweight, Long Lasting, Creates Soft Focus Effect, Masks Fine Lines and Imperfections, Sheer, Radiant Finish 8g

The e.l.f. High Definition Powder offers a radiant complexion, making your skin appear fresh and vibrant. It creates a "soft focus" effect, helping to mask fine lines and imperfections for a smoother appearance. You can wear it alone or apply it to set your foundation and makeup, ensuring a long-lasting finish. Its compact design makes it perfect for travel, allowing you to maintain your look on the go with ease.

What We Like
Radiant complexion enhancement
Masks fine lines effectively
Sets makeup for longevity
Travel-friendly compact design
Cruelty-free and vegan
#TOP 6

LOPHE Natural Matte Setting Powder Compact 8g

LOPHE
5142612
Matte loose powder
LOPHE Natural Matte Setting Powder Compact 8g Cover
LOPHE Natural Matte Setting Powder Compact - Blurs Imperfections,Lightweight, Silky & Soft-Focus Finish for Oily Skin,Makeup Finisher for Long Lasting Looks, Sheer 8g

The LOPHE Matte Setting Powder offers professional-quality results by locking your makeup in place for up to 12 hours. It helps control oil and shine, leaving you with a flawless matte finish while minimising the appearance of pores. Its skin-friendly formula is gentle and suitable for dry and combination skin, ensuring comfortable wear without harsh chemicals. Additionally, this lightweight powder blurs fine lines and imperfections quickly, creating a natural soft-focus effect without any cakey buildup, making it perfect for both setting foundation or light coverage on its own.

What We Like
12-hour makeup wear
Controls oil and shine
Gentle on dry/combination skin
Blurs imperfections naturally
Lightweight, non-cakey finish
#TOP 7

Clinique Blended Loose Face Powder Sheer Coverage

V193200000
Invisible Blend
25 g (Pack of 1)
Clinique Blended Loose Face Powder Sheer Coverage Cover
Clinique Blended Face Powder, Loose Setting Powder For All Skin Types | Sheer Coverage, Natural Finish

The Clinique Blended Face Powder is a superfine loose setting powder that you can easily brush on to set and perfect your makeup with a lightweight, airy feel. It smooths your skin’s appearance by reflecting light, giving you a radiant, natural finish. This powder also minimises the look of pores, helping your skin appear flawless and refined. Additionally, it is allergy tested, fragrance free, oil free, and non-comedogenic, making it suitable and gentle for all skin types.

What We Like
Superfine, lightweight texture
Creates smooth, radiant finish
Minimises pore appearance
Allergy tested and fragrance free
Oil free and non-comedogenic
#TOP 8

Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder Matte Finish

645J030000
Stay Beige
7.6 g (Pack of 1)
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder Matte Finish Cover
Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder For Oily Skin Types | Matte Finish + Minimises Shine

The Clinique Stay-Matte Powder is a sheer, oil-free pressed powder designed to help you keep shine under control throughout the day. Its ultra-sheer texture offers a perfected matte finish, giving your skin a smooth, fresh look. Perfect for touch-ups on the go, you can easily carry the compact in your bag to minimise shine anytime, maintaining a polished appearance even after frequent use. This powder is allergy tested, fragrance free, and non-comedogenic, making it suitable for sensitive skin types seeking a reliable matte solution.

What We Like
Sheer, oil-free formula
Provides a matte finish
Convenient for touch-ups
Allergy tested
Fragrance free
#TOP 9

Clinique Blended Loose Setting Face Powder

V193020000
Transparency 2
24.94 g (Pack of 1)
Clinique Blended Loose Setting Face Powder Cover
Clinique Blended Face Powder, Loose Setting Powder For All Skin Types | Sheer Coverage, Natural Finish

The Clinique Blended Powder is a superfine loose setting powder designed to set and perfect your makeup with a lightweight, airy feel. Its silky texture makes it easy to apply, ensuring your skin looks smooth and radiant by reflecting light beautifully. This powder also minimises the appearance of pores, giving your complexion a flawless, skin-hugging finish. Ideal for all skin types, it is allergy tested, fragrance free, and oil free, so you can use it confidently without worrying about irritation or clogged pores.

What We Like
Superfine, lightweight texture
Creates smooth, radiant finish
Reduces visible pores
Allergy tested and fragrance free
Oil free and non-comedogenic

Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Loose Powder

Translucent Matte
55 g (Pack of 3)
Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Loose Powder Cover
Collection Cosmetics Lasting Perfection Sheer Loose Powder, Lightweight Powder, Translucent, Pack of 3 x 10g

The Collection Loose Powder is a fantastic choice for setting your makeup while keeping your skin in optimal condition. Enriched with Vitamin E, it helps maintain your skin's natural health and prevents dryness. This lightweight powder offers a smooth, oil-free finish, ensuring you can say goodbye to shine. Moreover, it’s designed to feel feather-light on your skin, effectively combating creases and visible pores without appearing cakey. Enjoy a breathable finish that enhances your makeup routine.

What We Like
Vitamin E enriched for skin health
Oil-free for a smooth matte finish
Lightweight and breathable texture
Helps brighten skin appearance
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is sheer face powder?

Product description This compact powder blurs pores and imperfections, sets makeup and creates a healthy-looking matte finish. How to use: Dust over The Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation SPF 20 to set; touch up throughout the day as desired. Use with your full La Mer regime.

2. What does translucent face powder do?

What does translucent powder do? Translucent powder, explains Scibelli, can work to give a more-airbrushed finish to your makeup. It will also absorb any unwanted or excess oil and can also work to blur the appearance of pores, uneven texture, and sometimes even discoloration.

Editor's Notes

During our sheer face powder research, we found 74 sheer face powder products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 85,501 customer reviews through our big data system to write the sheer face powders list. We found that most customers choose sheer face powders with an average price of £6.51.

The sheer face powders are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of sheer face powders, including Collection, Clinique, e.l.f., LOPHE.

Written by
Charlotte Powell Avatar

Charlotte Powell is a dermatologist and a licensed cosmetologist from Westminster, London. However, she was first a cosmetologist from London Beauty Training School. According to Charlotte, she needed better insight into the human skin, hence the dermatology degree. Long before she acquired her degree, she wrote and edited articles, eBooks, and editorials for companies and websites. Charlotte combines her skill and knowledge in providing DIY Beauty tips amongst other fashion related topics.