The Foundation Fight for the Best Finish: Liquid vs. Powder

There are many ongoing debates and ideologies in our society that I really don’t think either side will ever win: life vs. choice, Democrat vs. Republican, breastfeeding vs. formula-feeding, organic vs. conventional, vaccinators vs. non-vaccinators (funny how many of these topics surround raising children, isn’t it?), and the list goes on. Today I thought it would be fun to break down a much more fun (and light-hearted), yet often debated topic: which type of foundation is better, liquid or powder? It’s a tough one, and I have my preference, but I thought it would be fun to ask our resident makeup guru, Nicole Wodowski her thoughts on the topic as well. I also took a little poll on the HH Facebook and Twitter pages (please click “Like” or “Follow” and join in the fun if you haven’t already) and got some good responses from some of you.

My foundation preference:

I personally use mineral powder foundation. I’ve loved the concept from the minute I heard of it (an old Sheer Cover infomercial in the middle of the night—probably when one of my kids were infants and were up for a feeding), and I love it so much I just can’t go back to liquid (although I have found a crème-to-powder product from Youngblood that I like almost as much as a powder, and a tinted moisturizer from HydroPeptide that I like for days when I don’t want or need much coverage). Anyway, I have tried every brand from the first loose one I tried (Sheer Cover, which was a little sticky-feeling for me, but I liked the concept and convenience enough that I wanted to try more brands), to my most recent professional quality pressed favorites from GloMinerals and Colour by Osmosis.

Why do I prefer powder? There are a few reasons, but I really like that you can choose the level of coverage you want, and it is much faster to apply and properly blend than a liquid. Plus, it wears much longer and doesn’t get funky-feeling throughout the day on my naturally oily skin, and it contains much fewer chemical ingredients than liquids.

I like using mineral powder foundations professionally when I do makeup for weddings and other special events for the same reason—it saves time, and looks great in different types of lighting and in photographs.

Many people think that people with drier skin can’t do powders, but there are some that are formulated for dry skin types—there are so many different ones out there with different formulations you do have to try several before you find the one you like best for your particular needs. That’s the same for a liquid though—you have to not only find the right shade, but also the right formulation, level of coverage, and finish.

What Nicole prefers:

Nicole has very different skin than I do, and she has different needs on TV and movie sets than I do at home and for special event clients, so her preferences differ from mine. Here is what she had to say when I asked her which type of foundation she prefers personally and professionally, and why:

“For personal use I prefer liquid simply because I have skin that's on the dry side so I tend to stay away from powder all together even in eye shadows. I rely on the liquid to help give my skin more of a dewy finish.

I prefer liquid for professional use in most cases as well. It tends to be more forgiving if the tone isn't a 100% match but more importantly I can dilute a liquid down to more sheer coverage by mixing it with my favorite moisturizer. When working with HD Cameras these days I will keep the skin as fresh as possible and cover only where needed, because HD isn't the most forgiving and makeup that's too heavy is just as bad as not enough. I will tend to often use powder on men more than I would on a woman.” 

I also asked Nicole what she thinks are the pros and cons for both liquid and powder foundations:

“Liquid: The pros are that it is more forgiving, moveable and works better universally on more skin types than powder. The cons are that liquids go bad faster than a powder and will separate in high temperatures. This also means you can be using makeup that spoiled even before its expiration date, which will cause clogged pores and breakouts.

Powder:  The pros are that it gives a nice polished finish. It is also very buildable—most powders can give any level of coverage from sheer to full. They are great on oily skin. The biggest con is that a powder does not give as fresh of a finish as liquid when a liquid is used properly."

Liquid foundation in the form of a tinted moisturizer got a vote from Tisha on the HH Facebook page. She likes the natural look and soothing feeling it gives her skin. I have to admit that on the days that I wear my tinted moisturizer, my skin does tend to feel better throughout the day...but I often need more coverage than it can provide.

So there you have it. Isn’t it nice to have these different perspectives? By the way, Nicole’s birthday is today. Let’s give her a Holistically Haute™ Happy Birthday shoutout!

What about you…which type of foundation do you prefer? I’d love to hear your answer in the comments.