ILIA Soft Focus Finishing Powder Is A Stunning Talc Free Powder

ILIA Soft Focus Finishing Powder is weightless and pore blurring.

Finishing powders can make or break your makeup look. They can easily disrupt the foundation, or they could beautifully transform and blur the skin. It’s kind of a gamble, and you never know if you’ll get one that is chalky or silky. ILIA’s talc free setting powder is said to weightlessly set makeup all day long, blurring your unwanted pores and fine lines. Talc free powders are hard to find in the beauty industry, especially ones that perform well. One of our Milabu editors, Maddie, raves about this translucent powder and swears its the only setting powder she’ll ever wear. Would I love it too?

Quick Rating Rundown Chart

This Product

(4.5)

:ILIA Soft Focus Finishing Powder

Price: $36.00

.32 oz

Value

(3.3)

Application

(5)

Finish

(4.6)

Longevity

(4.8)

Extra Benefits

(4.6)

Industry Standard

(4.7)

:Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Price: $40.00

1.0 oz

Value

(4.8)

Application

(5)

Finish

(4.8)

Longevity

(5)

Extra Benefits

(3.7)

Similar Product

(4.2)

:Haus Labs Bio-Blurring Powder

Price: $38.00

0.24 oz

Value

(2.1)

Application

(5)

Finish

(4.7)

Longevity

(4.7)

Extra Benefits

(4.6)

MILABU PICKS

(4.5+)

:Best Setting Powder & Spray

Price: $9 – $58

various

Value

(4.5+)

Application

(4.5+)

Finish

(4.5+)

Longevity

(4.5+)

Extra Benefits

(4.5+)

^{Our Rating Criteria}

Promises vs. Performance: ILIA finishing powder  

ILIA Soft Focus Finishing Powder is a finely milled, vegan setting powder that is virtually undetectable on the skin. ILIA’s website says it will leave skin with a soft focus, blurred effect that sets makeup in place all day. This powder contains three amazing ingredients. First, aloe leaf powder that works to soothe irritation and tame redness. Second, rosemary leaf powder, which is antibacterial and protects the skin while soothing redness. And third, bamboo leaf to help balance oil. Soft Focus Finishing Powder works to keep the skin shine free, while keeping a “lit-from-within luminosity.”

The application of ILIA finishing powder is the first thing that really wowed me with this setter. It instantly smooths my under eye area and blurs my pores for an airbrushed skin look. And it does this while still allowing the radiance of cheek products to show through. It doesn’t break up my makeup, settle into my pores or lines, or look cakey throughout the day. It aids in locking my makeup in place for 8+ hours, keeping my shine and oils at bay too.

You can also use this powder to do some light baking. If I really need my makeup to last, I’ll pick up some of the powder on my BeautyBlender Puff and press it into my under eye area and even my T-zone. Soft Focus is so finely milled that you can really pack it on and it never looks like you have a layer of powder on your face. Plus, it is a great powder for touch-ups since it never looks cakey or crepey!

How It Compares: What’s not to love about ILIA Soft Focus talc free setting powder?

ILIA Soft Focus Finishing Powder is a super finely milled, lightweight setting powder. It blurs and diffuses my pores, smooths my fine lines, and keeps my shine at bay without looking cakey or drying. I also appreciate the white color of this setting powder, which makes it truly translucent. It doesn’t oxidize or change the color of my base products like some powders can, nor does it leave a white cast. Even better, Soft Focus is a clean, talc free setting powder. You can feel good about wearing this powder with its skin-loving ingredients. An added bonus, it doesn’t cause any extra flashback in photos!

Honestly, this loose powder has quickly become one of my favorites in the luxury beauty category. Few compare to my beloved Laura Mercier powder or Hourglass Veil powder, but this ILIA powder is a runner-up. If you’re looking for a powder that sets your face without that dry, matte look, ILIA Soft Focus is here for you.

Comparison to Top Performers

ILIA created the best clean setting powder. However, what does that look like when one compares it to some of the best performing setting powders? There is a good amount of competition for that no. 1 place, performance speaking. Haus Labs and Laura Mercier created hard to beat products. Check out the one-to-one chart below to see how ILIA stacks up.

Performance Rating Chart

This Product

(4.8)

:ILIA Soft Focus Translucent Setting Powder

Application

(5)

Finish – Blurring

(4.7)

Finish – Setting

(4.7)

Finish – Oil Control

(4.4)

Longevity

(4.8)

Similar Product

(4.8)

:HAUS LABS Bio-Blurring Setting Powder

Application

(5)

Finish – Blurring

(5)

Finish – Setting

(4.5)

Finish – Oil Control

(4.7)

Longevity

(4.7)

This Product

(4.9)

:Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

Application

(5)

Finish – Blurring

(4.7)

Finish – Setting

(4.9)

Finish – Oil Control

(4.9)

Longevity

(5)

^{Our Rating Criteria}

Milabu Beauty Method: Set your face!

After you’ve applied your makeup as usual, you’re probably going to want to set your face.

1. First, tap out a small amount of product into the lid of the product.
2. Using a small fluffy brush (like this one from Real Techniques, $7.99), gently tap the powder into the areas you most need to set. I like to focus on my under eyes, cheeks, and around my nose.
3. If your skin leans more oily, I recommend taking a fluffy powder brush, like this ($9.99) from Real Techniques, and applying the powder across your entire face, using gentle patting motions avoid disturbing the makeup below.
4. Lock everything in place with a setting spray. Milk Makeup Hydro Grip ($36) is one of my favorites. It adds a boost of hydration while melting my makeup together for a longer wear.

Tip: Take a puff and press the powder into your skin for a light powder bake! Soft Focus works perfect for this since it is so lightweight and smoothing.