Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
by Laura Mercier · makeup
Editor's Take
Corn starch for oil control, PMMA for blur, three parabens at the bottom; a capable setting powder that skips talc but not the preservative controversy.
Four-pillar formula scores
- Efficacy: 7.5 / 10
- Modern Tech: 5.0 / 10
- Clean Beauty: 4.0 / 10
- Sustainability: 6.9 / 10
The Verdict
This is a starch-based setting powder that does what it claims without talc, leaning on corn starch for oil absorption and PMMA for a soft-focus finish. The blur technology is credible, the texture is silky, and it sets makeup reliably. The trade-off: three parabens (Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben) and a synthetic dye sit at the end of the list, so it's not a clean pick. Worth it if you want a translucent powder that performs without talc and you're unbothered by heritage preservatives.
Full INCI list
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Methicone, Lauroyl Lysine, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Tocopherol, Methylparaben, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Propylparaben, Butylparaben. May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Yellow 5 Lake (Ci 19140), Ultramarines (Ci 77007).