DIY Finishing Powder Recipe (2024)

Learn how to make a DIY finishing powder to set your makeup naturally. This is an easy recipe that can save you a lot of money.

It's summer! It's time for lazy days, swimming, catching fireflies, and outdoor movies. It's also time for high humidity and temps so high your makeup melts right off.

Luckily, there is one easy DIY recipe that will help keep your makeup looking flawless. It naturally absorbs sweat and oil while it gives you a flawless airbrushed look and fills in fine lines and large pores.

If you go to the drugstore or specialty makeup store, expect to spend anywhere from $10 to $40 or more for a finishing powder. You can make this one for a few pennies, and it works wonderfully.

I had all of the ingredients already, so I didn't even have to spend anything. If you do have to buy some of the ingredients, you can use them in other recipes, so there's no waste.

Storebought finishing powders can also have questionable ingredients and preservatives. Since this recipe doesn't have any water, you don't need a preservative. I know exactly what's in my DIY finishing powder recipe, and I can control the ingredients.

Links in this post may be affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission from sales.

WHAT IS FINISHING POWDER?

Finishing powder, also called setting powder, gives you a smooth almost airbrushed looking finish over your makeup. It helps set or lock in your makeup. It also helps fill in large pores and fine lines.

Using a finishing powder helps your makeup last longer, so I always use it if I need my makeup to last all day. I use it a lot more in the summer, but I do use it the rest of the year if I need my makeup to last without melting off.

It also helps absorb sweat and excess oil, so you might want to use it daily if you have oily skin.

HOW DO YOU USE FINISHING POWDER?

Finishing powder is really easy to use. After you apply your foundation, bronzer, blush, and highlight, use a large powder brush to dust all over your face. It's translucent, so it should blend in well. If it doesn't, use a stiffer brush like a kabuki brush to blend it.

If I will be outside in the heat, I also use this under my makeup. I prime first, the dust with powder. Let it set for a few minutes, then apply a light foundation, finish my makeup, and reapply the DIY finishing powder recipe.

Just be careful not to add too much because it can cake and cause white patches on your face. You really want to use a light hand and blend well.

You can reapply as needed throughout the day. I usually take it with me and a small kabuki brush for touchups.

You can also apply finishing powder even if you aren't wearing makeup. When it's really hot and I don't want to wear makeup, I'll use finishing powder just to absorb oil and sweat. It will help smooth out fine lines and make large pores appear smaller.

ARROWROOT POWDER

The base of this recipe is arrowroot powder. Like flour or cornstarch, arrowroot powder is a common thickener. It is finer and more absorbent than cornstarch, so it's better suited to making this DIY finishing powder recipe.

Arrowroot comes from the Ararot plant. Cornstarch obviously comes from corn, which can be genetically modified. The Ararot plant is not genetically modified, so I prefer to use arrowroot for this reason as well.

READ Arrowroot Powder Benefits for Hair and Skin

CLAY

I also added clay to this recipe because it absorbs more oil and sweat. You can use one or more of the following clays.

Kaolin clay is light and very fine, so it makes a great clay to use in this recipe. It helps absorb sweat and oil on top of your skin and even in the pores. It's bright white, but it blends beautifully on the skin. Kaolin clay is a mild clay, so it's good for all skin types.

Learn more about the benefits of kaolin clay for skin.

If you have redness, you can also use green clay if you use this under your makeup or without makeup. The green color neutralizes redness. You can use all green clay or mix it with kaolin clay, depending on your needs.

You can also use bentonite clay if you have acne prone skin. Bentonite clay is more of a gray color, so it may make you look ashy.

CACAO POWDER OR NUTMEG

This powder should be translucent and blend in with most skin tones, but you can also add cacao powder or nutmeg for some color if you have a dark skin tone. Just add a little bit at a time until you get the right shade.

ESSENTIAL OILS

You can use an essential oil in this recipe, but it's completely optional.
Personally, I do not use any, but if you do, these are some options:

• Geranium essential oil

• Lavender essential oil

• Rose essential oil

• German chamomile essential oil

Don't use lemon, grapefruit, lime, or bergamot because they can make you more photosensitive.
I like using sifter jars for my DIY finishing powder because it doesn't make a mess. I used a 45 mL sifter jar from SKS-Bottle, but you can also find them on Amazon.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 teaspoons arrowroot powder
• 1 part clay (bentonite, kaolin, or green clay or a combination of clays)
• Cacao powder or nutmeg (optional)
• 45 gram sifter jar
• Essential oils (see below)

DIRECTIONS

I mixed my arrowroot powder and clay right in my sifter jar. I used a small spoon to carefully stir it.
Four teaspoons of powder almost filled my 45 mL jar. If you are using a smaller jar, you may need to adjust the quantity or store leftovers in another container.

If you want your powder darker, add cacao powder and/or nutmeg until you get the shade that you want.

If you do want to use essential oils, you'll need to add more arrowroot powder and clay. Use 9 teaspoons of arrowroot powder and 3 teaspoons of clay. Add one drop of essential oils. Stir well.

Yes, it really is that easy to make your own DIY finishing powder recipe!

Add green clay if you are prone to redness.

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