Ben Nye VS Soap & Glory

If there’s one thing I can’t be without, it’s a good setting powder. With predominately oily skin, I rely on setting powders to keep my makeup in place throughout the day, as well as keeping oil at bay.

I've been a big fan of the Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder for a long time now. I first raved about it here on Tattooed Tealady in 2013 (see here), and it’s been a favourite ever since. Not only that, but it lasts forever! I'm still on my very first pot. Now admittedly, I don’t use it every single day and I turn to different setting powders for different things, but if I'm out and about or have an event or date with friends to look forward to, it’s my first choice every time.

The Ben Nye Banana powder has become quite the cult product over the past few years, predominately down to Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist who swears by it – especially for perfecting the contoured and highlighted look that Kim K is famous for. In fact, it’s how I found out about the Banana powder and the reason why I wanted to get my hands on it myself. But this isn't a new beauty product, it’s been used by professionals on stage for a long, long time. Ben Nye is a family owned company, established more than 50 years ago, which creates products for professional actors, actresses and artists all over the world, with products that can stand the test of bright (and very hot) stage lights and settings.

A luxury micro-milled loose powder, the Luxury Powder range actually comes in different shades, each appropriate to specific skin tones and complexions. I've seen a lot of people try the Banana powder and find it doesn't work for them, without realising that just because it works for Kim K, doesn't mean it’ll work for them too. The Banana powder is more suited to warm toned skin, whilst other shades work better for pale beauties, with shades for darker vixens too. For me the Banana shade works wonderfully – but bear in mind I have a Mediterranean skin tone. It’s not completely translucent on application; there is a slight yellow tone to it, which is why it works specifically for certain complexions and not others (and why there are other shade varieties for other skin tones!).

What I love about the Banana powder is the way it’s such a diverse product. It works wonders to set my makeup, it keeps oil at bay all day with ease, and it also works amazingly well to brighten my complexion when teamed with my favourite highlighting and contouring products. The only downside is the packaging – it’s not very travel friendly, and when you’re on the go the last thing you want is to accidently spill it all over you (which I've done, one too many times). A simple solution though is popping a little bit of the Banana powder into a travel pot, which I like to keep in my handbag for on the go touch-ups.

I never thought I’d find a powder which ticks all the same boxes as my beloved Banana powder; that was until I tried the Soap & Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder. By design, it’s much easier to use and take out and about with you; a pressed powder in a handy compact which includes a mirror, fairly lightweight and doesn't take up too much room in your handbag. Another powder I'm completely smitten with, it was one of my favourite makeup finds of 2014 and a product I've raved about more than once here on Tattooed Tealady (see here and here).

Just like the Banana powder it works really well to set my makeup in place whilst keeping oil at bay all day long. With Superblur technology and Camouflage 3DTM, it works to create an overall more perfected and flawless complexion. Although a similar shade in the pan as the Banana powder, it’s actually translucent and doesn't leave any yellow traces on the skin, but I find the effect it has on my skin to be just as good as the Banana powder. It is by far the only other setting powder I have ever come across which keeps unwanted oil at bay all day long, something I had previously only found with the Banana powder.

The Ben Nye Luxury Banana Powder isn't the easiest product to find in the UK, so if you’ve been curious to give it a try but are struggling to track it down at a reasonable price, then I’d say give the Soap & Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Powder a go instead. It’s just as good – and if anything, is much easier to use with its pressed powder formula and handy compact.

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