Latest Maybelline Compact Powder Matte+ Poreless Foundation Review

My skin is oily, acne-prone, and sensitive. I struggle a lot with complexion products because my oily skin starts breaking them down on skin faster. Nobody wants to look like a greasy mess within a few hours of makeup application, so I gravitate towards mattifying products and powders a lot more. They sit on my skin better and last longer than cream-based products.

When I purchased, the cost was Rs199 for 8g. check the latest price here. The shelf life is 36 months.

My shade is Light Beige 118. The shade range is limited and mostly with yellow undertones.

The Packaging of this Maybelline compact powder is very sturdy and travel friendly. The compact is round and has a sleek design. The covering is black plastic and is of good quality. The compact comes with a good mirror and a sponge applicator, which makes it extremely convenient and travel friendly. The Packaging doesn’t open abruptly while you carry it in your bag as it shuts pretty tightly. The shade, manufacturing date and ingredient list are written on the back of the compact. I must admit that I haven’t seen it in the official Maybelline websites of other countries. This is specifically meant for the South East Asian countries. Although the Packaging is different, the product quality has not been compromised.

This Maybelline Compact Powder is very finely milled. The product has a very smooth texture, which on application seamlessly blends into the skin. It gives a sort of soft-focus effect on the skin. The powder is quite pigmented and has medium coverage. There is a mild fragrance to it that shortly vanishes on application. The fragrance is not that pronounced that it will give you a headache. The powder gives a bit of kickback when used with a brush. Even when applying with the sponge applicator it comes with; there is some product kick back in the pan. It is nothing major as the product is evenly pressed into the pan. 

For this particular Packaging and formulation, only a few shades are available. When this product was bought, the website showed only three other shades, which is not adequate to cover the majority of the skin tones. The shade that I purchased, which is Light Beige 118, is a bit light for my skin tone; still, it doesn’t show such stark contrast. They have managed to get the undertones right due to which even if you buy a shade lighter or darker, you can still manage to pull it off with a bit of highlighting concealer or bronzer.

I use Maybelline Compact Powder all by itself sometimes. It gives me medium coverage. I use a large powder brush to swipe it across my face. It mattifies the shine instantly and provides an instant radiant glow to the skin. Even with the sponge applicator, you will get more product deposits on your skin, but still, the effect won’t be cakey. I tried using it to set my foundation and concealer. I must admit that although it put them well, it looked heavy and cakey. For setting your foundation, you better stick to loose translucent powders. This Maybelline Compact Powder will add more pigment to the pigments of the foundation and concealer, making it look heavy. For setting BB creams or on its own, it’s a minimalist makeup user’s perfect friend. 

Although the longevity claim is for 12 hours, I don’t think any of us would want to wear makeup for that long. On my oily skin, it easily lasted for around 6-7 hours till I removed it with a makeup remover. On first application, it evens out the skin, but as the day progresses, I find it fades eventually. The brighter side is that this Maybelline Compact Powder fades evenly and not in patches. On my t- zone, I observed some shine and oiliness after a few hours. But it was quickly countered with a few touch-ups. The product layers beautifully and doesn’t show patchiness, nor does it smear on clothes. It also doesn’t make your skin look entirely matte. It gives just the right amount of coverage and brightening effect.