Tower28’s New Pressed Powder Makes My Skin Look Airbrushed

As an oily pre-teen, pressed powder saved my life (and skin). Even now, far from pre-teendom, it’s the product that I know my makeup won’t look the same without. That final pat of powder onto my skin is like the ribbon on top of the present that is my makeup routine—it just makes everything look better. After years of seeking dewy donut skin, the matte renaissance is upon us, and Tower28 is here to lead the pack. The brand’s newest launch is a sensitive skin-friendly pressed powder that claims to work as a gentler alternative to setting spray.

Okay, so a pressed powder isn’t the most exciting new launch but it is an important one. Often, core complexion product releases get lost in the hullabaloo of shiny new lip products and glittery shadows. But! A great complexion product can have such a positive change on your makeup routine, and if you love it, you re-purchase again and again (I still use the same concealer I swore by in high school, for example). All this, plus an intriguing formula, is why Tower28’s new Getset Blur + Set Pressed Powder piqued our interest.

Ahead, everything you need to know about the launch, plus our honest review.

The Product

Imagine a setting spray in powder form without any drying alcohol. That’s what Tower28 aimed to create with the new Getset Blur + Set Pressed Powder. The velvety powder compact comes in four shades, including two translucent powders, one for fair to medium skin tones (Translucent Trestles) and one for medium to dark skin tones (Hermosa Honey). Then, there are two brightening shades, a baby pink for fair and medium skin tones (Pink Palisades) and a banana shade for medium to dark skin tones (Balboa Banana).

Like all of the brand’s products, making a powder that was safe for sensitive skin types was the top priority. It’s 100% talc- and alcohol-free, with claims to be long-wearing (up to 12 hours), transfer-resistant, sweat-proof, and humidity-proof.

Ingredient call-outs include kaolin clay, which helps gently control shine, and hydrophobic silica, which helps to repel sweat. The powder’s skincare benefits, like the inclusion of squalane and kaolin clay, make it feel more complex compared to other formulas on the market. Beyond just acting as a mattifier, kaolin clay can help to soothe acne, and squalane adds hydration and nourishes the skin.

Tower 28 is known for its easy to wear, natural-looking products, so Getset Blur + Set Pressed Powder creates a soft blur that keeps the skin’s radiance. It adds a filter-like effect that diminishes shine, but is breathable for all-day wear and reapplication. What’s more, it’s tested to be flashback-free, so you can leave flashback Mary at home.

The Review

“I love a super dewy base, but I always make sure to hit my ‘hot zones’—forehead, around my nose, chin—with powder to keep me keeping glowy, not greasy. I usually don’t notice a huge difference between powders as long as they keep me from looking like a grease ball. However, the first time I applied this one I was a little shook. Yes, it instantly tamps down shine, but the blurring effect is truly wild. Just a swipe makes me look like I have a filter on my skin, all my pores were gone. It has such a thin, silky texture that doesn’t feel caky or drying. I even like it on my under-eyes, which I never powder since it’s usually a ticket to cake city. This product has made powder something I actually look forward to applying ever single day.” —Bella Cacciatore, news editor