RMS Beauty UnPowder Review: Should You Try This Weightless, Oil-Absorbing Finishing Powder?

“I’m anti-powder,” says Rose-Marie Swift, celebrity makeup artist and founder of RMS Beauty. “Generally speaking, the older you get, the worse powder looks. People usually don’t notice how their skin looks with powder all over it—it’s hard to look at yourself objectively, especially when it comes to makeup.”¹

That’s why she created UnPowder: “a Japanese silica powder that is not synthetic silica and absorbs oil without leaving a powdery deposit and build-up on the skin.”²

Described as a loose finishing powder, it sounds like the perfect solution for extending your makeup and taming shine.

Or is it? Personally, I wasn’t so sure about this product when I first tried it (even though I’m a huge fan of everything else RMS Beauty, including UnCoverup). 

Read on to find out more and whether you should add this powder to your makeup routine.

What It Is & Who It’s For

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RMS Beauty UnPowder is a loose powder that absorbs oil and extends the wear of your makeup. It’s available in a range of tints as well as translucent, and promises to blur the look of your skin, minimize pores, and create a smooth, natural finish. 

You know how some powders make you look 100% matte? Well, this one is not like that. Even though it minimizes shine, it still subtly reflects the light. It’s also weightless on the skin, so it doesn’t look or feel heavy.

I think this product could be useful to anyone who wears makeup, particularly setting powders. (You don’t need to be into clean beauty or even like RMS Beauty’s “clean girl” aesthetic.) With its lightweight texture, it’s especially ideal for people who like to reapply powder throughout the day.

Who shouldn’t try this product? Maybe someone who enjoys “baking” their foundation like it’s 2016. It’s not going to give you that hyper-matte, powdery, opaque-looking finish. It also won’t provide any coverage, so it won’t do the job of a powder foundation.

Packaging & Texture

RMS Beauty UnPowder comes in a plastic jar with a rotating sifter. It’s sealed with a sticker when you get it, so you just need to take that off and then twist it to allow the powder to come out.

Included is not a brush but a soft powder puff made of pure cotton. This is how you’re meant to apply it, but more on that in a second!

When you finish the container, the cap and jar can be taken to a PACT cosmetic recycling bin near you (see here for locations).

Now, let’s talk texture. Unlike most powders, this one is very thin and silky. They weren’t kidding about it being weightless! That’s why it doesn’t build up on the skin or settle into fine lines, pores or dry patches.

When you swatch it on your skin, you’ll notice that it has a lot of “slip” to it (that’s the best way I can describe it!). This is the reason it creates such a smooth, blurred finish.

Ingredients & Benefits

Ingredients (Untinted): Silica, Mica.

Believe it or not, the Untinted version of RMS Beauty UnPowder contains just two ingredients:

• Silica: Also known as silicon dioxide, this is a mineral found in clays and sand. It can also be produced synthetically. In cosmetics, silica is prized for its oil-absorbing and thickening properties.³ RMS Beauty uses a safe, non-crystalline type of natural silica, which is unlikely to produce the “flashback” effect that you get from synthetic silica.
• Mica: This is an umbrella term for a group of minerals that create an iridescent or opalescent effect when used in cosmetics.⁴ In small amounts, such as in this powder, mica subtly reflects the light (rather than looking sparkly or glittery).

Ingredients (0-1 Fair/Light): Silica, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

The Tinted versions of this powder contain one or two additional ingredients:

• Titanium dioxide: This mineral is best known as a type of UV filter that you find in sunscreens.⁵ Since it’s bright and white, it is also sometimes used in cosmetics as a pigment. (In this powder, it’s only found in the lightest shade, 0-1 Fair/Light.)
• Iron oxides: These are natural minerals that are used as pigments.⁶ There are three colours that manufacturers to create their shades: CI 77491 (red), CI 77492 (yellow) and CI 77499 (black).

If you have acne-prone skin, UnPowder is safe to use, since none of these ingredients are comedogenic. This product is also talc-free, fragrance-free and silicone-free.

Shades & Swatches

You have four shade options with RMS Beauty UnPowder:

• Untinted
• 0-1 Fair/Light
• 2-3 Medium
• 3-4 Deep

Untinted will work on all skin tones. Even though it looks white in the jar, it’s invisible on the skin and does not leave any white residue. For the swatch above, I had to apply a huge amount to even get it to show up in the photo. When it’s all blended out, it won’t be detectable at all, no matter what your skin tone.

I also tried 0-1 Fair/Light, which has a hint of colour. (It’s said to suit people who wear UnCoverup in shades 00 or 11.) As you can see, it has a beige tint with a slightly yellow undertone.

How to Apply It

There’s one more thing that makes UnPowder unique: the application method. I’m talking about the powder puff, which is what Rose-Marie Swift recommends instead of brushes. She says it gives you more control and deposits less product onto the skin. There’s also less risk of inhaling the powder particles.

Here’s what you’re supposed to do:

• Apply your makeup as usual: The brand recommends using UnPowder as your last step, so do everything—foundation, concealer, blush, eye makeup, lipstick—before you go in with this powder.
• Tap a small amount of powder onto the back of your hand: That way, you avoid contaminating your powder supply with facial oils and makeup residue.
• Dab your puff into the powder and press it into your skin: Avoid wiping or dragging the puff, which will just pick up the makeup you already applied.
• Repeat as necessary: Keep dabbing and pressing until you’ve covered the desired area. (For most people, just powdering your T-zone is enough.) But remember, less is more! It’s easier to add more powder than to take it away if you overdo it.

My Results

Here, you can see how RMS Beauty UnPowder in 0-1 Fair/Light looks as I apply it to my skin. Notice how it’s just slightly visible on my forehead. This is one reason I wasn’t sure about this product when I first started using it. I don’t think it’s my ideal colour match, as my skin is more cool-toned. I would have had to apply it all over my face to make the colour look seamless, so the Tinted powder didn’t really work for me.

Fortunately, the Untinted version is invisible, so I don’t need to apply it everywhere to get a great result. I’ve found that it really does work to make foundation last longer and prevent you from looking shiny. It’s also the ideal companion to UnCoverup, which can start to fade and slide around as the day goes on. This powder definitely gives it more longevity. 

I also like to use it under my eyes to prevent concealer creasing. A tiny amount does the trick, and unlike most powders, it doesn’t turn the area dry or crepey. 

But I’ll be honest, the powder puff application can be tricky to get the hang of! When you’re used to the speed of brushes, it’s hard to stop and take the time to do the pressing action with the puff—even if that does give you a better result. So I often end up applying this powder with a domed eyeshadow brush instead.

The other thing I don’t love is how the puff gets makeup over it and looks “dirtier” than a brush. So you just need to be diligent about washing it regularly with a mild soap.

Final Verdict

Here’s what I love about RMS Beauty UnPowder:

• Helps makeup last longer: No matter what makeup you’re wearing, it will give it more staying power. 
• Absorbs oil: All you need is a light application to help control excess oil throughout the day.
• Doesn’t look dry or cakey: Unlike most powders, it’s truly weightless and non-drying. It also subtly blurs and minimizes pores.
• Ideal for reapplication: Even if you apply multiple layers, it will never look caked-on.
• No flashback: Since the brand uses the highest quality natural silica, it’s unlikely to cause a white cast in photos.
• Minimal ingredients: With only a few all-natural ingredients, this is the “cleanest” powder you’ll find. 

But here’s why this product might not be for you:

• Shades may not match: The Tinted versions may not be an ideal shade match for your skin tone, especially if you have cool-toned skin like mine. In that case, you might want to stick with Untinted.
• No coverage: If you’re looking to conceal imperfections and specifically want a powder product, I recommend trying Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation instead.

Where to Buy

• Nordstrom
• Space NK
• The Detox Market
• RMS Beauty

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Sources

1. ^{Russell, J. (2013, May 17). From Punk to Makeup Artist and Organic Beauty Advocate: Rose-Marie Swift of rms beauty. Beautylish.}
2. ^{Swift, R. (2017, February 8). ROSE-MARIE SWIFT’S BEAUTY PICKS. The Last Magazine.}
3. ^{Silica. Cosmetics Info.}
4. ^{Mica. Cosmetics Info.}
5. ^{Titanium Dioxide. Cosmetics Info.}
6. ^{Iron Oxides. Cosmetics Info.}