I know I talk a lot about expensive products on this blog, not because I think expensive always means better, but rather cheaper options tends to be a hit or miss for me (usually a miss). But when I do find affordable products that work well, believe me I’ll be waving them in your face like a fanatic evangelical with their bibles screaming “YOU NEED JESUS THIS!”. With that said, today’s review is a high-low showdown between the cult-classic Laura Mericer Translucent Loose Setting Powder (mini) versus the newcomer Althea Petal Velvet Powder. May the best powder win!
I’m not going to review the Laura Mercier powder, because you’ve probably either used it yourself or you’ve read a million reviews on this so my opinions are irrelevant at this point. But I’m sure you’re curious about the other contestant in this rumble, so…
Althea Petal Velvet Powder introduction
- What is it
- A translucent powder made with micro-fine particles to keep sebum production at bay while giving the skin a blurred + fresh finish. It can also be used to sets makeup and leaves behind a silky finish.
- How I use it
- After sunscreen on makeup-free days to minimize shine, or after foundation to help set and create a more matte finish.
- Best suited for
- Anyone looking to control shine without caking or drying the skin.
Anyone on a budget.
Anyone who prefers using clean and cruelty-free makeup. - Key ingredients
- Silica – Absorbs sweat and sebum to keep your skin fresh. Althea uses a 10µm lightweight formula which gives a translucent finish.
Mica – A translucent mineral that reflects light and provides a smooth radiant finish to the skin.
Hibiscus syriacus seed extract – aka hibiscus flower seed extract, it’s full of antioxidants and vitamin c.
full ingredient list here - Irritants
- This powder is talc-fre, colorant-free, and paraben-free, but it does a small amount of fragrance.
→ The Laura Mercier powder contains talc, pigments, and parabens, but no fragrance. - Packaging
- A sleek frosted plastic jar with a pale pink lid and a white puff that sits nicely in the jar. So millennial, so chic, much love. Oh and very travel-friendly!
- Scent
- A very faint floral scent. It’s not noticeable when applying to your skin, so you’d really have to snick your nose into the jar to get a whiff.
→ The Laura Mercier powder is completely unscented, though if you sniffed really hard you can smell the corn starch. - Texture
- Very fine and silky.
→ The Laura Mercier powder feels similar, but softer and more moist if that makes sense? - Finish
- Matte, obviously, but in a very fresh and natural way
- Available At
- $4.50 for 3g at Althea Korea (free US shipping for orders $50+, plus get 20% off your first order with this referral link)
→ The Laura Mercier powder costs $23 for 9g or $38 for 27g at Sephora
I know, don’t judge a product by it’s packaging, but I’m a sucker for anything minimal + pink, and Althea totally slayed it with this chic jar. In my opinion it looks sleeker than the mini sized Laura Mercier powder, which sadly looks bulkier and cheaper despite being 5x more expensive.
Now the included puff I’m very eh about. It’s 13mm thick, but feels rather flimsy, and the white means that any foundation transfers will be super obvious. On the other hand the Laura Mercier puff feels thicker, plusher, and distributes the powder more easily on the skin without picking up so much foundation. Now I would just use the LM puff with the Althea powder, but sadly the LM puff is too thick to fit in the Althea jar :(
Althea Petal Velvet Powder vs. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
What better way to compare the 2 products than applying them using their respective puffs on 2 sides of my face and seeing how they perform? For my base I applied the followed by the YSL Touche Eclat Cushion Foundation (full review here):
Goodness I totally misspelled translucent in my photos…ah well
As you can see, both powders instantly mattified my skin, and the Althea Petal Velvet Powder also seemed to brighten it slightly. However, the Althea puff also picked up a bit of the foundation, as some of my dark spots are more obvious after the powder. The Laura Mercier powder, true to its name, is completely translucent and doesn’t alter the color of the foundation.
The Althea side looks shinier by 12:30 pm, but I think that it’s due to the angle of the lighting and the mica in the Althea Petal Velvet Powder. On the other hand, I noticed a dry patch under the eye on the Laura Mericer side, but overall both powders seemed ok at this point.
The 5:15pm shot had the most even lighting and you can see that the Althea side still looked fresh with minimal shine, while oil was starting to show through the Laura Mercier side. You can see the some of the texture on my cheeks are more noticeable, and that dry patch under the eye was still there, but it didn’t get any worse.
Timeline of the Althea Petal Velvet Powder
Ironically I love the before look the best, as the Althea puff definitely ate some of the foundation during the application process. In this angle, you can see that there was a tiny bit of shine near the tip of my nose by 5:15pm, but the biggest issue was that its subpar makeup setting ability. The redness and the spots on my cheeks became more noticeable as the day went on.
Timeline of the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder
I have to admit, I prefer the natural dewiness of the YSL Touche Eclat Cushion Foundation more than the mattified finish!
So I didn’t get a good picture of the 9am state, but you can see that by 5:15pm oil was creeping through my makeup, especially in the t-zones and the inner cheek area. However, props to the LM powder’s setting abilities as the foundation coverage held up quite well.
Final Verdict
Hopefully from my photos it was easy to see that the Althea Petal Velvet Powder clearly wins in shine control, whereas the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder is better at setting makeup. I do believe the Althea powder’s ability to set makeup well was compromised by its puff, as I’ve noticed less issues when applying the powder with a brush. I’m also on the fence about the inclusion of mica, as it seems to make the skin appear shiny in certain lightings, it’s almost like I applied a super subtle highlighter all over my face. Luckily this only seems to be an issue when the light hits my face directly.
So which powder should you get?
- If you’re looking for oil control without any caking, go with the Althea Petal Velvet Powder, but apply with a brush instead of the included puff.
- If you want better makeup setting abilities and don’t mind paying more, you might enjoy the Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder.
And of course, the final scoring for the Althea Petal Velvet Powder:
Althea Petal Velvet Powder
- Packaging9/10
- Application7.5/10
- Finish8.5/10
- Performance8.5/10
- Price10/10
This powder isn't without its flaws, but for $4.50, you honestly can't beat the value. While I've been happy using the Laura Mercier powder previously, I've found myself reaching for the Althea powder more now when I'm looking for a matte finish, and then setting with the MAC Fix+. If you already have a powder you love and swear by, the Althea Petal Velvet Powder might not wow you in anyways, but if you're still on the search or you're looking for something super budget-friendly, definitely give this one a try!
Hope you all enjoyed this review, and let me know if you’ve tried any of these 2 products, or if you have another favorite powder that you swear by!
Cheaper beauty buys usually tend to be a hit or miss for me as well. This Althea Petal Velvet Powder despite lacking a little in the setting department certainly sounds like it’s worth the money if you’re just looking to control shine. The packaging is cute as well. My dry skin gave up on powder a few years ago and now I just rely on blotting papers and setting sprays to cut shine and set my makeup ;)
I still swear by my MAC Fix+ to set my makeup as well, it definitely agrees more with my drier eye area as well :) I find with blotting paper it actually eats away at my makeup, but maybe I just need better blotting paper!
Jenny this is an excellent review! Love the idea of tracking the performance of this powder throughout the day. Although the Althea powder may not be perfect, for the price it’s a big winner! Great post!
~ Cat L.
http://www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Thank you so much Cat! I agree, you can’t beat the quality at that price!
I have a deluxe sample size of the LM powder but have yet to use it. I do love loose powders but so far I’m only using HD ones. I will give the LM one a go and see how I like it and then might pick up this Althea version. Must say you have AMAZING skin, Jenny!
Aww thanks so much Shireen!! <3 I’m actually quite curious about the MUFE HD powder myself, it’s such a classic!
Wow, there are definitely some positives to this one! It controlled your shine really well. I love how you did the side by side comparisons too. You can totally tell how well it worked! I use the LM one every day, and I really really like it, but would totally be open to trying this one too, especially for the bomb price tag. :)
-Emily http://www.coatandcoffee.com
Thank you Emily, so glad you liked the comparison! The LM one was my go-to before, and I still think it’s a great powder, so it just comes down to personal preferences :)
I do have a mini size of the Laura Mercier one, but haven´t made up my mind yet. Maybe I´ll go get one of these so I can compare them as well? I do need a lot of oil control, but I don´t mind touching up after a few hours, as long as it won´t be cakey.
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
I actually didn’t touch up at all during my experiment, and I can definitely see the Althea one lasting the entire day. The LM side would need touching up, and I think with a hydrating primer the cakiness can be avoided!
The price of the Althea powder is fantastic! Personally I’d be more than willing to use that instead of the Laura Mercier Powder – but I guess it depends on skintypes and what finish you’re going for!
Great review :)
Thank you Lindsey! The Althea powder is the winner for me as well, but I can see why people love and prefer the LM powder, it’s still a great product!
I love a good dupe! I am totally going to go and get this, I need shine control in my life! Haha
Yay! I hope you’ll like it as much as I do!
Wow, you really can’t beat that price. If I was into powders, I’d be snatching up that Althea one! However, I’m lucky in that I’ve never had a problem with needing to set my makeup to control oil, so powders are not part of my routine. I think if I did get one, I would like to try Too Faced Primed & Poreless Pressed Powder! I saw one of my favorite YouTubers use it and her skin looked flawless afterwards!
Sam / My Beauty Cloud
Ooo, I’m curious about the Too Faced Powder now! I don’t usually use powder to set makeup either but I do like using it when I prefer a matte finish :)
Great detailed review. Both powders work well in their own right. i haven’t tried either but will keep in mind for next time x
http://www.franklyflawless.com
Thank you Sabiha! I agree, both have their strengths and weaknesses, but it’s always good to have options, especially affordable ones! :)
I’ve never heard of this brand, but what a great contestant to the Laura Mercier one! I will try it out for myself but as I’m one to only use powder to set my makeup, I’m guessing that I’ll still prefer the good old classic. Though, for that price point, it’s worth a shot! x
Sam Hodgett || Beauty, Food & Lifestyle
It really is, especially at that price! I actually swear by my MAC fix+ to set my makeup, as I find it works better than both powders without changing the finish of the makeup :)
Wow, this definitely controlled oil. So glad you found this and it worked for you. Looks great. I have the Laura Mercier translucent powder and love it. I have really dry skin, so I’m not sure how this would work for me. But the price difference definitely wants to make me try. Thanks for sharing :D
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
It’s interesting because I thought the Laura Mercier powder would be less drying, but it actually left a dry patch in my under eye area, whereas the Althea powder didn’t dry out my skin at all!
Fabulous review as usual Jenny! Now, I know I say this on practically all of your posts and it’s probably getting SO annoying now but damn, your skin is perfect! xx Now that that’s said, I love the packaging of the Althea powder and, for such a low price, it does a great job at shine control. And yes, I agree, sometimes the powder puff definitely does compromise the performance of a powder! x
Marina xx
https://marinawriteslife.blogspot.fr/
Thank you so much Marina, and I would never think any comment of yours is annoying! For the great price I can definitely overlook the quality of the puff, and like you said, sometimes a brush is just better! :)
This was such a useful review! The Althea powder seems really impressive for such an affordable price. x
Kate Louise Blogs
Thank you Kate! I agree, the value for its price is amazing!
I have absolutely got to try this! I use the Laura Mercier powder and love how much more budget friendly this option is.
Definitely! :) I don’t use powders that often, but if you do the cost can definitely add up!
Amazing result ! Thanks for the detailed review !
Nina
xox
http://www.thecrispylipstick.com
Thank you Nina!
I also have that Althea Velvet Powder and I do agree it’s good oil control :) I always wanted to try that Laura Mercier translucent powder, thank goodness you made this side by side comparison because I prioritize more on oil-control than makeup setting.
xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY
Same here! I find I prefer using a setting mist anyways, the MAC Fix+ works better than any powder I’ve tried. I just wish the Althea puff was a little nicer!
Yet another amazing review, Jenny! Love the thorough review and details you’ve mentioned. I have never heard of this brand but man, the Laura Mercier one has been reviewed and raved for the longest time I have yet to even try it out haha. But I might give this one a try (not trying to break the bank here) so thank you for sharing this, dear!
xo Tina
IG: @tinasweetheart
wwww.tinasweetheart.com
Aww thank you Tina! Althea is actually a K-beauty retailer and this powder is the first product they released, and their success with this makes me excited to see what other products they’ll come out with in the future! But yes, if you want something super affordable, I can’t recommend this powder enough!
LOL I love how you included “If you sniffed really hard you could smell the cornstarch.” The Althea powder really does look chic! I had a small sample size of the LM powder and although it was everyone’s holy grail at the time, it just made me look cakey.
I actually really love the subtle highlight all over the face look, maybe it’s because I’m very dry and I want to look dewy, haha. Is the packaging of the powder in a box that looks like instagram? It’s cute!
becky @ star violet
I’m pretty sure I snorted some by accident, oops! If you have dry skin and like the subtle glow I think you’ll really like this powder! And no, the packaging doesn’t look like an Instagram photo, that was just a photo prop they included, haha
great!
PLEASE FOLLOW ME! :) : FASHIONGIRL.BLOGSPOT.COM
What an amazing dupe! Thank you for such a thorough post with so many great demonstrations of the product performance xxx
UmmBabyBeauty
Thank you lovely, so glad you enjoyed the post! It’s definitely an affordable alternative to the more expensive to the oil control powders out there!
I have been wanting to get this ever since Althea launched it this year. I was a bit hesitant though. It seemed to have faired well against the LM powder, and for a much lower price too, which is always a plus. I will consider buying this once my powder runs out. Great review!
Thank you Veronica! I understand the skepticism when a product is priced so low it almost sounds too good to be true, so I’m glad that this Althea powder was able to show that you can get a great product at a low price :)
Great review! Both powders seem to perform well, but I love the packaging of the Althea powder.
http://www.millievyse.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you Emily! I agree, the packaging of the Althea powder is much prettier! 💕
It sounds like a winner, I hope I can get it in the UK xxx
ALittleKiran | Bloglovin
I think Althea does have international shipping, though I’m not sure what their rates are, hopefully reasonable!
I just added your blog to my reader! YAY! So, I have to try this powder. I spent like 40.00 on this tiny little pot of the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder which I burn through like crazy if I use to set my whole face. This is a MUST try for me. I haven’t heard of this line before. SO INTERESTING!
http://abeautifulwhim.com XO Janine
Aww thank you Janine, will have to check out yours too! Powders can be super expensive if you use them regularly, which is why this is such a great deal! It is a bit smaller in size, but even when you look at the cost per gram, I think it’s still quite reasonable. Hope you’ll love it as much as I do if you try it!
Wow, this is such an awesome and very thorough comparison hun, I really appreciate all the photos included!I haven’t actually tried either of these but the Althea one sounds fantastic, especially for the price. I have tried a couple of expensive powders in the past and really wasn’t impressed especially compared to the more affordable options, that work just as well. Thanks for sharing this lovely review! xoxo
Kay
http://shoesandglitter.com
Thank you Kay! So glad you liked the post! :) The Althea powder is a relatively new launch, but it’s exciting to see brands create effective and affordable products – my wallet is very happy, haha
I totally agree about affordable make-up products, if they’re good – they’re freaking good! Love the packaging of this powder and glad to hear it is a good one!
The packaging is goals, they totally nailed it with the millennial pink!
Love the way you have compared two products to give a better explanation! Althea Petal Velvet Powder looks amazing plus the price is also great! :) Will check it out!
xx
Shivangi
http://www.outoncatwalk.com
thank you so much for your indepth review!