If there is ever a time to invest in a setting powder, it is for a summer wedding. Between the humid climate, the sun beating down on your skin during outdoor ceremonies, and long hours spent smiling, dancing, and eating, it is not a wish, but a need. Although I’m not typically one to apply setting powder over my everyday makeup look (I’m more of a slather on some tinted sunscreen and then head out the door kind of guy), I knew I needed to invest in something that would help my makeup stay put at a recent outdoor wedding in the middle of a muggy East Coast August. Thankfully, despite high temperatures and a cocktail and reception in the late afternoon sun, the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder ensured that my makeup remained as flawless as it had been hours before.

Hourglass Veil Transparent Setting Powder

So what makes this powder so special? First, the translucent shade blends into your skin like a dream. I applied it as the last step of my pre-wedding makeup routine and it didn’t give a visible color difference when I applied it over my foundation or the dusty pink blush shade on my cheeks. The lack of color made it look like I hadn’t applied any product, but the smoothness that was left after application was unmistakable—the powder had done its job seamlessly. And since this powder is a setting powder (meaning it’s made to keep your makeup from sliding rather than covering it), it only takes a few swipes into the formula to get the right amount for your whole face. Considering the higher price, this is a significant Bonus, making it a smart investment for all the weddings on your calendar.

After lightly dabbing this powder onto my T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and cheeks (near my nose, where I tend to have oily skin), I was ready to face the outside elements that threatened to transform my makeup from flawless to unsightly. However, I was shocked to find that four hours and an hour later, my makeup was still perfectly in place, without a hint of shine. Even after the reception began, which included an earlier dinner with the sun still beating down, and ended with two hours of dancing and a few glasses of Sauvignon Blanc, my makeup was still intact. Since I never usually get such a flawless look with my usual makeup routine, I knew it was the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder that made everything from my foundation to my blush look matte and stay in place. Plus, it didn’t look flaky, patchy, or cakey anywhere on my skin, which I didn’t expect given my dry, sensitive skin type. It’s now an undeniable part of my makeup routine for the rest of my summer events and future weddings (even in cold weather) where I plan on dancing the night away with a flawless face.

Shop more makeup essentials for summer weddings

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Makeup Setting Spray

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Makeup Foundation