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Skin care comes in many highly experiential formats these days—from color-morphing creams to bubbling masks. In the midst of this choose-your-own-adventure mix, though, the most potent options may be a growing crop of nearly weightless powders and “dusts.”
Similar in appearance to ground cooking spices, these finely milled, loose powders function like highly potent “dry” versions of a favorite scrub, serum, or booster. Keeping the contents in a freeze-dried-like state “eliminates many of the problems that can cause an ingredient to lose effectiveness or degrade,” says Toronto-based cosmetic chemist Stephen Alain Ko. “For example, many antioxidants become much less stable when placed into a solution or exposed to air, heat, and light.” Take ascorbic acid—otherwise known as vitamin C—it breaks down much faster in a liquid than when preserved in a powder, Ko explains.
And then there’s the convenience factor for summer travel season. Airy, dry powders are inherently airport-friendly and weigh considerably less than ready-made liquids, which helps cut down on suitcase bulk (not to mention environmental “emissions when transporting products,” points out Ko).
To activate these super-fresh, on-demand powders, just combine with water—or another go-to beauty product. The Nue Co.’s new topical vitamin C, for example, can be blended into any serum or moisturizer for a supercharged fix that helps brighten dark spots and stimulates collagen. Orveda’s dehydrated clay mud, meanwhile, contains pulverized green bentonite clay, kombucha black tea, and other purifying botanicals—sweep it over the face with a dampened konjac sponge and it forms a pore-clearing paste.
The advantage of tinkering with powders is it allows for crafting customized batches—something ready-made formulas can’t match. Consider Copenhagen-based Nuori’s recently launched “adaptable” polishing kit: You can mix in a pea-size pinch of the rice- and aloe vera–infused powder with the fermented liquid complex to concoct a mild daily exfoliant for sensitive skin (or add in a dash more for an intensive biweekly treatment if you’re oilier). Just stay within the prescribed dosages or irritation is a risk. But for the most part, Ko finds that the hands-on creation process is relatively easy. After all, he points out, “People have managed to follow baking and cooking recipes at home for centuries.” Here, five ultra-effective skin-care powders to mix into your routine now.
