Powder Play : Dust-On Finishes Are Back--in New Forms and Hues to ‘Color-Correct’ Skin

FOR THE first time in two decades, powder is an essential element in makeup. The “natural look” of the 1960s and ‘70s kept many women away from powders, but technological developments have allowed for sheer textures that are not only translucent, but also reflect light.

Powders have come loose or pressed, but now they’re also available in a new form: little pastel spheres. A product called Meteorites, by Guerlain, is a boxful of pressed-powder “pebbles” that sell for $35. Demand for them became so great in Guerlain’s Paris boutique that their sale was restricted to one hour a day. When Bullocks Wilshire began selling them, Meteorites were an “instant sellout,” says cosmetics buyer Gary Cockrell. Other new powder forms include Earth of Eden, which comes in a vial, and Maybelline Powder Eye Pearl shadows, which come in tubes with wand applicators.

Other products are being promoted as having purposes beyond aesthetics. For instance, Estee Lauder claims that its Demi-Matte Loose Powder absorbs oil and prevents dryness; it also contains a sunscreen.

Christian Dior’s green, mauve, rose and white pressed powders “correct” skin tones, says Dior executive Susan Biehn. Green cancels the red in florid skin; mauve conceals sallowness; white and rose compensate for dullness.

Lancome’s new Poudre Majeur is one of the first made without talc, which has been used in face powders since the Renaissance. The absence of talc keeps powder from turning chalky, says Lancome Marketing Vice President Tony Michaels.

Also debuting are powders for lips. Princess Marcella Borghese’s Lipcolour Superlativo, which is applied with a sponge-tip wand, is less apt to “bleed” into the fine lines around the mouth, says Borghese spokesperson Margot Rogoff.

Cockrell calls 1988 the year of powder. “It started with Meteorites,” he says. “There doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.”