This is my favorite setting powder by far. I have been dancing for nearly twenty years, and was introduced to this during prep for a performance. Not only did it keep my face shine (and sweat) free, but it also prevented my foundation from melting off under the stage lights. When I found out how cheap it is, it became a major part of my makeup collection. I've tried several other colorless setting powders since then, but nothing comes close to this. I just lightly dust it over my foundation (liquid, cream, even powders) and I'm good to go.

This stuff would have serious HG potential, if it weren't for the ingredients. I too was obsessed with the finish it gave to the skin and the lasting power (it makes my oily-combo skin matte all day) until another MUAer pointed out that its "basically like putting deodorant on your face".


The ingredients: Talc, Aluminum Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Sorbic Acid.


If this doesn't freak you out, then by all means, PLEASE try this powder. It works wonders (I use Neutral Set on my NW20 skin, but it blends in beautifully and matches nearly every skintone) and you won't be sorry. Unfortunately I reserve this only for special nights out when I want to look flawless, or on a day that I know I won't be able to touch up my makeup. I won't repurchase because the ingredients freak me out - I know the deodorant-aluminum/breast cancer link (in regards to underarms) hasn't been 100% proven, but why take the chance? Sad, because I love the look of this powder!

I got Nutmeg. I'm Trinidad in NARS and have yellow undertones. I'd be NW56 if I had red undertones. Nutmeg is perfect for me. I have an oily tzone and the thing that amazes me is that it keeps the oil at bay! Like I had to keep looking in the mirror because my face was not oily! It was weird for me. LOL This stuff is amazing!

Super quality powder

I was surprised that it's so difficult to find reviews on this powder. It's very finely milled and absorbs oil better than any other powder I've used. I have this in about 5 different shades....it may seem like over-kill but I'll explain how I use it to correct off-color (i.e. cheap) foundations.

I use the Neutral Set (Colorless Face Powder) to set all of my makeup and powders. This stuff absorbs in the skin and has no chalky residue. This powder is my go to oil blaster in the summer.

I use the Banana Viasge Powder in a similiar manner as the Neutral Set, but this one gives me face a touch of warmth. The color absorbs beautifully and doesn't look 'yellow', it just soaks up the oils, sets my concealer/foundation and adds a warm glow. I love this stuff!

I also have Coco-Tan, Chestnut and Sienna. These three are brown shades with different undertones. Chestnut is pretty much an exact match to my skintone. Coco-Tan has a slight orange undertone and Sienna has a more reddish undertone. Chestnut is in between.

While I can wear each of these powders over my foundations and still look great, I find that I can use them to counteract any foundations that have funky undertones when I apply them. For example, L'Oreal True Match foundations leave a weird greyish undertone on me....even when I set it with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish or other powders. But when I set it with my Ben Nye powder in Sienna, it balances out the chalky grey tones and leaves me with a nice finish.

I can't say enough about these powders. I love them. You get 1.75 oz/49 gm. for pennies compared to Smashbox or MAC products. I only paid $3.75 for the tinted powders and $4.25 for the Neutral and Banana Visage powders!!! These can be purchased at most theatrical stage shops/costume shops or you can order online. I found a fantastic website for a wonderful company in Wisconsin that carries a wide variety of Ben Nye Products.

Wow...I bought this on a whim at a costume shop for Halloween and I'm so glad I did! I think I paid $6 for a HUGE container, and that $6 was one of the best beauty investments I have made.

The powder is white, and it looks white when applying. For me, I like to use a sponge to apply all over and really press into the pores for a matte, poreless finish. I use my MUFE kabuki brush to buff all over once it's done, and it finishes completely colorless.

I find that this does a fantastic job of setting make up and keeping oily skin at bay. It doesn't look chalky and photographs beautifully.

I'm not crazy about the packaging. I actually use a little paper plate and pour a little amount on it, dab my sponge in it, and then press and roll all over. I tried using it on a steel mixing palette, but since there was no lip on the palette, most of it just kind of spilled/blew away.

It can be found in costume stores, Ben Nye's website, and I believe on Naimies.com. It's my new fave setting powder!

I find that this works best over a foundation. Alone, it's kind of average, absorbing about 80-90% of oil and leaving the skin kind of lifeless. Atop a foundation, that figures rises to about 100% and your face is left flawless all day. Go figure.

I had to send an email to my husband to get it while he was on business trip in UK. It was pricey for me but it was worth it. It sets my liquid foundation beautifully and because it is colorless, I need not need to worry about being chalky. I wish the packaging was in a shifter jar. I had to pour it into a proper shifter jar so I had to take one point off the overall because of the packaging. Overall, I would definitely repurchase.

Ben Nye Neutral set powder is a find product. I'm really impressed. First off, it's colorless so it works with any skin tone. It comes in a shaker and you get a lot of product for a little bit of money. The 1.75 oz was 4.99 and the 3oz was 5.99. I purchased this powder after seeing a lot of good reviews on it on YouTube. I tend to sweat on my face, expecially after makeup application and this powder has anitpersperant qualities according to the description. I tried it out and I definitely noticed that my face didn't sweat when I was out in the heat. I wasn't in the heat for very long but if this stuff can keep my upper lip and forehead dry then I will buy a truck load of it. The powder itself is very smoft and went on smooth. It didn't look cakey on me. It gives off a nice matte finish which is good for those of us that are no longer in our early twenties. Every since I hit 30, any foundation with "shimmer" makes me look like a sweaty wax figure. It's not pretty. I needed something to matte me out. Overall, I would recommend this powder because the price can't be beat and I found it comparable to my expensive Laura Mercier translucent face powder.