I read a ton of good reviews on this powder and headed to my nearest Shoppers to get it right away. In addition to promises of keeping my skin matte, I was taken in by the cute packaging and of course, the price. I bought it for merely $4.99 and I figured it would be no big loss even if I didn't like it.

Before using this powder I was using Ben Nye's Neutral Set. It is certainly HG material, but I have a giant bottle of it and need to lug it along with a dish to dispense the powder for application. As I travel often, it is not the most convenient option and I was looking for a compact form of the same thing. The idea of this Essence powder was a godsend, as it was easy to carry around and offered the same function.

Using a large fluffy brush, I swirl it around the compact to pick up powder and stipple it onto my face, especially around the T-zone. It mattifies instantly, and I was impressed at the difference it made when I was applying the rest of my makeup. While I still love a dewy finish and apply highlighter every day, it was amazing to work with a clean canvas rather than my usual oil slick of a face. The texture is smooth and makes me look like I'm not even wearing makeup. I can still feel the powder on my face but it is not uncomfortable.

However, after about 3 or 4 hours I started to get shiny again, and needed to blot my face. This could be because I didn't use enough powder or press it into my face well enough. It is in any case a small complaint as I have incredibly oily skin and even the Ben Nye cannot keep me matte all day.

I would definitely buy this product again for the convenience and the nice packaging. I plan to get one for my purse and apply it with a powder puff to see if there is any difference in the longevity. I would recommend this for people with oily skin, as it is a cheap and nice alternative to more expensive mattifying powders.

Overall for the price (under 5$) its pretty good for a fixing powder just don't expect much of it. However I would recommend investing in a slightly more effective powder even if its more expensive. I use this one as a quick go between when i dont have the time to buy a better compact powder or if i cant afford one!

Love love love this! It's so light, doesn't create washed out pale skin and is super cheap. Perfect for my greasy skin and really makes the shine disappear.

when i first found this product line the first thing i saw was $$$ it is a very inexpensive line. the powder is excellent i don't wear a liquid foundation because I'm always on the go so the powder just to take the shine off and it works amazingly well it hasnt cracked yet(knock on wood) like the others do and i have had it for three weeks now . i love the essence product line

I got this new translucent matte powder to set every thing by Essence. Which I need very much because I have really oily skin unfortunately. I liked it well enough but I had to use quite a bit over and over to get everything set and matte shine free. All and all I would say it’s a good, average product but not amazing or anything from other products I've used.