High Definition

Magnifying mirrors are terrifying. My mother owns one so strong that I feel compelled either to run away quickly, or spend hours tweezing every stray hair and worrying every blocked pore. It’s frightening and humiliating to see all your imperfections writ so large.

After a frightening experience like that, I sometimes wonder what other people see that I might miss in my 1x non-magnifying mirror. I would really like to have a flawless finish when I’m done with my makeup.

I started using an “HD” powder by It Cosmetics called “Bye Bye Pores Silk HD Anti-Aging Micro-Powder.” I got it from Ulta. It claims that it gives an airbrushed look to skin. (Especially aging skin, but I didn’t know that when I bought it. I’m not obsessed with anti-aging, I swear.)

The color is similar to powdered milk–very white–and it doesn’t come in shades. It’s translucent, so it should go with every skin tone. I’m so pale it’s hard for me to speak to darker women’s experiences. This powder is truly a micro-powder. I hold my breath when I apply it, because I’ve taken it up the nose before just by inhaling. And I wasn’t even applying it under my nose. The advantage of the small particles is that they do settle into the pores and make them practically disappear. I’ve also learned that if I forget to put my gel blush on before I powder, it’s a lost cause. Trying to apply a substance with any water content over this powder turns it to sludge, so it’s only for finishing up.

Overall, I really love this product. The finish is so smooth and doesn’t look unnaturally perfect. It just makes my skin look quite lovely, and if I touch my face after putting it on, it feels so smooth and silky.