We earn commission on sales tracked from our links and codes. Thank you for your support! We earn commission from affiliate links/codes. Thank you!
Share: Tell us what you love and hate about scented powders!
my answer: I wish that they weren’t scented. I just don’t see a real need for them to be, and it seems like some will love the scent, others will hate it and buy it anyway… I’d rather no scent!
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
I’ve had my eye on the rose scented finishing powder by Jurlique. I love the smell of roses, and I think it would be nice.
But that’s a special case, an un-tinted makeup product where the scent is the selling point.
For a pigmented powder product, I’d rather the scent be faint or non-existent, just enough to nullify the corn-starch smell.
I once experimented with making my own dry shampoo using corn starch, and it took months for me to get the smell entirely out of my hair. I’m not a huge fan of that smell now.
No scent! Its a nice touch to add, but for people with sensetive skin ( like me) it can be so irritating to the skin. I can used benefits blush because of the scents 🙁
No scent either. I could see it in a body powder but for makeup on the face just no for my sensitive skin.
I’m not usually a fan, but the Benefit boxed blushes smell amazing. But as for a setting powder, I like those to be fragrance free.
Every time I use my coralista I inhale deeply with surprise and delight at the smell. I always seem to forget it’s scented lol.
Yeah, I think unscented is better. Not only is fragrance something very personal, but the added perfume could also irritate the skin.
I HATE it. I love meteorites, but the smell prevents me from buying it. It’s a shame, they’re so pretty, and do such wonderful things to my face. And I can’t find a scent free dupe.
hmmm… I can easily see both sides of this. There are certainly products I’ve stopped using because I didn’t like the scent. For a powder or a product you put all over your face it can be very distracting.
But then, on the other hand, Guerlain Meteorites…. sure, they’d be nice without the scent, but the scent, to me, is really what takes it from a great product to a to-die-for luxury product.
So I say, when scented powders are bad, they’re really bad, but when they’re great, they’re WONDERFUL.
I prefer unscented powder, but my one exception is Guerlain’s Meteorites – I love the violet fragrance.
By this, I’m guessing you mean scented face powders, not body powders. I don’t usually have a problem with fragranced anything and so I don’t mind it. A while back, a friend came to stay and as we kissed/hugged hello, she said that I smelled really nice. I was wearing that loose Coty face powder – the one that a lot of people think smells “old fashioned” or “old ladyish”. Well, my friend and I ARE old ladies (though we still act like girls, especially when we’re together) but it was a really nice comment and I have started enjoying the smell of the Coty powder when I do wear it.
…oops. I did mean to add, though, that for those who are bothered by fragranced products on their skin…who react badly to it, etc., I would prefer that companies left the fragrance out of the powder.
Hmm. Six months ago, I’d have said no scent, hands down — but then I met Clarins’ Palette Eclat, and everything changed. 😛
For most blushes and setting powders, I don’t think there should be a scent. That said, the inclusion of a well-blended fragrance to a “luxury” finishing powder (something that’s more about the design than becoming a daily staple) can be quite lovely!
I would never buy a scented powder. I’d rather not buy scented foundations either, like the ones from Chanel are way too smelly even though the scent isn’t particularly bad.
Oops, wrong article! I love Guerlain’s scented powders, but I also die for the candied violet scent. I could definitely live without though, especially since they are so hit or miss.
i agree some things i love, some scents i do not.. i am not sensitive to scents at all though but can see how others might be.
When they work, they work really really well, but it’s so hit and miss sometimes. I happen to like the Guerlain violet scent, and I love my pressed Meteorites and intend to buy the loose ones when I have money in my budget. But I can see how it would totally turn someone off. I wish that companies would either just make things unscented or offer an unscented option for those of us that don’t like or are sensitive to fragrance in our products.
I’m so surprised that companies don’t offer unscented options. Do they not know how much business they are losing because some people can’t use their products?
For the most part, I like scented powders (unless the scent is overpowering or unpleasant). One time, I went back to return Lancome’s Dual Finish powder, because the sales person had given me the unscented version instead of the regular one (oh, noooo!) One of many reasons I love Lancome Dual Finish powder is because it smells so heavenly. Everyone hugging me always comments about that subtle, wonderful scent. Lightly fragranced powders certainly make me happy whenever I apply my makeup 🙂
Caron face powder…rose…..yummmmm. Speaking of which, what happen to those international bloggers who use to be on this website….that French blogger also mentioned Caron.
I usually love scented powders as I’m such a perfume maniac.I can tolerate very heavily scented products. I’m fine with non scented, but I would prefer scented product if I like the scent. My rant is not so good scented powders. Sometimes they just stiiink! And if I hate the smell I can’t use it since I can smell even lightly scented eyeshadows that I’m wearing for hours after application.