You've probably heard of the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, $38, before: Between all the beauty guru acolytes and thousands of five-star reviews aggregated across various shopping platforms and websites (including ours), its fans are legion (and very vocal, to boot).
If you've noticed a disturbance in the force, it was probably the rollout of the star powder's chic cousin — this time, with more shine. The Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Glow, $38, officially hit shelves in August and it's already making quite the splash.
It's got the same silky, weightless texture that made its predecessor so popular, but it's also imbued with a subtle champagne shimmer that refracts light just so. A thin layer applied over the whole face imparts a filter-like, soft-focus glow (that never looks sweaty), but it can also be built up for a more noticeable sparkle. In other words, it strikes the perfect balance between setting powder and highlighter and it's able to walk that thin line due to its ultra fine light reflecting particles and buildable nature.
I've only got a couple caveats: If applied unevenly (or too heavily), the shimmer can stand out in a less-than-flattering manner (speaking as someone who accidentally highlighted a chin breakout). There's also the fact that the shimmer is decidedly gold — it looked great on my light, neutral-undertoned skin, but it may be a little harsh if you're super fair and have rosy undertones.
Really, though, it's practically perfect in every way. Think of it like a veil of candlelight that'll have you doing a double take at your own reflection in the mirror.
