By: Billy Laster
The Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder has been one of my longtime favorite setting powders on the market to date! However, we are forced to ask the question, what the hell is going on with Sacha Cosmetics? For quite some time now (over a month) a few of their products have been out of stock and we can’t get our hands on them.
In particular I am speaking about their Loose Setting Powder. Sacha Cosmetics made a name for itself by being one of the few companies to manufacture powders specifically geared towards people of color and dark skin tones. Rising to rival some department store brands!
As a result, many of us have been clawing to get our hands on their powders and to no avail! The Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder along with the Sacha Loose Powder, both of which are an all over face powder, has received rave reviews on their website with the Sacha Loose Powder coming in 10 shades and the Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder coming in 3!
Powder Brush Application
I would normally apply it with a powder brush, and a favorite pro tip of mine was to apply it right onto the bare skin of my clients who had oily skin or an oily t-zone because of how the Sacha Buttercup setting powder absorbs oil. The powders were amazing because they are finely milled, left no white cast on dark skin tones or medium skin tones for that matter, gave a beautiful matte finish with zero flash back in photos!
Setting foundation and concealer with this was a breeze and it worked so well in bright lighting since it was completely flash friendly. The Buttercup Powder is truly one of my favorites and a makeup kit staple for me. For a long time, it was the only face powder I used. Buttercup light, fresh, perfect for photos and amazing…so what went wrong?
However, the Sacha Loose Powder has been out of stock for at least 3 months and possibly longer. For those of you that are in love with this powder, fear not, for we have done the heavy lifting and homework for you to bring you powders that can serve as a substitute for the Sacha Loose Powder!
All Over Face Powder to Replace your Sacha Cosmetics Buttercup Powder
- SmashBox HALO FRESH PERFECTING POWDER
- Fenty Beauty PRO FILT’R INSTANT RETOUCH SETTING POWDER
- Anastacia Loose Setting Powder
- Nars LIGHT REFLECTING™ SETTING POWDER – LOOSE
- Charlotte Tilbury’s AIRBRUSH FLAWLESS FINISH
If you can’t get your hands on the Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder or the Sacha Loose Powder, the substitutes we love are…
1. SmashBox HALO FRESH PERFECTING POWDER
Why we love it: It has just as many shades as the Sacha Loose Powder. Coming in at number one with a whopping 10 shades to choose from! None of the other powders on this list can boast that! It fills in fine lines and pores, won’t turn ashy in bright lighting, and leaves a flawless finish. If you’re a makeup artist, you won’t be able to resist buying just one shade and you won’t reach for any other setting powder. It rivals the Powder Buttercup and I use the brighter shades as highlight. It leaves the face matte and reduces shine. Well done, Smashbox.
The Bad: Even though it comes in 10 shades the darker shades are not as DEEP as the Sacha Loose Powder deep shades. But those with deeper tones still might be able to pull it off. It’s also a bit pricey, retailing on the Smashbox website for 42.00.
Overall rating: ★★★★
2. Fenty Beauty PRO FILT’R INSTANT RETOUCH SETTING POWDER Amazing for Dark Skin Tones
Why we love it: This powder would make an amazing substitute for the Sacha Loose Powder or Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder! It has a smooth velvety texture and can actually become your staple go to powder with ease! It’s that good! One of the best powder products on the market, rivaling Laura Mercier. Its deepest shade is darker than the deepest shade of the Smashbox Halo FRESH PERFECTING POWDER, so for those of you with dark skin tones, or medium to dark skin, this will be the one for you.
The Bad: As amazing as this powder is we had to put it at number 2 because it has 8 shades instead of 10. It retails on the Fenty Beauty Website for 32.00, not as pricey as Smashbox Halo but still a hefty price tag. t has a tendency to crease a bit on the eye area however you can use a primer to fix that.
Overall Rating: ★★★★
3. Anastacia Loose Setting Powder
Why we love it: This powder looks and feels more like the Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder more than any others on this list. Making it a great substitute for it! It’s very lightweight and feels like you have nothing on! Made with Aluminum starch octenylsuccinate (Like the Sacha ones) You can apply it with a powder brush on bare skin and it will last for several hours.
The Bad: Even though we love it, a major drawback is that it retails for 38.00 and only comes in 5 shades. You’re paying 4 dollars more than the Fenty Pro with a smaller selection to choose from. Compared to the powders at the top of our list it’s a bit pricey for only a 5-shade tone option. Those with deeper and richer skin tones might find the powders much too light for their skin tone.
Overall Rating: ★★★
4. Nars LIGHT REFLECTING™ SETTING POWDER – LOOSE
Why we love it: An amazing light weight powder that is designed to give a hint of illumination to the skin. We don’t want to say shimmer. Because that is not what it does. So, a better word would be illumination. Absorbs oil reduces shine, it is great to use as a highlight set bake. The product does what it promises, causing the skin to actually reflect light! Technically it should have a higher rating but here is why it doesn’t.
The Bad: It retails for $39.00 and like many of the others on this list, it did not have a wide selection of shades to choose from. It only comes in 4 shades. And I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but again, those with deeper skin tones might find the shades a bit too light for them.
Overall Rating:★★★
5. Charlotte Tilbury’s AIRBRUSH FLAWLESS FINISH
Why we love it: Comes in an absolutely gorgeous compact while many of the others come in jars. Making it easier to pull from your purse for a quick touch up! It is also the most cost effective, retailing on the Charlotte Tilbury website for $26.00.
The Bad: Only comes in 4 shades, not giving you a wide range of options. Women with deeper tones might not find the deepest shade to be deep enough for them.
Overall Rating: ★★★
While we are sad that we can’t get our hands on the Sacha Loose Powder, this list should provide you with a more then qualified substitute! The products which did score low for us are not bad products. They are amazing! But the point of this article is to find a suitable substitute for the Sacha Buttercup Setting Powder and the Sacha Loose Powder. Therefore, if the powders we tested do not have the number of shades as the Sacha Loose Powder, I had to take that into account with the review!