I have a love-hate relationship with loose powders. On one hand, I know that it helps keep makeup intact especially in Singapore’s hot and humid weather, but on the other, I never seem to be able to find one that I thought was good enough.
I’m sure you know what I mean because you’ve also tried loose powders that overly mattify into a dull, lifeless finish, or worse, leave an unsightly white cast that ruins your carefully done makeup.
This is why the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder is intriguing to me because it’s different from other options in the market. Instead of a uniform white powder, this product comes in four radiance-boosting colours to colour-correct while mattifying and setting makeup.
Interesting fact: they’re the #1 best-selling in Asia* – which is an absolute feat, given how discerning Asian consumers are when it comes to beauty products, especially in Korea, Japan, and China, where the product is a hot favourite.
*Source: “Givenchy calculation is based in part on data reported by Beauté Research SARL in February 2020 through its “Asia7-Market (JP CN HK TW KR TH SG)– Quarterly Retail Sales Report–Q42019 in the Department Stores and Boutiques Prestige market. (Copyright©2020 Beauté Research SARL)”
Givenchy Prisme Libre review: First impression
First of all, it has a beautiful packaging, featuring a sculptural case with each shade of the powder clearly compartmentalised into different pans.
It was also easy to use. I simply had to shake, stamp, and then blend.
I used the iconic shade 01 Mousseline Pastel, which is perfect for those with fair complexion that tend to show redness. The green shade corrects redness, the purple corrects yellowness and brown spots, blue enhances luminosity, and the rosy white one unifies the shades for a natural look.
You can see that while it mattified my skin, it also blurred out imperfections and made my skin look more radiant. I like that my complexion still looked fresh and luminous.
And it probably isn’t surprising that it was able to deliver these effects. The ultra-silky powder of the Prisme Libre is made of light adaptable pigments.
What this means is that these pigments can help makeup adapt to the light that your skin is exposed to in any environment, in order to provide a better balance of skin tones, regardless of what lighting you’re under.
But to really find out if the Prisme Libre lives up to the hype I’ve been hearing, I put it through three gruelling tests, comparing it against a loose powder from another luxury brand (which we shall refer to as Brand X from here).
Givenchy Prisme Libre review: Test 1 – How does the finish look?
I’ve just started using the loose powder by Brand X after hearing some good reviews from my friends. I’ve found that the powder is very fine and it always leaves my skin feeling very smooth and soft after application.
However, even though Brand X claims that its powder is in a universally flattering shade, you can still clearly see that it left a bit of a white cast on the skin.
I find that the Givenchy Prisme Libre similarly delivers a very soft and smooth finish, but what makes me favour it more is that it colour-corrects, allowing my skin to look even and natural, as well as more radiant than before! Kind of like a my-skin-but-better effect.
Conclusion: Givenchy Prisme Libre wins. The colour-correcting properties and natural look solves the number 1 gripe I’ve always had with loose powder: the unsightly white cast.
Givenchy Prisme Libre review: Test 2 – How fine is the powder?
Observing with just my naked eyes, I can’t see the difference in particle sizes for both products.
This is why I decided to do a test to see which is the finest of them all.
Having ultra-fine, lightweight powder particles means that the loose powder is able to sit more naturally on top of your skin while offering a sensorial texture so you can have absolute comfort throughout the day.
I blew a small amount of both powders through a scarf, and here are the results.
As you can see, Brand X’s loose powder left a patch on the scarf.
On the other hand, Givenchy’s powder particles are so fine, they went right through the scarf without leaving behind any residue.
Conclusion: Givenchy Prisme Libre has finer powder particles. I was rather surprised by the conclusion because I really couldn’t tell the difference in both products when I observed them with my naked eyes.
Givenchy Prisme Libre review: Test 3 – Does it keep makeup intact throughout the day?
With mask-wearing becoming a daily affair, all makeup-wearers have an even tougher job trying to keep makeup intact and many just give it up altogether. So I wanted to see if using Prisme Libre would be of any help.
I decided to test how these two products are able to keep makeup intact under the surgical mask. The pressure from the mask on the skin and the increased humidity that make us more likely to perspire means it is the ultimate test of long wear.
After working in a ventilated room for four hours, it was time for lunch and to check on how my makeup stayed on.
The side with Givenchy Prisme Libre still looked as good as before, while I could see a bit of my makeup budging on the other side where Brand X’s loose powder was applied.
I then headed out and braved the sun in order to take away lunch before returning home to continue working. By around 2pm, I decided to stop putting up with the high temperature and humidity in the room and switched on air-conditioning. After two more hours, I took a break from work and took off my mask.
On the mask, you can see that the side with Brand X’s loose powder had a bit of foundation stain, while the side where I used Prisme Libre was pristine.
Note: Stain below comes from my lipstick, which didn’t have any loose powder over it. The positions of the brands aren’t reversed, they’re mirrored because this is the inside of the mask that touches my face.
Brand X’s side was caking up badly and if I weren’t at home, I would certainly have needed a touch-up desperately. The side with Givenchy Prisme Libre still looked perfect – I’m absolutely impressed!
Conclusion: Givenchy Prisme Libre truly extends the longevity of makeup. To me, this is the ultimate test that convinces me why this loose powder is so well-loved. I wasn’t expecting to see such a stark difference but it shows how a good loose powder is able to make all the difference in helping my makeup last all day.
And as mask-wearing becomes the new norm, I’m very sure the Givenchy Prisme Libre is also going to be a new makeup staple for me as well.
Givenchy Prisme Libre review: My verdict
Every time I hear someone talk about “bestsellers” or “holy grails”, I’ve always cast doubt. This is because I have tried products that many rave about which didn’t work for me.
However, Givenchy Prisme Libre is certainly one that lives up to the raving reviews I’ve been seeing about it.
Here are what I liked about it:
- It has a sensorial texture that leaves my skin silky smooth to touch.
- It is easy to apply, all you need to do is to shake, stamp, and blend. Bonus: it’s kind of fun to see the Givenchy logo stamped onto your skin!
- It has ultra-fine powder that feels comfortable and breathable on the skin.
- It offers an invisible veil that colour-corrects, blurs out imperfection, and boosts radiance – and there’s no white cast!
- It has colour-correcting benefits to make sure my skin tone is enhanced.
- It keeps makeup intact for at least eight full hours – even in hot and humid weather and under a face mask.
If you ask me, I will certainly recommend this to any makeup-wearer. It is going to transform your makeup like it did mine.
If you’ve been a long-time user, you’ll be happy to know that the brand has recently upgraded the product. It now comes with an improved puff that is fluffier and bouncier to help deliver an even softer finish. Three new shades – 02 Satin Blanc (which I used), 03 Voile Rose, and 04 Mousseline Acidulee – were also added to the collection to better suit Asian skin tones.
Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder is available in four shades and retails at S$90. Get it now on Sephora.sg and receive a 3-piece gift set worth S$50 with a minimum spend of S$90*.
*Terms and conditions apply. While stocks last.
This article is brought to you by Givenchy Beauty.
