Pressed powders and I have a checkered past. I used to try a few different pressed powders a year. They work so well for other people – surely, one of them would eventually work for me. Sometimes they’d make me look dry, others just made me look overly made up, and some of them even made any blemishes more visible. At some point I gave up on them, so for the past couple of years I’ve only used loose powders. Have you ever tried applying loose powder while you’re out and about? It’s not a clean process. By the time I’m finished touching up, I look like I’ve just sneezed into a bag of cocaine.

Those days are behind me now thanks to an impulse purchase I made a few weeks ago. I decided it was time to try pressed powder again, and since I loved Missha’s M Signature BB Cream so much, I thought I’d take a chance on their M Signature Radiance Two-way Pact ($26). It’s available in three shades- #21/Light Beige, #23/Chic Beige, and #27/Honey Beige. I chose #23 because it’s my perfect BB cream match. My skin tone is somewhere between NC20 and NC25 depending on the season. I think #21 would work for those who are NC15-NC20, and #27 would be great for olive skinned ladies who are in the NC30 range.

When it arrived, it looked as dazzling in real life as it did on the website. It comes in an elegant gold case embossed with the same flower pattern seen on the packaging for the rest of the M signature line. I wasn’t sure what a “two-way” compact was when I read the product name, but it became clear as soon as I opened it. There’s a hard, plastic, hinged lid that keeps your powder separate from the applicator, and also keeps the mirror inside from getting all mucked up with product. It’s a genius idea, and the moment I saw it I wondered why all pressed powders don’t come packaged this way.

The powder itself is very smooth and finely milled. I opted to apply it with my It Cosmetics powder brush, and was very pleasantly surprised by the type of coverage M Signature Radiance powder provided. It wasn’t at all chalky or drying. It took away some of the excess shine I have just after applying my BB cream, but left behind just enough of a glow to prevent my face from looking overly made up or losing any dimension. The finish is not 100% matte, but I think that’s what makes this powder so flattering. In terms of longevity, I found that this powder wore well throughout the day, and extended the wear of my BB cream by about an hour before needing touch-ups.

The M Signature Radiance Two-way Pact also features SPF 27. I doubt that wearing this powder on its own would really give you that much sun protection. According to this article by Dr.Leslie Baumann, with any pressed powder, you’d need to apply 14 times the amount you’d normally well to get the full SPF offered. I definitely advise wearing additional sun protection. But some SPF is certainly better than no SPF, and it’s nice to be able to touch up your sun protection every time you touch up your makeup.

This pressed powder was a really exciting find for me. I’ve been using it for about two weeks, and in that short time it’s managed to reach HG status for me. It’s definitely worth a try, especially if you, like me, have had a tough time with pressed powders in the past!

Where to Buy

You can purchase the M Signature Two-way Pact on Missha’s US website. It’s priced at $26, but Missha frequently has 30%-50% off sales, which would be a great time to pick this up. It’s also available through several eBay and Amazon Marketplace sellers, but it’s priced the same there as it is on the Missha website, and in some cases, it’s even more expensive.

Skin & Tonics Rating:

Performance: 5/5 – Beautiful semi-matte finish, looks natural, long-lasting

Quality: 5/5 – Nice, finely milled texture, high SPF, pretty packaging

Value: 4.5/5 – Pricier than a drug store powder, but less expensive than many department store brands, frequently on sale

Overall: 4.8/5

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