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I have a confession that might get my Beauty Editor card revoked: I’ve never worn setting powder. Like, ever. To me, the word ‘powder’ itself was synonymous with everything I fought against: a chalky, desiccated mask that settled into fine lines, highlighted texture, and sucked the life right out of the glow I do everything possible to achieve and maintain. It was the final step in a makeup routine I always skipped, a relic from a matte, heavy-handed era I was happy to leave behind.
That was, until an invitation to Milan with Saie and the brand’s founder Laney Crowell landed in my inbox. The mission: to witness the birth of their new Slip Tint Setting Powder. What followed was more than just a trip to Italy’s fashion capital and endless plates of pasta (no complaints here), it was a full-scale makeup conversion. I am now a proud, card-carrying member of the powder patrol – and I have the flawless, humidity-proof selfies to prove it.
The Italian Revelation: Where Makeup Meets Arte
Within the hallowed, top-secret halls of an uber-chic (when in Milan) Italian factory that is the global epicentre for baked powder technology, I discovered the future of setting powders. The secret? The ultimate baked formula. Here, donning my uber-chic Saie lab coat (when in Milan), I learnt that the act of “baking” is treated with a reverence typically reserved for nonna’s kitchen. Inspired by Italy’s centuries-old baking traditions, the R&D efforts in this very place began over 40 years ago, all in pursuit of perfecting what a powder could be. And it’s safe to say, they nailed it.
I watched, mesmerised, as artisans hand-whipped a unique blend of ingredients – including skin-loving heroes like phytosqualane and a special, low-melting-point jojoba ester – into a delicate, dough-like mixture. It was tactile and precise, a far cry from the cold, industrial process you’d expect from a ‘factory’. The “dough” was then carefully deposited onto individual terracotta disks and placed into ovens, where it underwent a slow, gentle bake that lasts for almost a full day. This patient, temperature-controlled process is the birthplace of what Saie calls the “suede-like touch” – a texture so uniquely fine and luxurious, it feels less like makeup and more like a second skin.
The C.L.E.A.N. Breakthrough
This is where the story transforms from a technical marvel to a skin-centric revolution. Saie built this powder on a principle they call “skinification” – the belief that makeup should be a complementary step in your skincare routine, and their C.L.E.A.N. philosophy is the blueprint of everything they do:
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Conscious Formulation: This powder is non-comedogenic, non-drying, and mature-skin friendly. Not forgetting it’s safe for sensitive skin and acne-prone complexions too. It’s packed with a special grade of hyaluronic acid for multi-level hydration, brightening licorice root extract, and blurring hectorite. They’ve banned microplastics, silicones, and petrochemical derivatives, creating a formula with a high percentage of natural-origin ingredients.
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Luxurious Sensoriality: Through a custom blend of silica and mica with varying particle shapes and sizes, they’ve achieved an impossibly lightweight, “slippery” feel that glides over skin without a trace of heaviness.
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Environmentally Friendly & Advanced Technology: The commitment is clear in the clean ingredient list and the tailor-made raw materials. But the true genius lies in the optical technology. A powerful trifecta of alumina, boron nitride, and silica works to mechanically fill fine lines. The round silica beads fill the base of wrinkles, while the platelet-shaped boron nitride and alumina act like tiny mirrors over the top, creating a flawlessly blurred finish where wrinkles optically disappear.
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Non-Conventional Artisan Oven Phase: This is the 24-hour baking process I witnessed – the non-negotiable, slow-paced ritual that makes it all possible.
The Dubai Test: The Proof is in the Humidity
I left Italy a believer, but the true trial awaited me back home in Dubai. In the face of our relentless summer – a brutal combination of heat and humidity that can melt even the most tenacious foundation – this powder triumphed. The hydrating core prevented any caking or dryness, while the blurring minerals and sebum-absorbing powers kept my complexion smooth, radiant, and matte where it counted. It’s the first powder I’ve ever used that I can reapply hours later without it turning into a patchy, textured mess. It quite literally is a filter in a compact.
The verdict? Saie has created a new product and redefined a category. They took a beauty pariah and turned it into a holy grail, proving that the right powder doesn’t take away from your skin, it perfects it. My makeup bag has officially made room for a new resident, and my once-powder-free philosophy is forever retired.
And the best part? You don’t need to book a flight to Milan to get the secret to that faux-filter glow. The Saie Slip Tint Undetectable Baked Setting Powder is now available right here in the Middle East at Sephora. You, and your perfectly blurred, radiant skin, can thank me later.
