Fall-Winter Favorite : Bourjois Healthy Balance Unifying Powder 53 Light Beige / Beige Clair Review

I purchased the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder during summers partially because everyone was raving about it and also because I’d initially planned on buying the Healthy Mix foundation, but after I saw that it’s not sealed I was very hesitant. So I walked home with just the powder, which is sealed. It claims to give 10hr Matte Finish and a Healthy Glow, I was simply hoping that it will become my go-to compact for the summers. Let’s see how it fared.

My Experience With Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in Light Beige (Shade 53)

It comes in a slim, red colored compact case. I love how slim it is, very convenient for slipping it into the smallest of makeup bags. The compact has a mirror, however no puff, which I need for touch ups. I slip another puff into this compact when I need to. It definitely causes some inconvenience and I wish Bourjois had given a puff along with their Healthy Balance powder.

Ingredients :

Texture : The Healthy Balance powder is quite finely milled, therefore it has a very lightweight texture.

Shade & Coverage : The Healthy Balance powder has little to no coverage, similar to a translucent powder. I have the shade 53 which I’ve seenNC25-30 girls use whereas I’m NC42, however it has never looked whitish or unnatural on me, because it doesn’t give coverage. I have even used it with a beauty blender to set my face, but I still couldn’t detect any coverage.  

10hrs Matte Finish ?

On applying this powder, my face is definitely mattified, it gives me a soft matte finish. However, I feel it does nothing special to maintain this finish. I had normal-combination skin when during summers and I felt that my skin got oily pretty quickly after using this powder, compared to when I used loose powder. So it does not give a “10 hours continuous matte finish” in summers.

It has been quite cold in Pune since few months, and my skin has become normal. So I have stopped using the Kryolan Loose Powder completely and switched to this one, even for setting undereye concealer. I love that its so finely milled because that means it doesn’t result in creases & cakeyness, especially in the eye contour. My skin does get oily around the nose area but not visibly. This does a good job of setting makeup.

If you’re a dry skinned person and feel the need to use powder, the Healthy Balance powder is a good option because of its lightweight texture, it definitely doesn’t make skin look or feel powdery. I don’t think it gives a glow, however it doesn’t give your face a flat matte look either.

Fragrance : I’m bringing out this point in the end because this is something I absolutely LOVE about Bourjois Healthy Balance powder. It has a wonderful fruity scent. When I first started using it, the fragrance was a bit more prominent (though not at all over the top or over-powering), however with regular use, the fragrance is kinda less noticeable, I have to literally sniff the compact to get the scent.

Product vs Price :

Price : Rs.710 / $10.75

Qty : 9g / 0.32 oz

Shelf Life : 18 months

Yes this is definitely a pricey product! There are probably better drugstore options like Maybelline & L'Oreal. The Revlon Touch and Glow compact is also a good alternative.

Overall Verdict : 3.5 / 5

I think the Bourjois Healthy Balance powder is a nice option for setting powder, but I don’t think it can actually help mattify our skin for long periods, especially if you live in the hot Indian subcontinent. I love how finely milled it is. It feels like a translucent powder which is a bonus because you can get away with using any shade, however if you expect coverage from your compact, this may disappoint you. The fragrance is another bonus. If you try it out just as a setting powder, you definitely won’t be disappointed; you might actually fall in love with its lightweight texture & perhaps by its fruity scent too. I've rated it low because it doesn't meet the claims stated, otherwise I'm happy with this powder for cooler seasons.