Hi everyone! I haven't come across anything worth putting in this category for a really long time, but I finally found something very interesting to share with you guys! Today, I have a comparison between the Tom Ford Illuminating Powder and the Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder.

Both powders are designed to illuminate the skin whilst eliminating greasy shine.

Tom Ford Illuminating Powder: Diffuse imperfections and create radiant skin with this weightless and undetectable, micro-fine powder. Formulated with specially coated pigments, it creates a diaphanous veil of light on the face to achieve a silky, smooth-looking surface. Its ultra-gliding texture blends like a fluid on the skin, moisturising and redefining the complexion to ensure a natural, even and luminous finish. Custom applicator brush included. 

Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder: An illuminating pressed powder infused with mica to help reflect light creating luminous skin that looks fresh and bright. It provides a translucent finish to help minimize skin imperfections and contains SPF15 maximizing sun protection for ageless, timeless skin that simply glows.

Here's what they look like on the skin.



And here's a swatch of both products.


Product
The Sleek powder has the upper hand in this regard - coming in a 4-shade variety. The Tom Ford product only comes in one colour. I chose the lightest colour from the Sleek powder, and it is slightly warmer and darker than the Tom Ford. On the skin, however, the difference in colour is hardly noticeable.

Performance
I tested both products to see how they looked on the skin as well as how well they controlled shine. Both these products eliminate and control shine very well, and last throughout the day.

The Tom Ford powder is very matte, and does not add luminosity at all. I find it very strange that the Tom Ford powder is called 'Illuminating', because it adds no shine whatsoever to the skin! The Sleek powder, however, imparts a soft gleam, and looks beautiful. The shimmer is very fine, so that it adds only a soft glow and not obvious shine, and can be used all over the face.

What I do like about Tom Ford is that it is fine enough so that it fills out pores and makes the skin look smooth and silky. Heavy-handedness with the powder also doesn't affect your makeup and skin much, though it does give a slightly 'finished' look (i.e. it makes you look like you're wearing makeup).

Packaging
Tom Ford, of course, is luxe, with a magnet closure. Sleek's packaging is, well, sleek, and has a snap closure. Despite Tom Ford being what it is, I don't actually find much of a difference in terms of the quality and feel of the packaging between both these powders. I think I find elaborate packaging (e.g. Jill Suart, Paul Joe, Anna Sui) more impressive than heavy, well-made packaging, so keep that in mind when reading this!

Price
Sleek Luminous Pressed Powder: £6.49
Tom Ford Illuminating Powder: $99

Overall
Tom Ford gives the skin a lovely finish if you like a matte, made up look. I was a little confused, given that the powder is called an 'Illuminating powder'. That being said, I like having the Tom Ford for times when I feel like making myself look a little more made up. I love having both these products in my beauty stash, so I can change my looks (however subtle those changes may be :)).

But say I had to pick, I would definitely choose the Sleek powder because it gives me the kind of luminous glow that I prefer with my makeup.

What about you? Which powder would you pick?