Best Setting Powder for Mature Skin: 8 Formulas That Blur Without Betraying You

Best Setting Powder for Mature Skin: What Actually Works After 40, 50, and 60

Powder has a reputation problem among women over 40. Walk into any beauty aisle and the messaging is either “anti-aging” or “invisible” — two words that mean absolutely nothing once you get the stuff home and watch it settle into a crease you didn’t even know you had.

Here’s the unglamorous truth: most setting powders are designed for oil control on younger skin. They use talc, silica, or rice powder to absorb shine, and they do that job well. What they don’t do is account for the way mature skin loses moisture, thins out, and develops texture that grabs onto powder particles like Velcro.

The result? A face that looks chalky by noon and ten years older by dinner. Not exactly the “flawless finish” the marketing department promised.

We tested formulas across four price tiers, from a $7 drugstore classic to a $78 luxury compact, and compared them on the criteria that actually matter for mature skin: whether they blur or emphasize texture, how they behave under the eyes, whether they stay talc-free, and what happens when you try to return the ones that don’t work. The shortlist below is not a list of “good powders.” It’s a list of powders that don’t punish you for having skin that has lived a little.

Why mature skin rejects most setting powders

Three things change after 40 that directly affect how powder behaves. First, sebum production drops. Dry skin plus powder equals visible flakes and a tight, uncomfortable feeling by mid-afternoon. Second, the skin barrier becomes more permeable, so powders that sit heavily on the surface feel irritating rather than “set.” Third, the texture around the eyes and mouth deepens, and any powder with even a hint of opacity will find those lines and camp out in them.

This is why the “best setting powder” lists written for 25-year-olds are useless here. A formula that controls shine for twelve hours on oily young skin will turn mature skin into a cracked desert within two. The winning formulas for mature skin are the ones that use finely milled particles — think silica or mica rather than coarse talc — and that either skip talc entirely or use a grade fine enough to disappear.

There’s also the color question. Translucent powders are not actually transparent. They have a cast. On mature skin, which often runs drier and more uneven in tone, a powder with a pink or peach undertone can brighten without looking ashy. A straight white translucent powder can turn a medium-deep complexion gray. That’s not a skin problem. That’s a shade-selection problem, and it’s solvable.

The 8 formulas that survived real-world testing

What follows is a ranked shortlist, but ranking is less important than fit. A $50 powder that makes your under-eyes look like crepe paper is worse than a $13 powder that doesn’t. Use the rankings as a starting point, then match the formula to your skin’s current behavior — dry, oily, combination, or “I gave up trying to categorize it.”

The gap between number one and number eight is smaller than the price difference suggests. Laura Mercier wins on consistency and shade range. Coty Airspun wins on cost per gram by a landslide. Charlotte Tilbury wins on portability. None of them is universally “best” — and any list that claims otherwise is selling something.

What Is the Best Setting Powder for Mature Skin? A Direct Answer

If you want the one-sentence version: the best setting powder for mature skin is a finely milled, talc-free loose powder with a soft-focus finish, applied sparingly with a fluffy brush rather than a puff. That combination blurs texture without grabbing onto dry patches or settling into lines.

Pressed powders can work, but they require a lighter hand and a softer brush. Loose powders give you more control because you can tap off the excess. The formula matters more than the format, but format determines application, and application is where most mature-skin powder routines fail.

The short list, no filler

For dry or dehydrated mature skin, Laura Mercier Ultra-Blur and Saie Airset are the two formulas that consistently avoid the “powdered doughnut” effect. For oily mature skin, Dior Forever Nude Matte and Lancôme Teint Idole control shine without turning the face into a matte mask. For under-eyes specifically, Pat McGrath’s under-eye powder and Laura Mercier Secret Brightening are more targeted than a general-purpose face powder, because they use lighter particles and a peachier undertone that neutralizes darkness instead of simply covering it.

Budget shoppers have two genuinely viable options: L’Oréal Infallible Blur-Fection and e.l.f. Halo Glow. Both are under $15, both blur better than their price suggests, and both have a catch. L’Oréal’s formula can be drying under the eyes for some users, according to reviews, and e.l.f.’s packaging is less travel-friendly. Neither catch is disqualifying. They’re just the trade-offs you accept at that price.

Best Overall: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Talc-Free Ultra-Blur

Laura Mercier built its reputation on the original Translucent Loose Setting Powder, a talc-based formula that became a makeup-artist staple. The Ultra-Blur version is a different animal. It swaps talc for silica and mica, adds hyaluronic acid, and claims 16-hour hydration wear. On mature skin, the difference is not subtle.

The original powder could look dry on anyone over 45. Ultra-Blur doesn’t. The particles are fine enough to disappear into the skin rather than sit on top of it, and the finish is soft-focus rather than flat matte. It’s the rare powder that makes texture look better without looking like you’re wearing anything at all. Allure gave it a Best of Beauty award, and Glamour’s makeup-artist panel ranked it number one for mature skin — two independent assessments that align with what we saw in testing.

What makes it different from the original

The talc-free swap is the headline, but the real story is the particle size. Talc particles are flat and plate-like; they blur well but can look chalky on dry skin. Silica and mica particles in Ultra-Blur are more spherical and light-diffusing, which means they bounce light instead of absorbing it. That’s why the finish reads as “soft-focus” rather than “mattified.” For mature skin, light diffusion is the whole game.

The hyaluronic acid addition is not a gimmick, but it’s also not a substitute for skincare. It adds a bit of slip and prevents the powder from pulling moisture out of the skin immediately. Think of it as a buffer, not a moisturizer. If your skin is severely dehydrated, no powder will fix that. Hydrate first, then powder.

Who should skip it

If you have very oily mature skin — the kind that breaks through foundation by lunch — Ultra-Blur may be too hydrating. It controls shine, but it’s not a heavy-duty mattifier. Dior Forever Nude Matte or Lancôme Teint Idole will hold up better on a genuinely oily T-zone. The other skip case is budget. At roughly $43–$48 for a full-size (and around $21–$26 for a mini), it’s not an impulse purchase. Coty Airspun at $7 is not as elegant, but it blurs pores and absorbs oil well enough that the price gap is hard to justify for some shoppers.

Best Drugstore and Budget Options Under $15

The drugstore aisle has gotten genuinely good at powder. The gap between a $13 loose powder and a $50 luxury loose powder is narrower than it was a decade ago, especially for blurring and brightening. What you lose at the lower price point is usually shade range, packaging quality, and the fineness of the milling. What you keep is the core function: setting makeup without making a mess of it.

L’Oréal Infallible Blur-Fection

This is the budget pick that keeps showing up on makeup-artist lists for mature skin. It’s a loose powder with a pink-tinted “brightening” shade that neutralizes sallowness and adds a subtle lift under the eyes. The blur effect is real — the formula uses light-diffusing particles that soften pores and fine lines — and the 24-hour wear claim is marketing, but it does hold for a normal workday.

The catch is dryness. Multiple user reviews note that it can be drying under the eyes on very dry or mature skin. That doesn’t make it a bad powder; it makes it a powder that needs a hydrating concealer underneath and a light hand on application. If your under-eyes are crepey, use it on the T-zone only and reach for something more emollient under the eyes.

Price: $12.97–$15.99 depending on the retailer and shade. Available at Ulta, Amazon, Target, and most drugstores.

e.l.f. Halo Glow and Coty Airspun

Two very different budget philosophies. e.l.f. Halo Glow is a finely milled loose powder with a soft-focus finish that leans slightly luminous rather than matte. It’s around $6–$8 and punches well above its price for blurring. The packaging is basic, and the shade range is limited, but for fair to medium complexions it’s a legitimate alternative to powders five times the cost.

Coty Airspun is the old-school option — a loose powder that dates back to 1935, now available in a talc-free version. It’s roughly $7 for 1.23 ounces, which is an enormous amount of product. The finish is more matte than Halo Glow, and the fragrance is noticeable (a vintage powder smell that some people love and others find cloying). For oily mature skin on a strict budget, it’s hard to beat on cost per use. For dry skin, it’s riskier.

Where the cheap stuff actually wins

Cost per gram is the metric nobody talks about. A $50 loose powder at 0.7 ounces costs about $71 per ounce. Coty Airspun at $7 for 1.23 ounces costs about $5.70 per ounce. Even if you use twice as much Airspun per application — and you won’t — the economics are not close. The luxury powders win on elegance, shade matching, and packaging. The drugstore powders win on the brutal arithmetic of how much powder you actually need to set a face.

Best Under-Eye Setting Powders That Don’t Crease

The under-eye area is where setting powders go to die. The skin there is thin, moves constantly, and has a tendency to crease no matter what you put on it. A face powder that works beautifully on the cheeks can turn the under-eye into a topographic map of fine lines within an hour. The solution is not “more powder” or “better powder” alone — it’s a lighter particle size and a completely different application technique.

Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Blurring Under-Eye Powder

This is a targeted product, not a face powder repurposed. The particles are finer than a standard loose powder, and the formula is designed to blur rather than mattify. Reviewers in their 50s specifically call it out for puffy, dark under-eyes — one 51-year-old reviewer described it as “perfect for mature skin,” which is the kind of specificity that generic five-star reviews lack. It’s around $35 at Ulta and Sephora.

The brush that comes with it is serviceable but not essential. A small, soft blending brush works better for pressing the powder into the inner corner and along the orbital bone without disturbing the concealer underneath. The product is also available in a mini size, which is worth considering if you only use it under the eyes.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening

Another under-eye-specific formula, this one with a color-correcting bent. It’s a sheer, brightening powder that comes in shades designed to neutralize blue and purple tones under the eyes. On mature skin, the advantage is that it doesn’t need to be opaque to work — it uses light reflection rather than coverage to brighten. That means less product, less creasing, and a more natural finish.

The texture is finer than the Ultra-Blur face powder, and it’s specifically recommended for “mature textured skin” in user reviews. It’s not a replacement for a full-face setting powder, but as a targeted under-eye step it solves a problem that general-purpose powders often create.

The application rule that matters more than the product

Makeup artists who work with mature skin consistently say the same thing: press, don’t sweep. Sweeping a brush across the under-eye disturbs the concealer and pushes powder into creases. Pressing with a small puff or a soft brush sets the product without moving it. The other rule is quantity. Most people use three to five times more powder than necessary. Dip lightly, tap off the excess against your hand, and apply in thin layers. You can always add more. You cannot subtract powder once it’s settled into a line.

If your under-eyes are extremely dry or crepey, the most honest advice is to skip powder there entirely and use a setting spray instead. A little concealer transfer is less aging than a patch of powder that looks like cracked paint. That’s not a failure of technique. It’s a recognition that some skin types and some powder formats are incompatible.

Best Pressed, Pink, and Blurring Formulas

Pressed powders get a bad rap on mature skin because they’re easy to over-apply. A dense compact and a dense brush are a terrible combination for fine lines. But pressed powder has one advantage loose powder can’t match: portability. If you need to touch up at 3 p.m. without carrying a jar and a separate puff, a pressed compact is the only practical option.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish

This is the pressed powder that keeps winning awards for mature skin, and the reason is the formula. It contains almond oil and rose wax, which give it a creamy slip that most pressed powders lack. Instead of sitting on top of the skin like a dry film, it melts slightly and blends into the foundation underneath. The finish is soft-focus and slightly luminous, not flat.

InStyle named it the best setting powder for mature skin after testing formulas for more than 300 hours, and reviewers in their 60s and 70s describe it as blurring without settling. The trade-off is cost. At $50 for 0.28 ounces, it’s one of the most expensive powders per gram on this list. It’s also refillable, which softens the long-term cost if you commit to the compact.

Pink-toned powders for sallow or dull undertones

Pink powder is not a trend; it’s a color-correction tool. On mature skin, which often loses the natural pink undertone that younger skin has, a pink-tinted powder adds back a bit of life without looking like blush. L’Oréal Blur-Fection in “Brightening Light Pink” is the budget entry point. Laura Mercier’s Ultra-Blur also comes in a pink-tinted version, and Kosas Cloud Set has a subtle pinky shade that works well under the eyes on fair to medium complexions.

The mistake is treating pink powder as a universal brightener. On deep complexions, a pale pink powder can look ashy. On very fair skin, a strong pink can read as sunburn. The sweet spot is a powder that is only a half-shade pinker than your skin — enough to neutralize sallowness, not enough to announce itself.

Blurring vs. mattifying: a distinction most lists blur together

Blurring and mattifying are not the same thing, and confusing them is why people buy the wrong powder. Mattifying powders absorb oil and reduce shine. They often use kaolin, silica, or rice powder and leave a flat finish. Blurring powders use light-diffusing particles to scatter light across texture, making pores and fine lines less visible. They can be matte or radiant.

For mature skin, blurring is usually the better primary function. Mattifying is useful only where you actually have oil — typically the T-zone. A blurring powder used all over the face gives a soft-focus effect without drying out the cheeks. A mattifying powder used all over the face on dry mature skin is a recipe for a flat, chalky look. The ideal routine is often two powders: a blurring one for the cheeks and under-eyes, and a mattifying one for the T-zone if needed. That’s more effort than most people want, but it’s the honest answer.

Best for Dry, Dehydrated, and Oily Mature Skin

“Mature skin” is not a skin type. It’s an age bracket that contains dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin, each with its own powder requirements. A formula that saves a dry 55-year-old will make an oily 55-year-old look greasy by noon. The lists that ignore this are not helping.

Hydrating powders: Saie Airset and Kosas Cloud Set

Saie Airset Radiant Loose Setting Powder is the powder for people who hate powder. It has a radiant, almost satin finish that doesn’t flatten the skin, and it’s formulated with hydrating ingredients that keep it from pulling moisture out of dry patches. Allure named it the best powder for dry skin, and it’s a frequent pick on mature-skin lists for the same reason: it sets makeup without announcing its presence.

Kosas Cloud Set is a baked, talc-free powder that sits somewhere between a setting powder and a finishing powder. It’s softer and more forgiving than a traditional loose powder, and it’s infused with skincare ingredients (passion-fruit leaf extract, for example) that give it a slightly creamy texture. On combination mature skin, it blurs texture without drying out the cheeks or sliding off the T-zone.

Oily mature skin: Dior Forever Nude Matte and Lancôme Teint Idole

Oily mature skin is the hardest combination to formulate for because it needs oil control without the drying ingredients that make fine lines worse. Dior Forever Nude Matte manages it better than most. It’s a true matte powder that holds up on an oily T-zone, but it doesn’t settle into creases the way older matte formulas did. Reviewers with mature skin specifically note that it “never settled into the creases,” which is the sentence you want to see in a review for an oily-skin powder.

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Skin Refining Setting Powder is another option, often available at a discount (around $33.75 on sale versus $45 full price). It’s finer than a traditional mattifier and leaves a soft-matte finish rather than a flat one. For oily mature skin that still wants some dimension, it’s a better choice than a heavy-duty translucent mattifier.

Talc-free and organic-leaning picks

Talc-free is not a marketing gimmick for mature skin. Talc is a mineral that can be contaminated with asbestos in unregulated supply chains, and while cosmetic-grade talc in the US is supposed to be purified, the concern has pushed formulators to develop alternatives that are often better for dry, mature skin anyway. Silica, mica, and rice powder are the common replacements. Laura Mercier Ultra-Blur, Kosas Cloud Set, and the talc-free version of Coty Airspun are all talc-free.

“Organic” is a looser term in cosmetics than in food, and there is no federal standard for organic makeup in the same way there is for organic produce. What you can look for is a short ingredient list, no synthetic fragrance, and a formula that doesn’t rely on drying alcohols. Brands like Saie and Kosas lean cleaner than legacy drugstore brands, but “clean” is a marketing category, not a guarantee of performance. A powder can be clean and still look terrible on mature skin. Formula and particle size matter more than the label.

Korean and K-Beauty Setting Powders for Mature Skin

K-beauty has a different philosophy about powder. Instead of heavy mattifying, the goal is often a thin, breathable veil that controls shine without changing the texture of the skin. For mature skin, that approach is often more flattering than Western powders, which tend to be more opaque and more matte.

Sulwhasoo Perfecting Powder

Sulwhasoo is a hanbang (traditional Korean herbal medicine) brand, and its Perfecting Powder is formulated with herbal extracts that add a slight skincare benefit. The finish is satin rather than matte, and the powder is fine enough to diffuse light without settling into lines. It’s not a heavy-duty oil controller, but for normal to dry mature skin it’s an elegant option that doesn’t look like powder.

The caveat is availability and price. Sulwhasoo is widely available through K-beauty retailers and Amazon, but the shade range is limited and the price is higher than a standard drugstore powder. It’s a “buy if you already like K-beauty” pick, not a first powder for someone who wants a simple solution.

Laneige Neo Blurring Powder

Laneige’s Neo Blurring Powder is a pressed compact designed for on-the-go blurring. It’s oil-control focused, with a pore-blurring finish and spill-proof packaging that makes it genuinely travel-friendly. Reviewers in their 50s with dry, post-menopausal skin note that they use it sparingly — a light touch on the nose and T-zone, not a full-face application. That’s the right way to use any mattifying K-beauty powder on mature skin.

What K-beauty gets right about thin layers

The K-beauty application philosophy is built on thin layers. Instead of one heavy pass with a powder puff, the approach is multiple light dustings with a brush, building coverage only where needed. On mature skin, this is the single most important technique change you can make, regardless of which powder you use. A $13 L’Oréal powder applied in a thin layer will look better than a $50 luxury powder applied with a heavy hand.

Innisfree No Sebum Powder is another K-beauty staple, often under $10, that works well for oily mature skin when used sparingly. It’s not designed for dry skin, and it can be too mattifying for mature cheeks, but on the T-zone it does exactly what it claims. The lesson from K-beauty is not “buy Korean powder.” It’s “use less powder, more precisely.”

Retailers, Prices, and Return Policies in the US

Where you buy a setting powder matters almost as much as which one you buy, because the return policy is your safety net. A powder that looks beautiful in the store can look like chalk under your bathroom lighting, and the only way to know is to try it. A generous return window is worth more than a few dollars of savings.

Ulta vs. Sephora vs. Amazon vs. Target

Ulta has the most forgiving beauty return policy in the US. Most items, including opened and gently used makeup, can be returned within 60 days. The first 30 days are typically a full refund to the original payment method; after that, you may receive store credit. Some sources report a 90-day window for exchanges, though the core policy is 60 days. If you are buying a powder specifically to test whether it works on mature skin, Ulta’s policy is the least risky.

Sephora’s policy tightened in recent years. The current standard is 30 days for a full refund on new or gently used products, with a 31-to-60-day window for store credit in some cases. The 60-day full-refund era is gone. For a $50 Charlotte Tilbury compact, 30 days is enough time to test, but it’s not generous. Keep the receipt and the original packaging.

Amazon’s return policy varies by seller. Items shipped and sold by Amazon generally fall under a 30-day return window, but third-party beauty sellers may have different rules. The risk on Amazon is counterfeit product, especially for prestige brands. If the price is significantly lower than Sephora or Ulta, that’s a warning sign, not a deal.

Target and Walmart carry drugstore powders at competitive prices and accept returns within their standard windows (typically 90 days for Target, 90 days for Walmart with receipt). For a $13 L’Oréal powder, the return policy is less critical because the financial risk is low. For a $50 luxury powder, buy from a retailer with a beauty-specific return policy.

Return windows compared

The real cost of “free” shipping

“Free shipping” is a pricing strategy, not a gift. Most retailers that offer free shipping build the cost into the product price or set a minimum order threshold that encourages you to add items you didn’t need. Ulta’s free shipping threshold is around $35 for standard members; Sephora’s is similar. If you are buying a single $13 L’Oréal powder and the shipping is $6, the powder effectively costs $19. If you add a $25 item to hit the free-shipping threshold, you’ve spent $38 to save $6. That’s not savings. That’s a upsell dressed as a courtesy.

The smarter approach for a single powder is to buy in-store if you can, or to choose a retailer with a lower free-shipping threshold and no minimum for pickup. Target’s same-day pickup and Walmart’s curbside pickup eliminate shipping costs entirely. For a product you may need to return, the ability to walk into a store and hand it back is worth more than a two-day shipping promise.

How to Apply Setting Powder on Mature Skin Without Looking Older

The product is half the equation. Application is the other half, and it’s the half most people get wrong. A $50 powder applied with a heavy hand and a dense brush will look worse than a $7 powder applied correctly. The technique for mature skin is not complicated, but it is specific.

Tools, pressure, and the zones to avoid

Use a fluffy brush, not a dense puff, for all-over setting. A dense puff picks up too much product and presses it into the skin, which is exactly what you don’t want on fine lines. A fluffy brush distributes a thin, even layer and allows you to build gradually. For the under-eye area, a small, soft blending brush or a velour puff is better than a large face brush because it gives you control.

The motion matters more than the tool. Press and roll, don’t sweep. Sweeping lifts the concealer and pushes powder into creases. Pressing sets the makeup in place without disturbing it. Tap off the excess powder against the back of your hand before applying — this is the step most people skip, and it’s the step that prevents the “powdered doughnut” look.

Avoid the under-eye area if your skin is very dry or crepey. Use a setting spray instead. Avoid the nasolabial folds (the lines from the nose to the mouth) unless you have significant oil there. Avoid the center of the forehead if you have expression lines. The goal is to set where makeup moves and shine appears, not to cover every square inch of the face. Less is more, and “more” is usually the problem.

Powder vs. setting spray

Setting spray and setting powder do different things. Powder absorbs oil and sets makeup in place; spray adds moisture, reduces the powdery look, and helps makeup meld into the skin. For mature skin, the ideal routine often uses both: a thin layer of powder where needed, followed by a setting spray to take down any residual powderiness.

If you have to choose one, choose based on your skin’s behavior. Oily mature skin needs powder more than spray. Dry mature skin can often skip powder entirely on the cheeks and use spray to set the T-zone lightly. Combination skin needs both, applied selectively. There is no universal rule, and any advice that says “always powder” or “never powder” is ignoring the variability of mature skin.

The other application variable is skincare prep. Powder looks better on hydrated skin. If you apply powder to dry, unprepared skin, it will find every flake. A hydrating primer or a moisturizer under foundation makes more difference than the powder itself. The best powder in the world cannot compensate for dehydrated skin.

Frequently Asked Questions About Setting Powder for Mature Skin

Does setting powder make mature skin look older?

Not necessarily. Powder makes mature skin look older when it is too matte, too heavy, or applied with a dense puff that presses it into fine lines. A finely milled, talc-free blurring powder applied sparingly with a fluffy brush can make texture look softer, not older. The formula and the application both matter.

Is setting powder or setting spray better for mature skin?

They serve different purposes. Powder controls shine and sets makeup; spray hydrates and reduces powderiness. Oily mature skin benefits more from powder, while dry mature skin often does better with a light layer of powder only on the T-zone, followed by spray. Many people benefit from using both selectively.

What is the best under-eye setting powder for mature skin?

Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Blurring Under-Eye Powder and Laura Mercier Secret Brightening are both designed specifically for the under-eye area and use finer particles than a standard face powder. Press, don’t sweep, and use a very light layer. If your under-eyes are very dry, skipping powder and using setting spray may be the better choice.

Is talc-free powder better for mature skin?

Talc-free is often better for mature skin because talc can be drying and can look chalky on dry patches. Silica and mica, the common replacements, are more light-diffusing and tend to blur rather than mattify. Talc-free is not automatically superior for everyone, but for dry or texture-prone mature skin it is usually a safer starting point.

Can I use drugstore setting powder on mature skin?

Yes. L’Oréal Infallible Blur-Fection and e.l.f. Halo Glow both blur well and cost under $15. The main trade-offs are shade range and packaging. Coty Airspun, around $7 for a large jar, is an excellent budget option for oily mature skin. The application technique matters more than the price tag.

How do I stop setting powder from settling into fine lines?

Use less powder. Tap off the excess from your brush before applying, and press the powder into the skin rather than sweeping it. Avoid the under-eye area and nasolabial folds if they are dry. A setting spray over a thin layer of powder can help meld everything together and reduce visible settling. Hydrated skin also holds powder better than dry skin.

What is the best pressed powder for mature skin over 50?

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish is the most consistently recommended pressed powder for mature skin because it contains almond oil and rose wax, which keep it from looking dry. NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder is another option that makeup artists use on mature clients who are nervous about powder. Both are around $50.

Are Korean setting powders good for mature skin?

Korean powders tend to be finer and more focused on thin layers than Western mattifying powders, which suits mature skin well. Sulwhasoo Perfecting Powder and Laneige Neo Blurring Powder are both worth considering, especially if you prefer a satin or soft-matte finish over a flat matte. Use them sparingly, especially on dry areas.