Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder Is Here to Keep the Shine, Not the Grease

Because great skin should still look like skin.

There is a fine line between a beautifully set complexion and a face that looks like it has been dusted with flour. Too much powder can leave skin looking flat, dry or cakey, which is hardly the finish anyone is after. Kosas gets the memo with its latest addition to the Cloud Set family, the Cloud Set Loose Powder, designed to keep excess shine in check while letting your natural glow do its thing.

Retailing at RM195, the ultra-translucent loose powder promises up to 12 hours of makeup setting, alongside a soft-focus effect that blurs the appearance of pores and fine lines. Its featherweight formula is made for layering, whether you're lightly setting your everyday base or going all in with the baking technique. The goal? A smoother, brighter complexion without sacrificing that fresh, skin-like finish.

And no, you don't have to choose between controlling oil and looking radiant. The formula is designed to sweep away unwanted shine, not the glow that makes your complexion look alive.

Powder That Knows the Difference Between Shine and Glow

Behind the Cloud Set collection is Kosas founder Sheena, who wanted to create complexion products that could deliver a natural finish across skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin like her own.

The original Cloud Set Baked Powder came from her discovery of a baking method that allowed skincare ingredients to be incorporated into a talc-free formula. The result was a powder with a distinctive, skin-like finish rather than the overly matte effect traditionally associated with setting powders.

But Sheena wanted more. She needed an ultra-translucent powder that could bake and lock makeup into place without feeling heavy or drying, which led to the creation of Cloud Set Loose Powder.

Its special milling process gives the formula its lightweight, ultra-sheer texture, allowing it to blur and set without leaving behind an obvious layer of powder. It's also talc-free and non-comedogenic, making it an option for those who prefer their makeup products to feel as comfortable as possible on the skin.

The formula is powered by a clean blend of plant-based and mineral powders, with bamboo stem extract helping to absorb excess sebum so skin feels soft and fresh throughout the day.

Eight Shades, Zero Need to Look Powdery

Finding a loose powder that works with your complexion can be a surprisingly complicated affair. One shade leaves you looking ashy, another dulls your foundation, and suddenly your carefully blended base has taken a turn for the worse.

Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder arrives in eight translucent shades, divided into two finishes to suit different makeup needs.

For an all-over setting effect, the complexion shades offer a natural finish. The lineup includes the new Translucent Sway, Translucent Fluttery, Translucent Toasty and Translucent Cozy, alongside Translucent Velvety.

Prefer a little extra brightness? The radiant-finish shades, Translucent Candy, Translucent Peachy and Translucent Buttery, are designed to help counter the appearance of darkness and discolouration. These brightening shades build on the original Cloud Set Loose Powder offering, following feedback from the Kosas community for more complexion shades that could provide the same translucent veil with a natural finish.

Essentially, you can choose between setting your entire face and giving specific areas a little extra lift, without expecting one powder to do absolutely everything.

The 12-Hour Makeup Test

A setting powder can look promising in the mirror, but the real test comes hours later, when oil starts breaking through and your base begins to lose its composure.

Kosas reports that Cloud Set Loose Powder is clinically proven to set makeup for 12 hours. In a consumer perception study involving 30 subjects after one day of use, 100% agreed that the powder instantly brightened the complexion and made skin look airbrushed.

Meanwhile, a separate clinical measurement study involving 34 subjects found a 100% response rate for experiencing clinically measured oil reduction. Measurements were taken immediately after use and again after two and four weeks.

While these findings offer an encouraging look at the powder's performance, the studies were conducted on specific groups of participants, rather than representing a guarantee of identical results for everyone.

Still, for anyone whose makeup tends to turn shiny before lunchtime, the combination of oil control, soft-focus blurring and a lightweight feel makes this one to keep on the radar.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Cloud Set

The beauty of a versatile setting powder is that it doesn't have to be used the same way every day. Kosas recommends three techniques, depending on the finish you're after.

For all-over setting: Using a Kosas Powder Brush, dust a light layer of your complexion shade across the face, concentrating on areas where oil tends to break through. For smaller areas, such as beneath the eyes, reach for the Kosas Face Detailer Brush.

For baking: Apply a generous layer of either a complexion or brightening shade with the Kosas Cloud Puff to areas prone to creasing or excess oil. Let the powder sit for a few minutes before brushing away the excess.

For targeted brightening: Take your brightening shade and a Kosas Powder Brush or Face Detailer Brush, then apply it to areas where you want to counter darkness, such as beneath the eyes and around the mouth.

The trick is to work with your skin rather than against it. Start with a light hand for everyday wear, then build up coverage where you actually need it. Your face doesn't need to be completely matte to look polished.

Meet the Rest of the Cloud Set Family

The new loose powder isn't flying solo. It joins two existing products that complete the Cloud Set routine, giving beauty lovers more ways to set, smooth and refresh their makeup.

Cloud Set Brightening Baked Powder, RM185

Designed for targeted brightening, this powder uses colour-correcting shades to help counter darkness while delivering a naturally radiant finish.

Cloud Set Baked Powder, RM185

The original formula that started the collection combines a smooth, skin-like finish with a lightweight feel. Made with a baking method that infuses liquid skincare into the formula, it helps minimise the appearance of pores while reducing excess shine without leaving skin chalky or dry. The formula is clean, vegan and talc-free.

Cloud Set Airy Setting + Smoothing Mist, RM180

For those who prefer a final spritz over another layer of powder, this refreshing mist hydrates, smooths and sets makeup for up to 12 hours. It features clinically tested skincare ingredients, an alcohol-free formula that is 99.5% naturally derived, and a non-comedogenic formulation. Designed to feel breathable rather than sticky or tight, it is also suitable for sensitive skin and eyes.

Together, the collection offers a more flexible approach to setting makeup, whether you prefer a powder-led routine, a refreshing mist or a combination of both.

The Final Verdict

Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder makes a compelling case for rethinking what setting powder should feel like. Instead of chasing an aggressively matte complexion, it focuses on keeping excess oil under control while maintaining the natural luminosity that makes skin look healthy.

With eight translucent shades, a talc-free formula and claims of up to 12 hours of makeup setting, it offers plenty of room to customise your finish, from an everyday dusting to a more precise baking routine.

For anyone who wants their makeup to stay put without looking like makeup, that sounds like a pretty good deal.

Kosas Cloud Set Loose Powder retails at RM195 and is available from 3 September 2026 at Sephora Malaysia, both in-store and online at sephora.my, including through the Sephora app.