My friend Kristin asked me the other day to give her some advice on long-lasting make-up to use on her wedding day in August. So I thought I could turn it into a short series about those top-quality products that will help your make-up stay in place for many hours. Useful for weddings, parties and those important, long days at work.
We will start with face primers - something I use only occasionally, when I need my face to look perfect and smooth. Primers, often silicone based, are used after your daily moisturizer but before foundation There are different types of primers: smoothing, matifying, brightening and colour-correcting but their major role is to create a smooth surface on the skin which helps the foundation look seamless, pores look smaller and make-up hold longer.
My tip is to let the primer set in before using foundation. I like giving it around 10 minutes.
Here comes a few of my personal recommendations with a short description:
Benefit The Porefessional. Probably one of the most famous primers at the moment, this skin-toned, silicone-based product promises seamless skin with no visible pores. I do really like this primer although not on everyday basis as I find it a bit too "present" on my face, with all the silicone in it. It gives the foundation a nice slip and makes application of any make-up easier but I personally haven't noticed any improvement in the longevity. It's expensive but you don't need much so the 20ml bottle should last you quite a while. A good product for special occasions but I am not sure I would repurchase it.
Grade 8/10
Buy it here
Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer. Now this primer was one of those "on a whim" purchases when a very convincing sales assistant managed to persuade me into buying it. No regrets there though. This white-coloured primer is supposed to keep the shine away but what I like most about it is its light, oil-free formula and easiness of application. Plus a handy tube that dispenses just the right amount of product. I noticed it helps my foundation look better when applied and prolongs the matte finish of the skin. It is not the cheapest product on the market but also not the most expensive one, especially when taking into consideration its great performance.
Grade: 9/10
Buy it here
Dax Cosmetics Cashmere Secret Smoothing and Illuminating Base. This primer is a mixture of a typical silicone base and a highlighting base. The silicone in it helps to even out the skin while the slight shimmer running through the formula gives the face a natural glow. It is also on a cheaper side, retailing for around 30 zloty in Poland but it is not available in other countries at the moment. It is definitely a great product to use if you need a multi-tasker but I wouldn't use it very often as it may clog your pores. Great for big events like wedding and parties but not for everyday use.
Grade 6/10
Buy it here
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. I do love this product. I even love the fact that they call it "a balm" rather then a primer which really conveys its unique attributes. It has slightly peachy-gold colour that applies transparent on the face and leaves only a natural radiance. It is supposed to be patted on the skin, not rubbed in, and left for a few minutes before foundation is applied. It smells luxurious and gives the luxurious feeling to the skin. I notice immediate effects when using it. It perks up my face, making it look rested, fresh and youthful. It won't prolong your make-up or decrease the visibility of the pores but it will make your foundation look better and more natural. This is one of those products I love using during the day, especially when I know I haven't got enough sleep.
Grade 8/10
Buy it here
I also would like to recommend two primers that I don't have at the moment but that are generally considered to be one of the best on the market.
Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Primer. Smashbox released a whole Photo Finish series consisting of an impressive selection of primers from transparent silicone bases to different colour correcting formulas. They claim to even out your skin tone, smooth down the surface and prolong your make-up. The one showed above is the Color Correcting Primer in Green, which is perfect for those suffering from redness or from acne. I would sincerely recommend it to anyone who is in search of a primer for their wedding or another important event as it should help the make-up look perfect and stay longer. It contains silicone which means it can cause some break-outs if used too often but definitely worth checking out.
America: Buy it here
Poland: Buy it here
Sweden: Buy it here:
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. This lovely, oil-free base is perfect for those with combination/oily skin who are afraid of using something too heavy on their break-out-prone skin. Unfortunately, at the moment, Hourglass is only available only in America and a few European countries (not Poland or Sweden), but it can also be purchased online on eBay or via Space NK website. It is the most expensive primer of the ones presented here but also the one that promises to make your skin look absolutely stunning.
Buy it here
Here are the swatches of the four primers I have:
To sum up, I would say that face primers are not a necessary item in your make-up kit but they can be very useful especially when you want to look perfect on certain days. Although this is quite often an individual thing, depending on the skin type and general lifestyle, face primers can help prolong your make-up and smooth your skin to make it look perfect.
Did I manage to tempt you to try one?
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