Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer Review

A better name for this primer from Smashbox would be Photo Finish Pore Somewhat Minimizing Primer. That's because this product does minimize pores but only a bit, at least in my experience.

According to Smashbox, this version of its famed Photo Finish Primer, which was "to help make makeup look better and last longer on set," "...instantly blurs fine lines and pores while mattifying shine and controlling oil for 8 hours."

I personally don't think "blurs" is the right verb to use in this product's description as I didn't find it blurred anything. Instead, it de-emphasised, or to use another term, minimized, my pores and fine lines by mattifying my skin. Actually, a better name for this product would have been Photo Finish Matte Primer as this item did a great job at giving me shine-free, matte skin.

Make Up For Ever Step 1: Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer Review

Last spring I tested out Make Up For Ever's then new Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer. Made up of 10 different primers that each target a different problem area, this line promises to "triple the power of your foundation: easier application, optimized makeup result, improved wear." I tried out the Mattifying primer and while I didn't love it as much as MUFE's now discontinued HD Micorperfecting primer, it did do a fantastic job of preventing shine.

Because of that experience, I was quite pleased to see this line pop up in a recent Topbox. This time around I received the Smoothing primer. According to MUFE, this product, "evens out skin texture by minimizing pores, wrinkles and fine lines" resulting in "silky soft skin" that is "resurfaced and perfectly smooth for a flawless makeup all day long."

Make Up For Ever Step 1: Skin Equalizer Mattifying Primer

Last week I wrote no posts because last week was crazy at work and, to add to the fun, I didn’t feel great. But while internally I was feeling gross, my face was looking great thanks in part to the primer I was wearing: Make Up For Ever’s new Step 1: Skin Equalizer Mattifying primer (disclaimer time: I received my tube of primer for free, from MUFE).

Step 1: Skin Equalizer is MUFE’s new primer line, consisting of 10 formulas, each targeted at a specific need such dry skin, redness or lack of radiance. At first the system looks a little intimidating until you realize that five of the products are basically the same item, the Radiant primer, just designed for different skin tones. All 10 formulas claim that to deliver three key benefits: “makeup goes on seamlessly,” “optimized color & finish” and “longer staying power.” They contain hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin, a vegetal sugar “…that boosts cellular renewal for a more unified texture” and something called “acti-tensor 3D,” which supposedly “’blurs’ imperfections.”

Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer Vs. Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer

On Wednesday, I wrote a review about Benefit Cosmetics' Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer. Long post short, it turned out to be a surprisingly great primer. But is it better than my current go-to primer: Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer? The only way to find out is with a split-face test.

In case you're new to this blog a split-face test is when I use one product on one side of my face and its rival on the other side, in order to directly and immediately see which product works better for me.

Now, normally when I do I split test, I run it two-four times and always use the same product on the same side of my face. This time though I deliberately switched which sides of my face used the primers because of the disgusting thing that popped out of the left-side of my chin late last week. Besides being elevated, it was discoloured, flakey, dry and shiny. It was gross but it was also the perfect test for a primer.

Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer

Whenever a product bases a claim around a specific timeframe, I automatically start looking for the words “up to” in front of that timeframe. Those two tiny words mean that a product that says that it works “up to 12 hours” can really only work for one hour and still remain true to its claim.

So, in preparation for this review of Benefit’s Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer, I headed over the brand’s webpage for this item and looked for “up to.” I couldn’t find it and, after wearing this product daily for a week straight, I understand why: It really does last for 15 hours. What I did find on that webpage was lots of other numbers. According to Benefit, “a consumer panel survey” found that:

Almay Smart Shade CC Luminous Primer

A few weeks ago I attended an event sponsored by Almay that resulted in me taking home a bunch of free goodies. This week on the blog is all about reviewing three of those items starting with Smart Shade CC Luminous Primer.

This is my first experience with an Almay primer and I have mixed feelings on it.  According to Almay, “this new primer helps provide a luminous finish while prepping your skin for makeup application.” Initially I was a bit concerned about the “luminous” part as I thought it might leave my skin shiny or greasy looking. Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case; instead, I ended up with bright, healthy-looking skin that yeah, you could describe as “luminous.”

I was also left with skin that felt quite smooth. A good primer basically creates a thin layer over one’s skin that fills in imperfections and creates a flawless canvas with which to apply makeup over. Based on touch, this primer does just that, creating that smooth surface that allowed for quicker and easier makeup application.

Stay Don't Stray

Over the past few weeks I’ve been playing around with the contents of my July Topbox, which contained items from Benefit’s They’re Real line. One of the items that I was most looking forward to testing was Stay Don’t Stray, a “dual-action power primer (that) works 360 degrees around the eyes to make concealers AND eyeshadows STAY PUT.”

According to Benefit, using this creamy primer means that “Concealers don't crease, eyeshadows stay vibrant & true.” Sound great, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to try out how well the product works as a concealer primer as I was sent the wrong colour. This product “now comes in TWO neutral shades to suit all skintones (light/medium & medium/deep),” which is great is you get the right shade. Even though I swear I selected “light/medium” when I filled out my monthly Topbox options form, I received the medium/deep shade and it just doesn’t work on my under-eye area, which is almost translucent.

Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer

Recently I was given the opportunity to try out one of Make Up For Ever’s most beloved products: its HD Microperfecting Primer. As someone who loves the brand’s loose powder and mattifying foundation, I had high hopes for this product. Thankfully it didn’t disappoint.

While most primers come in just one colourless or “neutral” shade, HD Primer offers “…six color-correcting shades and one colorless shade to correct skin imperfections.” I tried out shade #5 or blue, which is supposed to give “a porcelain finish to fair skin.” I was quite skeptical of this claim but within seconds of applying the product, I could see what MUFE meant.

This primer really did even out my skin tone and gave it a cool, smooth, porcelain appearance. However, this look did mean that my skin doesn’t have the “glowing effect” that MUFE says this product provides. Personally, this doesn’t bother me though if the look you’re after is a glow-y one, you probably want to avoid shade #5 in this product.

e.l.f.’s Essential Eyelid Primer

e.l.f.’s Essential Eyelid Primer is the final of my e.l.f. freebies that NailPolishCanada.com. It’s also the only e.l.f product that’s actually disappointed me.

Part of that is my fault. When NailPolishCanada.com contacted me and asked if I wanted to try some e.l.f. items out, I said sure and picked the primer as one of them. However, I failed to notice that this primer comes in three shades: sheer, Champagne and pearl. I was sent the pearl and quickly discovered that “pearl” actually meant “sparkly.”

When I first received this product, I immediately thought of NARS’ Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. The packaging is almost identical, as is the spongy applicator. The primer itself looks white, just like Smudge Proof. But then I put this primer on and it was sparkle city.

Cover FX Anti-Aging Primer

One of the reasons why I like beauty box subscriptions is because they help keep me from wasting money on products that don’t work. I love Cover FX foundation and because of that, I might have picked up the company’s anti-aging primer. But, after receiving a sample of that product in my September Topbox and discovering that it’s kind of useless, there’s no way I’m buying that item. Thanks Topbox!

According to Cover FX, this primer, which was previously known as SkinPrep FX, is a multi-purpose product that, “In addition to prepping the skin prior to foundation application and facilitating blending and extending wear, this reparative primer hydrates and smoothes skin to blur the appearance of fine lines and pores.”

To do all of this, as well improve clarity and radiance, soothe inflammation and reduce redness and moisturize the skin, this primer is packed with such fancy ingredients as Coenzyme Q10, a multi-peptide complex, vitamins F, C and E and more. Between this ingredients list and my previous, positive history with Cover FX, I had high hope for this primer. Unfortunately, this product falls completely flat. Okay, this silky-feeling primer did allow me to blend my foundation a little easier but other than that, it did nothing.

Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer

A primer specifically for under the eyes? Really?

Well, according to Smashbox, what sets this primer apart from other primers is that it’s “… dedicated to the delicate skin under eyes!” (Yes, I too think that there should be a “the” in there.) Besides addressing 10 “everyday eye woes,” Smashbox says that this product also, “…keeps concealer looking fresh – never cakey or settled into fine lines – so eyes will always look well-rested.”

According to Smashbox, this one product contains these 10 benefits: Hydration, dark circles, puffiness, radiance, fine line and wrinkles, texture, skin tone, age spots, clarity and soothing. Now, these are benefits that my whole face would enjoy so that got me wondering, could I use this as an all-over primer?

Sadly, I can’t. While this product went on easily and didn't interfere with makeup being applied over it, once it’s on it doesn't really do anything.  I don’t really have fine lines under my eyes so I can’t comment on whether or not this primer prevents concealer from settling into lines but I can say with 100% certainty that this product did not keep my concealer from “slipping off” nor did it brighten or otherwise enhance my skin’s appearance.

Sephora Anti-Shine Foundation Primer & Lancome La Base Pro

Two primers, two sets of very similar claims, two very different price points. So which one is best?

Well, putting aside the differences in price, the answer is neither. Based on my experience, these two products perform identically. I wore both of these primers multiple times, usually under foundation and powder, but also occasionally on their own, and did both full-face tests and split-face tests (wearing one product on one half of my face and the other on the other half). Test after test, face after face, the results were the same.

And what were those results? Well, first let’s look at what these primers are supposed to do. According to Sephora, the Anti-shine Foundation primer will, “Keep a matte complexion for eight hours with this velvety smooth primer, specially formulated to mattify instantly while absorbing excess sebum. “ Lancôme, meanwhile, promises that its La Base Pro will, “Makeup glides on effortlessly and color stays truer and more vibrant for that right-off-the-runway, air-brushed look that lasts until you take it off. “

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base Primer

My problem with NARS’ Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base isn't that it doesn't work but that it doesn't work well to justify me picking a $30-something tube of this product and then working it into my daily routine.

According to NARS, this primer “maximizes color intensity” and creates a “seamless canvas that keeps cream and powder color looking brilliant, fresh and just-applied all day long.”  To back up these claims, NARS lists some impressive survey number: “97% (of users) felt that it extended the wear of eyeshadow” while “90% (of users) felt that it prevented creasing and smudging.”

I completely agree with the first survey statement; this product definitely extended the life of my eyeshadow. As for the second, while this product didn't completely eliminate creasing and smudging, it did reduce it.

But despite these positive results, I'm still not impressed by this product because those results just didn't last long enough. Yes, at the three-hour mark, my eyelid that had the primer on it did look fresher and brighter than the lid that just had eyeshadow on it but by the time I got home, some five hours later, the primed eye looked only marginally better.

L'Oreal RevitaLift Miracle Blur

According to L’Oreal, RevitaLift Miracle Blur is a brand new type of beauty product: “It’s NOT a moisturiser  NOT a foundation, MORE than a primer; it’s the first of-its-kind Instant Skin Smoother” explains this item’s web page.

I certainly agree that this transparent, paste-like product is nothing like a moisturiser or foundation but the “more than a primer” part? Well, according to L’Oreal this product will, “Blur the look of your lines, pores and wrinkles…” and is “…an instant skin smoother with a perfecting velvety-matte finish!” That sounds like a primer to me.

But who cares, what this product is, the big question is, does it work? Well, sort of, but not in the way L’Oreal describes. I found that while this primer didn't “blur” or erase my flaws, it certainly did minimize them by completely, and instantly, taming shine.  

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

Well this was a disappointment. I had really high hopes for Smashbox's classic primer, which Sephora has named as its best primer and was listed by Marie Claire as one of the "25 Products That Will Change Your Life," but sadly this product let me down.

Containing grape seed exact, green tea, vitamins A and E and of course silicone, this product has all the right ingredients to be an amazing primer. And it does feel great. Just like Smashbox claims, this is a lightweight product that feels silky on both my fingers and my face.

Unfortunately I found that this product did not give me the "...flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish" that Smashbox says this primer creates. It did nothing to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines or any other 3D blemishes. And while it played nicely with my makeup, it didn't really do much to help keep it in place, nor did it do much to mattify my skin (in fact L’Oreal Magic Perfecting Base Face Primer did a better job in both of those areas).

L’Oreal Magic Perfecting Base Face Primer

*The following is a mini-review because I only had a small amount of this product to try out*

According to L’Oreal, this is the world’s number one selling primer and I can kind of see why: It’s affordable (generally under $15), accessible (you can find it in any drugstore that sells L’Oreal), easy to apply (unlike some other primers, this one does ball, or causing balling if you put too much of it on) and it sort of works.

Quo - Total Perfection Face Primer

And I’m back from six weeks in Europe (and one week getting back to normal life).

I do want to write a bit about my trip and the many, many hotels I stayed in but I figure that I should start back with an actual product review: Quo Total Perfection Face Primer.

I bought this primer because of its great review over on Beautypedia.com and because it was quite reasonably priced, in the low $20 range at Shoppers.

Bare Escentuals Prime Time Foundation Primer

A short post today because it’s about a product I like but don’t love.

Bare Escentuals’ Prime Time Foundation Primer is one of those products that’s OK but not amazing, at least not for me.

A good primer should do two things: Create a smooth base for easier and better makeup application and then act as a sort of “shield” between your sweaty face and your makeup.

Prime Time achieves the first thing perfectly and it just requires a small amount of product to do so. It’s the second thing were it falls flat, or should I say shiny.

I just find that this just doesn’t increase the lifespan of my makeup like some other primers do. And if I’m out doing something like dancing or even walking outside on a humid day, forget it; by the time I get home I’ll look like I never put primer on.

It’s an OK primer if you spend most of your time in an air-conditioned place. And because it’s fairly “natural”,  it’s probably a good choice for someone with sensitive skin. But really, especially for its price range (around $30), it’s not a must-own.

Would I buy this again: No
Should you buy it: Nah, there’s better stuff out there