Awhile ago, my NARS Pro Prime lid primer stopped working. I asked for suggestions/favorites on Twitter to replace the NARS - received several suggestions for the MAC Ocre Paint Pot so that's the first one I tried. Unfortunately it didn't work at all on me and was promptly returned. Then I tried the Anti-Aging one from Urban Decay. Didn't work, and I wrote about it HERE.
Somehow I stumbled across the Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer when doing a search on Sephora. It got some really great reviews (I know those are SO reliable lolol but I still read them!), so I decided to put it into the cart. Oh, but hey hey...there's also a Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer Too that gets good reviews too?!! Hmmm...it says hydrating...sounds interesting...in the interest of science I think I need to try that! So into the cart it went.
Then at some point I got the Lance La Base Pro Perfecting Makup Primer as a sample perk. I was actually excited to see this one because it's a face primer that's been on my 'must try' list for awhile.
How are they all working out so far????
***All items purchased by me.***
Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer, Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer, Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer - www.gummyvision.com
Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer - $29/.33oz @ Sephora and other Smashbox retailers.
This one I'm on the fence on. I don't find this hydrating like an eye cream would be hydrating...that said if you are someone who doesn't need much hydration then you might be ok?? The good is that this definitely helps my Bobbi Brown Corrector and Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher look fresher, longer. It also makes application more smooth. The texture feels like an eye cream, but slightly more tacky? Eh, that's not quite the right description, but it's something along those lines.
I guess the part I'm not sure about is that 3/4 of the way into a long work day I feel like I need some eye cream when I wear this. It's just not hydrating enough for me, but it's kind of tough to let it go because I really enjoy what it does otherwise. I suppose I could just save it for shorter days??? I dunno. Oh, and it does very slightly brighten when worn alone...that's another plus!!
Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer - $20/.41oz @ Sephora and other Smashbox retailers.
This one is a total LOVE. I'm talking...love from the first time I wore it and I think it's even better than NARS and I honestly don't know why more people don't review it??? Anyway! The texture is thick (see how it holds its shape out of the tube in the pic), and I definitely have to use some pressure to squeeze the primer out of the tube. But you don't need much. And this works!! At the end of a long work day my shadow still looks darn fresh, and that's coming from someone with Asian moonlids that creases RIGHT at the lash line (edit: forgot to mention I also have super oily lids!). When I'm ready to take off my makeup a few hours later, I can almost tell that it wants to start creasing but I wouldn't call it a full crease at all (wait, is that a thing?!). Seriously though...for my lids that's pretty hardcore. So for other lids I think it would probably be pretty fantastic...
The real test comes with liner. I've been testing the Armani Smooth Silk Waterproof liner - yes the one that is called a million different names but I can never remember what it's REALLY called! I've also tested it with the Tom Ford Espresso liner. The Armani liner lasts longer than with NARS and the Urban Decay Anti-Aging primers. The Tom Ford liner lasts longer than with NARS and Tom Ford primers. Anyway, I'm done looking for lid primers for awhile!!
Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer (sample size) - $42 @ Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy's and other Lancome counters.
Unfortunately this sample size didn't come with an ingredient list. I've done some googling and all I can come up with is that this face primer has 2 ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane and Dimethicone Crosspolymer. If anyone out there has the box with the ingredient list and can either confirm or add to this ingredient list, please let me know!!
For the past few years, my skin hasn't gotten along terribly well with Cyclopentasiloxane in any products...reacting in just a few hours with little irritations bumps. But lately I've been fine, both with this Lancome Primer and also the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation that I've also been testing. Hmmmm...I really hope this means I can start using more silicones??!!!
The texture feels like a thicker, silicone-y gel and you need only a very small amount. ***edit: this is pretty much just silicones according to the 2 ingredient list & it's thicker, so if you don't care for a silicone feel then you probably should stay away! But I don't use it all over my face, just a small portion of it so I think maybe that's why this product doesn't bother me as much as other silicone heavy products? Or I'm just weird ha ha!*** It glides on so easily and really helps camouflage the bigger pores around my nose area. They don't disappear fully, but after applying foundation they are definitely less noticeable. I hardly notice any separating of foundation around my oilier areas, especially around the sides of my mouth. I haven't tried a ton of primers, but I do like it much better than the Hourglass Mineral Veil and the Sunday Riley Effortless Breathable Primer.
For now I really like this Lancome primer, but also wouldn't mind trying some others. Any suggestions??? But I do like it enough to keep trying to empty the tube!!
What are your favorite primers??