The Primer Primer

Hello:
 
I realized the other day that most people that read my blog now, did not read it in the beginning.  I actually did a ton of reviews on primers in the beginning and thought I'd provide some  links to the most popular ones.

But first, why do you "need" a primer?  "Just like you prime a wall before you paint it, you can prime your face before you apply foundation. Primers work much like a moisturizer under your foundation does: they ease the application of foundation and are meant to create a barrier between foundation and skin.

Makeup artists swear primers go one step further than moisturizers: They'll even out skin tone, help your makeup stay on longer and absorb oil with salicylic acid."  -From about.com

So here they are (in no particular order) after starting with my favorite Make-up Forever!

Make-up Forever HD primer - Review
Estee Lauder's Matte Perfecting Primer - Review
Estee Lauder's Illuminating Perfecting Primer - Review
NP Set Calming Pre-Foundation Primer - Review
Lancome La Base Pro - Review
Hard Candy - Review
Arbonne - Review
Too Faced Poreless Primer - Review
Rimmel Foundation Primer - Review

Hope you find something helpful here :)

Jasmine

Estee Lauder's Illuminating Perfecting Primer ... did not light up my life

Hello:

Today I tried Estee Lauder's Illuminating Perfecting Primer.  It's a bit different from traditional primers in that it gives your face a hint of shine (illuminating), where traditional primers are usually ment to make the face less shiny and keep you matte throughout the day.  Estee Lauder describes the product as: "Discover the power of a primer with this targeted formula that adds instant brightness and radiance so makeup looks smooth, fresh, flawless. Soft-reflection optics minimize the look of pores and flaws to create an even, supple canvas. Special hydrators and skin-soothing Vitamin E, Rice Bran Extract and Shea Butter nourish and perfect. Ideal for Normal/Combination and Dry Skin."

It definetly made my skin soft and gave it a soft, dewy glow.  I would most likely wear this alone on a "natural" day, as I didn't see a lot of difference once I put my foundation on.

Before Illuminating Primer

After Primer - you can see I am bit more even

It helped my foundation stay on all day, but I am definetly more of a fan of primers that give a matte effect.  But if you have really "dull" skin or want something to use with a tinted moisturizer for a dewy effect (especially if you are tan!) it could be good for you.

With Illuminating Primer and Teint Miracle on

Next up...Estee Lauder's new Invisable Fluid Makeup,

Jasmine

Lancome's La Base Pro is another Promising but Pricey option

Hello:

Today I tried Lancome's La Base Pro $42.  The company describes it as "This amazing oil-free makeup base creates a smooth, radiant, and long-lasting canvas for a polished look. Exclusive Lancôme Elasto-Smooth technology refines skin's texture and diffuses light to visibly reduce imperfections, creating a satin-soft finish. Makeup glides on seamlessly. Color stays more true and vibrant for an air-brushed look all day." 

It has a bit of the weird thick, soft feel, but once its on it is weightless.  And it does make your skin feel satin soft.  It definetly helped my foundation go on smoother and helped control oil for the day.  As you can see in the pictures below I don't know if it reduced imperfections but it gives a nice finish for applying your foundation.

Before La Base Pro

After La Base Pro

I don't think it gave me the airbrushed quality it claims but it is a good primer and helped keep my foundation from getting chalky over 10 hours.

With La Base Pro and Teint Miracle Foundation


It's another good Primer but at $42 for 1oz, and MakeUp Forever at $36 for the same ounces, I'm going to save the $8 and put towards some more products :)

Next up Napolean Pardis Anti-Redness Primer,

Jasmine

Arbonne Primer is Pricey but Pleasant

Hello:

Today I tried Arbonne's Makeup Primer (it is sold like Avon thru their website or a representative - $36).  I like the feel and the smell of this product for than others I've tried so far, it has all natural ingredients which is a bonus too. 

As with all the primers I've tried a little goes a long way

The company describes the product simply as "Vitamin-rich makeup primer visually diminishes fine lines and pores, creating a canvas for flawless makeup application."  I think it did make my face look less shiny and smoother. 

Before primer

After Primer application

Interestingly I actually needed a little more foundation than I normally do to cover my face, but my foundation went on smoothly and I got no oily spots thoughout the day.  It's a very nice, very pricey primer.  So if you want something natural that works great this is your stuff!

With Primer and Teint Miracle on

Next up La Base Primer by Lancome,

Jasmine

Hard Candy's Face Primer is "Hard"ly worth it

Hello,

Yesterday I tried Hard Candy's Face Primer (the Sheer Envy Version, the have an Illuminating and a Skin Perfecting version).  You can buy it at Wal-Mart for around $8.  I believe it's definitely a silicone based primer, as it is clear and has that strange overly soft, thick gel feel.

Be forewarned a little goes a LONG way!

Hard Candy's website describes the product as "Sheer Envy Primer helps to even out the skin while reducing shine. Improves foundation application while minimizing skin imperfections. Make-up lasts longer and skin is left velvety smooth."  Those statements my be true for some but I didn't see the effects.  I got really oily throughout the day.  I don't think my skin likes all that silicone!  As you can also see from the pictures below - I don't really think it evened out my skin.  Skin Imperfections - I don't have a lot right now so it's hard for me to judge, but I think it would exacerbate any on coming acne I had.

Before Primer

After Primer

As you can see there is little difference in the Before and After.  My foundation went on as smoothly as it does without primer but as I said I got abnormaly oily within a few hours.  It's not a BAD primer per se, but I don't think most would be a fan and for a few dollars more you can get better product.

With my Teint Miracle foundation on



So onto the next primer...Lancome's La Base,
Jasmine

Estee Lauder's Matte Perfecting Primer...is not quite perfect

Hello,

Yesterday I tried out Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer (they also have an illuminating primer).

Estee Lauder's website describes it as : "Discover the power of a primer with this targeted formula that controls oil and reduces shine so makeup looks smooth, even, flawless. Soft-vision optics minimize the look of pores and flaws to create an even canvas. Skin-calming Green Tea and Vitamin E rebalance and perfect. Oil-free."  The formula is light weight and I needed about a dime size to do my whole face.  It did leave my face softer and smoother. 

After Primer application

As you can see there's not a lot of difference in the before and after.  But I found it did make my foundation go on smoother and it definetly made it perform better throughout the day.  My forehead got a little oily, but I was running around all day doing laborious things so it was bound to be much worse with out the primer.  I would say this is a very good basic no frills primer for those who just want their makeup to last longer and keep the shine off.

With primer and Teint Miracle on

I still think for the money I would go with MAKE UP FOREVER's primer as it gives immeadiate shine control that is noticeable.  But it's nice to have options!
So next up Hard Candy's Primer,

Jasmine

Make Up For Ever's HD primer - lives up to the hype

Hello!

Today I tried MAKE UP FOR  EVER's HD Primer.

 The company describes it as: "HD Microperfecting Primer deeply nourishes, moisturizes, and softens the skin, creating a glowing effect. It forms a protective layer on the skin, which allows foundation to glide on easily and last longer."  I don't know that it deeply nourished my skin, but it did make it soft and it looked better with just the primer on.  It definitely helped my foundation last all day and I actually didn't get an oily forehead for once!

Primer on - no shine on chin!  And Less shine on my forehead!

I also noted you need a very small amount as the product is very fluid.

And finally here I am with my trusty Lancome Teint Miracle (in Ivoire 1) on.

Why do I always have "dead eyes" in my pictures?  I need to learn to "smize" :)

So far this is my favorite Primer by far, I will be trying Lancome's La Base and Estee Lauder's Matte Perfecting Primer this week as well. 

Jasmine

Too Faced Poreless Primer... is not too bad, but it's not the miracle they claim

Hello:

Today I tried Too Faced Poreless Primer which the company describes as "Primed & Poreless creates the perfect canvas to allow powders, bronzers and foundations to airbrush onto the skin seamlessly and perfectly blended. Skin appears brighter, fresher and younger. Color stays true and in place all day."  Wow, those are some lofty claims, but the product does carry a $30 price tag.

Only a small amount of the primer is needed - and it's a neutral color

The Too Faced website also states the following benefits:

Erase Pores & Imperfections: Virtually erases pores, softens lines and perfects your complexion leaving skin ready for bronzer, powder, makeup or nothing at all.

Customized Formula: Provides an airbrushed canvas as it preps skin for bronzers, powder products and liquid foundations. Bronzers glide on without grabbing or looking heavy. Powders float above imperfections. Makeup applies like magic onto skin. Color stays true and in place all day.

Mulberry Extract & Arctostaphylos UVA URSI: Protect, brighten and lighten skin for a renewed freshness and soothing effect.

Retinyl Palmitate & Cyclodextrin with CAVAMAX Retinol: Restores moisture, elasticity and suppleness with a powerful combination of anti-wrinkle, youth enhancing, skincare ingredients.

Camellia Oil & Vitamin A: Essence of the white tea plant and the free radical fighting vitamins are nature’s most powerful antioxidants. Skin looks firmer, brighter and more resilient, even up close.

Seriously? Whoa.  I didn't see brightening or lightening of my skin for sure ( I doubt at this point anything could actually lighten it besides bleaching).  Youth enhancement - no, anti- wrinkle - no (my crows feet are still there as is this wrinkle that has been on my forehead since I was 30.  As for porelessness (is that even a word?) I took a close-up (SCARY) just because I felt like this was a main claim of the product and I think it makes my usually "not bad" pores look worse as you'll see below:

Hello Pores!



 And of course my before and after shots:
                                                             





Before Primer

After Primer with Lancome Teint Miracle on



It did make my foundation go on smoother and the foundation did not get chalky on me as it has in the past without a primer.  My forehead still got oily but looking but a light blot with a kleenex took care of it.  I think that Too Faced has made TOO many claims for this product, it works ok to hold your foundation on and give you a smoother application, but the the pore enhancement in my case is definetly not worth it.  Sooo the search continues.

Next up ... Make up Forever,

Jasmine

Foundation Primer - Rimmel

Hello!

So after trying out all those foundations, I figured the next logical step was the primers that could make them even better...or not.  I also thought I would use Teint Miracle as my "control" foundation as I think from my previous tests that it could use a good primer.  So first up is Rimmel Fix and Perfect.

It is supposed to Smooth Skin and Minimize Pores, it can be used alone to achieve this look (and it's tinted so I guess that is part of how it can smooth on its own, by evening skin tone).  Or it can be used under foundation to "achieve longer lasting results".  Below is a picture of it on my hand - the "orange" tint is kinda scary!

And then here I am bare faced:

And below with the scary orange primer on:

Not too much of a difference.  I definitely would not wear it on its own.  I don't really think it does anything for my pores, I think it evens out skin tone a bit.  So here I am below with Teint Miracle in Ivoire 1 over the primer.

Again, I don't think it really made my foundation look all that different, but it did blend a little better.  However, it did not improve the wear of my foundation through the ten hours I tested it.  My pores were actually more defined and my face looked very oily after only a few hours.  It definitely didn't live up to its claims for me.

Next up... Too Faced Poreless Primer,
Jasmine