I was going to do a blog about primers (part 3), but I still haven't gotten one of my airbrush primers and cannot do my airbrush primer review. Fortunate me my ELF order arrived. Normally I order from them once, maybe twice a year, but the new studio line is so intriguing to me that I decided to get more (plus I now love my brow filler and broke mine, so I wanted more). When I ordered all the studio makeup was 50% so I had a good time buying stuff.
What I needed most was the brow filler, I broke mine and can no longer live without it, so this time I opted to get two (they were 50% after all). They now have two brush cleaners, daily (which they were out of) and a shampoo, as well as face wipes and a face primer (review to come soon).
I also wanted to try out their much raved about studio blushes and bronzers. Since it is xmas time, hand skin is far to dry to even contemplate swatching on. I do like the appearance of them but they also look seriously shimmer (bigger shimmers), so I am in no rush to try them (I am not a big shimmer fan). I will most likely do a review when I have better skin and more time to play around with it.
The face wipes are amazing, but have a slight scent. For the $3 I would get more in a second. I find them just as good as the mac but much cheaper.
Here is a full list of what I ordered
1 | 7501 Eyelid Primer |
1 | 81101 pearl/glow |
1 | 81102 black/smoke |
1 | 81602 ivory/medium |
1 | 82201 natural |
1 | 82301 nude/natural |
1 | 83101 translucent |
1 | 83201 fair |
1 | 83601 blushed/bronzed |
1 | 84006 Contour Brush |
1 | 84008 Eyeshadow "C" Brush |
1 | 83702 Cool Bronzer |
1 | 83801 Complexion Perfection |
1 | 85008 Makeup Remover Cleansing Cloths |
1 | 83131 Peachy Keen |
1 | 83134 Mellow Mauve |
1 | 85009 Brush Shampoo |
1 | 85010 Daily Brush Cleaner (didn't get it btw) |
1 | 83151 Porcelain |
1 | 6101 Fair Foundation (for porcelain skin and neutral undertones) |
2 | 81202 medium |
2 | 82101 clear/natural |
1 | 83401 Mineral Infused Face Primer |
By
Jill Oliver-Fox
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Avon,
Benefit,
Primers
In this part of my primer review I am going to look at two mattifying primers. The first is from Avon and the second from Benefit.
Avon's MagiX Face Perfector:
This product is a white gel formula that dries matte on the skin. Very little is needed. It also has an SPF of 20. Avon claims "Colorless matte formula makes all skin tones look naturally flawless.Wear alone or under makeup. All skin types. Holds back shine for up to 10 hours, Visibly smoothes the look of fine lines and pores, SPF 20 sun protection." Their spokesperson/artist and Patrick's wife Jillian Dempsey says "This colorless formula is perfect for anyone who want to look naturally flawless and beautiful without looking like you're wearing any makeup. It's universally flattering and a secret weapon in your makeup bag."
I like using this in the summer. I find that it helps a lot with that glow I get in the summers humidity and also the spf value is a nice advantage in the summer. I do not find that it evens out my skin tone but I did find it did a good job of keeping my foundation on and making it last. I doubt I would wear it on a makeup free day but I do often wear it in the summer under tinted moisturizer (also with spf 20), I find it to be a great match, the primer keeps the moisturizers shine under control while complementing it as base and adding spf to the combo.
I do like this product and I would buy it again.
Pros:
- cheap ($15 Canadian for 30 ml, you can also find it on sale often)
- Nice for oily, shinny or summer skin
- Matte finish
- spf 20 (always a good thing)
Con:
- may be too dry for some skin types
- doesn't meet claim of evening out skin tone
Benefit's Dr. Feelgood
I got this primer as a freebie with my Sephora points. It is a solid primer that Benefit claims "Benefit Dr. Feelgood mattifies the complexion and reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores. Fabulous for mid-day touch-ups...can be worn alone, under or on top of makeup! "
I found that it smoothed out my skin like there was no tomorrow and lines vanished. I really really really liked the way it felt on my skin and how it left it feeling. I did not find that my foundation went on that great on top of it or that it helped it last longer.I feel that it almost works better without a foundation on top of it, making it a bad primer. But once again it leaves the skin feeling amazing so it would be a good choice for makeup free days. I did seem to have an allergic reaction to it (I went red and puffy on the sides of my face near my eyes and it lasted 2 days). I do not hold this against the product, I just have sensitive skin.
This product can also replace a mattifying gel or blotting papers/powder. It can be put on top or under makeup and for touchups. I think it would be great for touch ups and people with T zone shine issues. I love that it comes in a tin and that so little is needed for a great effect.
Pros:
- fills in wrinkles and line
- is solid and travels well
- great for touch ups
- can go under or over makeup
- little is needed
- controls oil and shine
Cons:
- foundation doesn't go on that great over it (making it a poor primer)
By
Jill Oliver-Fox
Monday, December 07, 2009
Primers,
Quo,
Smashbox
Primer Review:
I have tried quite a few face primers over the years and felt like doing a review on what I have used. I was going to wait until I got two new primes but they seem to be taking alot of time being shipped to me. I have decided to go a head and start with a few primers and break it up into a few parts.
Today I am going to review Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer and Quo's Total Pefection Face Primer
SMASHBOX Photo Finish Foundation Primer:
This product comes in seven varities. I have only tried the original. This seems to be the orginal and favourite primer for many people. I used to use this product because it was infact the only primer I could find at the time. I still love this product but have moved on to experementing with many new and different varities. When I first used it there was a different bottle that was awful, in fact if there could be a complaint to be made about this product it would be the old packaging. It was just a plain glass bottle with a pump, but because of the tickness of the product not all of the stuff would come out and you would be left with 1/3 of the product stuck in limbo and able to use it. For $45 a bottle that really is not a good thing. The new bottle (seen at the left) has not straw in it and the floor of the bottle moves upward as it used (via suction). Now there is little waist and much less struggle to get every last bit you can out of it.
I found that this product left my skin soft and supple after applying it and that foundation would apply much easyer. I have dry skin and found this to be a godsend, I have complaints about it and only can rave about it.
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Other formulas avalible are:
- Light - for olier skin types and and acne prone skin and claims to be oil free and 60% water (where as the original is silicone baised)
- SPF 15 & DERMAXYL™ - is for 'older' skin and has a spf for sun protection. Has a pink tone to it but goes on clear. Is a few dollars more than the original.
- BRONZING FOUNDATION PRIMER - is a bronze colour and claims to 'warms and evens out skin tone as it creates the perfect canvas for foundation application'.
- BLEND - is apricot-toned to even out skin tone and counteract discoloration and dark spots.
- BALANCE - is lavender-toned to brighten dull or sallow skin.
- ADJUST - is green-toned to reduce redness.
Pros:
- works really really well
- leaves dry skin feeling soft and supple
- fills in cracks and wrinkles
Cons:
- Is Costly (about $45 canadian, other versions may cost more and smaller ones cost less)
- can be a bit too slick for oily skin tones (but the light is meant to be a good alternative for oily skin)
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Quo's Total Pefection Face Primer:
I tried this about 4 years back, I had run out of my Smashbox primer and went to Shoppers to get some more. I saw that Quo (Shoppers Drug Mart's makeup line) had a primer. It was in the exact same bottle as the Smashbox's (the old bottle at the time), it had a slightly pink hue to it and was half the price (HALF!!!), so I swatched it and the Smashbox on my hands. They both felt the exact same so I decided to try it. I liked it alot and to this day I think it is made by Smashbox. It had the same horible bottle issue that the Photo finish primer had. I have noticed on the shoppers drug mart site that there is a new bottle for it but have yet to see it in my local store, hopefully it has be made much better so that there is not so much waist. There also seems to be a new product called RE-TEXTURE CREAM FACE PRIMER. UPDATE: I still have not seen the new bottle of the primer in my store but they do have the Re-Texture bottle in the store. I swatched it on my hand and it felt much more watery and less smooth. It has a luminescence to it and leaves the skin slightly sticky. I do not think I would like it since it is sticky and lumencent.
I would buy this again in a second. I think it is as good as Smashbox's but at a fraction of the price.
Pro:
- Is a good price ($25 Canadian)
- does a good job filling in fine lines and giving the skin a good base for makeup
- does everything that the Smashbox version does
Cons:
- Like the Smashbox version, it may be too much for oily skin and leave them too shinny.
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