If you’re wearing any significant amount of make-up and are over the age of 17 {AHEM}, you should be wearing make-up primer. It’s basically spackle for your skin. Sounds terrible, but it’s magical. It fills in all the lines and problem areas you don’t want anyone to see, and it feels like silk.
Go get some.
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
Ugh I’m so back and forth on this. I just got a Sephora brand eyeshadow primer which I’m all over, it’s so great that my eyeshadow is still there at the end of the day with little to no creasing. It’s the all over face primer that I’m worried about. I only use Bare Escentuals foundation, which is very light and powdery, and I don’t use a whole lot of it. (A little tube of primer came with my starter kit but I have no idea what happened to it.) I only use Proactiv on my face because I find that it’s the ONLY product that keeps my skin clear and manages my SUPER DUPER OILY SKIN. So on top of the 2nd and 3rd Proactiv steps, I combine a dab of their SPF moisturizer with a dab of their oil control lotion before I do anything (I even do this when I’m not wearing any makeup at all for the day) . And then I put on a little foundation. Although everything I use is very light and helps keep my skin balanced, I do balk at the idea of putting something else on top of my skin before I do my makeup. Hm. What do you think?
I was all, “yeah, yeah” about foundation primer for a long time and didn’t use it, yet was frustrated by the way my foundation was sitting on my face (didn’t look great around my nose, etc.). Finally I tried it and my problems are solved.
I’m one of the people that uses the Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder Gel as a primer. That’s not its intended purpose but it has the same ingredients as a primer, is WAY cheaper, works amazingly and I haven’t had any problems with daily use. If you look at its Amazon page, you’ll see that about half of the reviews are for its intended use, and half are for use as a face primer. http://www.amazon.com/Monistat-Soothing-Chafing-Relief-Powder-Gel/product-reviews/B0012ZNSWE/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
Finally bought primer this year. It (along with better, actually-for-grownups foundation) is doing a marvelous job of keeping my makeup’d nose on my face rather than falling off in nasty foundation-colored clumps.
I’m so glamorous now I can’t even stand it . . .
I am finally becoming a believer in primer! I’ve tried (and really liked) MAC and MaryKay… I will have to try Loreal! I haven’t used it unless I’m using foundation – I’m going to have to start using it more, since I don’t wear foundation all that often. Thanks!
I just became a believer in primer a month or so ago when I bought The Body Shop’s moisturizing primer. I LOVE IT!!!
I love primer. It really does make a huge difference. I’ll have to give this stuff a try. I’m a Smash Box fan but I’m up for trying things that are less expensive! Thanks Allison!
My favorite thing about Allison? How real you are!
12$ expensive-ish :)
lots of blogs like to say $50 is cheap for a spoon….
Totally agreed! I have used all kinds of primers from Sephora.com. Smashbox, Bare Minerals, too Faced, etc. I got this as a sample in my latest mailed issue of Marie Claire. I was kind of iffy about the tiny amount that was given but figured I would give it a shot. It was fantastic! A tiny dab went such a long way. Now I am using it everyday. It also doesn’t clog my pores like the other ones. At around $13 at Walgreens- it was well worth it. I love love love this product!
Since moving to the dessert my skin has revolted and primer is my saving grace. I glob the stuff on. Who doesn’t love spackle?
DESERT. I know how to spell. It’s the typing I can’t do anymore.
WOW you look great sans makeup! This is the 2nd post I’ve read about makeup primers. Def jumping on the bandwagon now!
Can a tinted moisturizer act as a primer?
Great video!! I am obsessed with primer. I love the stuff. I don’t wear a foundation every day either. I use Philosophy’s primer, but I will try yours too. I am always on the lookout for the perfect primer!!
I love your videos!
xoxo
Jen
I have the same stuff! Well, this brand and about 3 others ;) Agree—feels GREAT going on & lasting throughout the day, but don’t notice it doing so much in the line filling department. Maybe my lines are getting too deep :( Great vid! Love that you’re gutsy enough to go bare faced!
:)
Have had oily, acne-proned skin w/large pores, forever & I love Smashbox. No joke, but my own mother always comments on how nice my skin looks (and not b/c she is my mom). I would love to try to find something less expensive that worked as well.
if you want the same result for even less money – you have to try the Monistat anti-chafing gel (or the Lanacane one if in Canada). I have the Loreal one and the Lanacane gel, and I actually like the Lanacane better! It has the same active ingredients as the actual primer but I get way more in a tube and only paid $7.00. Win-win!
Go on youtube and watch some Monistat anti-chafing gel primer videos and see for yourself!