Yet another beauty obsession of mine? Primers.
I prefer gel or cream type ones over silicone-y feeling ones. Laura Mercier make a whopping 5 kinds to choose from!
1. Normal
2. Oil Free (for oily skins)
3. Hydrating (for drier skins)
4. Mineral Foundation Primer (good for use with mineral make up)
5. Powder Mineral Primer
There’s a few brands I turn to if I need a reliable base products (Primer, Concealer and Foundation) – Laura Mercier is one of them, then Bobbi Brown followed by Shu Uemura.
I was rather please to get my hands on the Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer. Although I get an oily T-zone at the moment, my skin is overwhelmingly (annoyingly) dry.
They say that the primer is:
# Specifically created for dehydrated and/or aging skin
# Nourishes the skin with a moisture-rich vitamin formula to soothe and refresh while conditioning the skin
# Holds water in the skin throughout the day, preventing it from evaporating
# Vitamins A, C and E act as antioxidants and protect the skin from harmful, aging effects of the environment
# Use alone without foundation to increase skin’s brightness, luster and texture
# Cooling Foundation Primer – Hydrating in the refrigerator is refreshing for the skin & reduces puffiness
Sounds perfect for me!
Now, the texture of this primer, I love. It feels like a lightweight gel – it feels comfortable to put on and is highly soothing. I tried it with a powder foundation and it was brilliant. I also used it with a mattifying foundation and it worked well.
With a hydrating foundation – well I found it struggled to keep my base in place. I guess with a moisturizer, a hydrating primer, a hydrating foundation and minimal powder on top, it just slides off….
The product:
It sinks in beautifully to leave a semi matte base:
All in all – I really like this primer and it’s my daily one because at the moment I really need the moisture. I don’t want anything that contributes to drying my skin out (a lot of my primers contain alcohol).
I wouldn’t say it’s stellar at keeping your base in place (at least not the hydrating formula – it’s probably a different story with the normal or oil free version) but for day to day, it provides a protective barrier for me, plus I can always conceal and powder later on in the day if necessary.
Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, PEG/PPG-18/18, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Distearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysilicone-11, Phenooxyethanol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Xylitylglucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Xylitol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Tripotassium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum Black Tea Ferment, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbardensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben. May contain (+/-): Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Carmine (CI 75470).
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve not seen these before, great review. I like the sound of it having 3 vitamins in!
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It’s a really nice primer!
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Great post! You’re very thorough in your review, nice. Do you ever think about using two different types of products for the different zones of your skin (this one for the dry zone, and an dryer product for the oily zone)? That really helps, I found, especially if you’re using a finishing powder to cover up any irregularities. It makes the skin a lot happier. x
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I am thinking of buying 2 ranges of skincare, hydrating for my cheeks, oil control for my t-zone!
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