If you use makeup, then you should use a makeup primer. It just helps makeup look better, stay fresh longer, and many have skincare benefits like sunscreen and other anti-ageing ingredients! At the recent Sephora press presentation, we were introduced to four new primers to review. Here’s our verdict on the ones to buy:
LAURA MERCIER PURE CANVAS POWER PRIMER – SUPERCHARGED ESSENCE
$77 from Sephora.sg
This bottle is beautiful. It is by far the most luxurious and prettiest packaging to emerge from the Laura Mercier brand. I can imagine this millennial pink frosted glass bottle looking great on Instagram and on any vanity table, but it’s not ideal for travel. Also, the eyedropper applicator looks pretty as well, but the product dispenses goopy and is rather messy when you place it back in the bottle. The formula itself includes peptides that not just prime skin for makeup application, but help to firm skin over time. There’s also Marimo Pearl, which reflects light off the skin, but ended up making my skin look and feel oily by midday.
STAYING POWER: Face started looking raw and oily by 4pm.
BUY: Only if you really like the way the bottle looks and believe in the formula’s skin-firming benefits.
NYLON RATING: 3/5 stars
LAURA MERCIER PURE CANVAS PRIMER BLURRING
$70 from Sephora.sg
“Blurring” makeup is famous for having silicones to achieve that smooth effect, so it’s great when the front of this packaging makes it clear that the formula is silicone-free. The tube is simple and looks nice, and the primer also squeezes out nice and controlled. It’s a white balm that can be applied with fingers or a face brush, and creates an even, smooth base that looks polished even before any other makeup is applied. I can imagine wearing this on its own on weekends, with just a touch of concealer on spots.
STAYING POWER: What sorcery is this? My makeup stayed immaculate the entire day in and out of office! At 630pm when it was time to go home, I kept staring at the mirror looking for signs of wear but could find none! My complexion was smooth, matte, and had no signs of patchiness in my makeup!
BUY: Immediately. The best makeup primer I’ve ever used.
NYLON RATING: 5/5 stars
PAT MCGRATH LABS SKIN FETISH: SUBLIME PERFECTION PRIMER
$88 from Sephora.sg
I was a little shocked when I took this bottle out of the box; the plastic bottle felt flimsy and the sticker was coming off. The box it came in feels way more luxurious than the actual product packaging, and for its price, I was expecting something classier like the beautiful glass bottle that the brand’s liquid foundation comes in. The product itself was also a surprise when I pumped it out — but a good one. It’s a whitish balmy texture that feels exceptionally cool on the skin, smoothing it and providing a semi-matte base for foundation application. I really like it. I like how my skin looks and feels immediately upon applying this.
STAYING POWER: Decent but not perfect. Skin looked fresh till dinner time when my makeup started to run a bit.
BUY: If you’re a fan of the brand and like cooling textures in your beauty products.
NYLON RATING: 4/5 stars
TATCHA THE LIQUID SILK CANVAS
$79, launching 12 March 2020 at Sephora
I previously used Tatcha’s Protective Primer and I really liked it so expect this new one to be similar or better. And it’s better. The previous primer came in a flat tub and had a cream-powder texture which melted on skin; but the tub packaging wasn’t the most hygienic and small bits of hair and dust kept settling on the product’s surface. This new primer is in a beautiful, sterile pump bottle, and dispenses just the right amount of product each time. It’s a gel-cream texture that also melts onto skin and provides the same silky finish that the original primer created. It also has the same light and refreshing scent, which I like (although fragrances are subjective).
STAYING POWER: Makeup stayed fresh from morning to night but had a slight gleam by dinnertime.
BUY: An excellent option to consider if you’re in the market for a makeup primer and want a lightweight texture.
NYLON RATING: 4.5/5 stars
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