Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

I actually hate the silicone feel of this primer. I have more dry skin and it doesn’t feel nice going on. I exfoliate and moisturize regularly and it still doesn’t feel nice. It also doesn’t really deliver on what it is supposed to do. It doesn’t make foundation stay on any longer than it would without it. This is a expensive glorified pore filler at best. In that case, there are many cheaper alternatives.

This has been one of the most pleasant primers I have worked with and does everything it claims to do, leaving your skin flawlessly smooth and even and holding your foundation firmly in place for hours.

This is the type of primer that you want to pat into the skin especially over the pore area to minimise their appearance and give a soft veil effect to the face as a perfect base for makeup.

I would give it 100% but it is really expensive even though if used sparsely should last you a really long time as this is a generous size tube, but there are a few other primers on the market that do the same, if a little sub par in terms of long wearing but if you set your face properly will have the same effect.

I have combination oily/dry skin, so I tend to wear very matte long-wear foundations to combat the oiliness. Unfortunately these kinds of foundations aren't always kind to the dry patches and can really make them stand out and look patchy, so primer is a must have for me to even things out.

This primer glides on beautifully and is a really stunning silky texture that leaves a smooth base to work with. It's not too heavy and a little goes a relatively long way. It has a huge impact on the finish and blendability of the relatively dry and heavy foundations I use, which is a big win for me - it's a godsend being able to slap it on and buff it out with a brush and know it's going to look good even if I rush it.

It doesn't really seem to improve the longevity of the products I use, though, so it does lose a couple of points there.

I loved this primer, it made my skin feel so silky and smooth as soon as I applied it and a little goes a long way! My skin can be quite dry in patches but this really gave me a nice smooth base and made for a flawless foundation application. I don't know if it made a massive difference to the staying power of my foundation as I use long wear foundation which stays on all day anyway. It is a lovely primer which I would use again, the only downfall it that the primer on the pricey side.

I loved the quality and practicality of the packaging (clear is very useful to see the level left). The texture and glide is great (try not to get the product too much on your hands or places you don't need to prime much. I found the pores on my cheeks looked reduced as it really did seem to spruce up the quality of the product on top most of the time. I liked the way I felt and for a while I was just using this primer with a tinted moisturiser for work and it looked great for the "natural but a bit younger" look.

Silicone primer

This primer I received as a gift. I could never justify the purchase of this. Packaging: this comes in a clear tube with black printing & a black screw top lid which it sits flush on. You can see the contents of the tube. Good to know how much is left for use. Contents: is a clear gel formula which isn't too slippery for silicon & has a velvet feel to it. It does spread out well & of course as stated is transparent. Now for the finish it gives. This is a good product for my foundation to adhere to however it doesn't extend it's stay power & I become oily by midday which a quick brush of powder can mattify the issue. I have normal to oily skin type so I'm in belief that this primer isn't suited for my skin type rather it would be perform better for normal to dry skin type fact being it's silicon based. Where stay power is factored I couldn't say if this would enhance longevity of one's foundation with a different skin type but I can say it doesn't hold up or extend the stay of my foundation. I used a matte foundation with this primer & the shine it gave was a dewy look nothing radically soppy or oily looking I put that down to the finish of my foundation. This could differ if I hadn't used a matte finish foundation. I also need to top up of my foundation around the t zone. Would I use this heck yeah for the price it cost but I wouldn't go to and buy this again (grated it was gifted) it saved my curiosity & now I can tick this primer of as a no go for me.

On my most recent Sephora order I popped in one of there 100point perks (you get points for every $ you spend which you can then use to buy samples etc). This time it was this Smashbox Primer in a 7.1ml size. I have tried this a few times before in the smaller size, and I think I tried the green colour correcting one at some stage but really I found it extremely similar to the normal one.

The packaging is really simple. Just a clear tube with black writing on and a black lid. I do like though that you can see how much you have used and how much you have left.

Basically it is a clear silicone type primer. It does smooth onto the skin really easily and leaves your skin feeling really smooth before applying your foundation. You also don't need very much to apply to your skin either which is great considering the price. My foundation sits on top of it nicely and it looks fab at the start. Unfortunately though it doesn't do what I want it to do. My foundation really doesn't seem to last any longer with this than it does without it.

If you are after trying a primer like this I think I would advise starting with the elf primer. They feel incredibly similar but the elf one is massively cheaper.

Honestly I didn't notice a difference to the wear of my foundation using this primer. I have mostly combo skin and I don't often suffer from a super oily face. I just don't think the product did anything. My foundation still seemed to sit the same.

The packaging is boring and doesn't say "I cost $70"

The only nice thing about this primer is the texture, it leaves the skin feeling soft and a little goes a long way.

Save your money, I have had better results from $20 primers.

$70 odd is a big investment for a small non description tube of see through product!.... I tried a week with primer, and a week without- using the primer it seems to smooth my skin, and my foundation sets so very much better with a less dewy and oily finish.