Why You Should be Using a Primer

Many people believe a primer is a waste of time and money as a moisturiser does the same thing. This is not the case as they have different purposes and benefits. So why bother with a primer? 

A primer has many different benefits, they are great for preparing the skin for a flawless makeup application. I will share with you a number of reasons why you should invest in a primer.

Almost every cosmetic house has a primer or a number of primers in their range. They are used for various reasons, a radiant look, for mattifying shiny appearance, for minimising pores or colour correcting and minimising redness.

Depending on your skin type is there is definitely a great primer out there for you! 

For myself, I use two different primers every time I apply my makeup; one to help control my oily nose and the other applied to the rest of my face for a dewy radiant look. There are radiant primers that also have oil controlling properties but because only my nose will get so oily throughout the day I prefer to use a mattifying one on that area. I would not apply my makeup without using a primer, they make such a difference.

1. A primer acts as a barrier between your skin and your makeup, it prevents the foundation from settling into any imperfections giving you a more flawless finish.

2. Unfortunately liquid foundation can accentuate pores making them look larger and more visible. A primer will seal the pores and once again act as a barrier. For anyone who has large pores there are primers out there that will create a blurring effect over the area almost immediately

3. Do your research and test the primers on your skin. Most primers out there are non-comedogenic which means they will not irritate your skin, block pores or cause you to have a break out. Even if you have sensitive skin there is a primer out there for you.

4. A primer will give you a more youthful appearance because it fills in those fine lines preventing the foundation from accentuating them. Some primers even have anti-aging ingredients.

5. If you have acne, a primer can help the appearance of your skin by somewhat concealing it. A primer will not act as a treatment for the acne but it will help how your concealer and foundation settle on your skin.

6. A primer feels great on your skin, you only need a pea sized amount to cover your entire face. It's a very thin, lightweight layer that takes seconds to apply. My skin feels more luminous and hydrated after applying my primer.

7. Many primers have an SPF in them which will help prevent aging and pigmentation. With the ever growing harsh sun the more layers of SPF protection the better.

8. What is the main purpose for a primer? To help our makeup stay on longer, without a primer your foundation will move and separate a lot earlier in the day. We sweat through our pores and the primer will help slow the process down acting as a shield. 

There are so many reasons why a primer is worth adding to your beauty regime, are the benefits listed worth a couple of extra minutes?

Is Lower End Makeup Always the Cheaper Option?

 

I recently was given the latest products Revlon has launched; the Anti-Shine Prime and Photoready Insta-Fix Foundation. I thought I would sample them and let you know what I thought.

 

The primer is a balm that comes with a sponge, the texture is lovely and feels like velvet. Revlon claims 'this is a multi use balm that can be worn alone, under or over makeup to prime and smooth skin and to eliminate shine. It also erases the look of pores and imperfections for a perfected look'.

 

For a lower end product I am quiet impressed, I have combination skin so I am always on the search for the right primer to help prevent the oil on my nose moving my makeup. From the moment you apply this primer you can see it mattifies the skin and minimises pores, I only use it where I am oily paired with another primer to brighten and hydrate those areas where I am dry. For someone who has oily skin this would be suitable to use as an all over primer.

 

I also found that the primer prolongs the life of my foundation by an extra few hours. I tried applying it on top of my foundation but I found it just moved my makeup even more so, therefore I will stick to using it underneath my foundation. The size of this product is 14.2 grams and priced at $29.95 in Australia, considering it is half the size of most other primers it's actually been priced at the same rate as the higher end brands. Unlike the higher end brands you can generally find a Revlon sale on somewhere so if you can get it a discounted rate and do not plan on using it all over your face it will last a long time.

 

Overall this product works quiet well, I would recommend it for someone like myself who has combination skin, but only uses it on a small area. If using all over the face my concern would be that you would go through this product very quickly.

 

 

The new addition to Revlon foundations is the Photoready Insta-Fix. Revlon are advertising it as a full foundation, a concealer and a touch up product. I have used it as a full foundation, it glides and blends well on the skin, with a semi matte finish, sheer coverage but you can layer it to a medium coverage. I really liked the finish of this foundation on most parts of my face. Unfortunately, on any dry parts the foundation tends to grab and make those areas even dryer. For someone who is not dry this foundation would work really well. As for a concealer, it's great for blemishes and imperfections but for the under eye area I prefer something a little lighter and creamier.

 

I do love this product as a touch up on the go, I keep it in my handbag so when my oily areas have moved the foundation I do a quick reapply with this convenient stick. I don't always want to be reapplying powder so this is a quick and easy alternative.

 

The Photoready Insta-Fix is available in six shades and retails for $29.95 for 6.8 grams, if you compare this to higher end stick foundations it's a similar price to the Napoleon Perdis Foundation stick, it's $65.00 and 14 grams in size. The Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation is pricier at $65.00 for 9 grams.

 

Due to the size of this product I would only purchase this product if it was on sale. That said, I do recommend it as a convenient touch up product.

 

Kelly.