Monday 16 January 2012

Five Of The Best Primers & Mini Giveaway

Primers are an often overlooked part of a daily face routine. Some people have never heard of a primer and some people who own them just forget to use them. However most people would probably agree that the state of your skin before you apply makeup is just as important as the foundation you use and the skill with which you apply it. Personally I have found that using a primer after your regular cleanse, tone and moisturise routine is the best way of ensuring that your skin looks flawless and your makeup lasts all day long. A primer is intended to provide a base for your foundation that will improve the lasting power of your makeup as well as smooth your skin and disguise pores & wrinkles. I've tried a few different primers now but I think that I've finally found the one that I'm happiest with. Heres a quick overview of them all.


Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer

This was the first primer I ever bought. I was in New York so felt the need to buy as many cool things in Sephora as possible. Smashbox do several primers but I got the light one because its oil-free and therefore wouldn't clog up my skin. I love how smooth this made my skin feel and foundation definitely went on a bit easier. Unfortunately that was almost all it did. After about four hours of wear my T-zone would start to look a bit oily again and my pores were still visible from the minute I applied my foundation. Smashbox is now available at Debenhams & online in the UK where I think it retails for about £25. I think thats quite a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't really make much of a difference to your face.


GOSH Foundation Primer Cream

This is the primer I've been using for the last year. I bought it after hearing so many good reviews of the gel one. GOSH do a few primers but I went for the cream because it reminded me of the texture of the Smashbox one. I also thought it seemed less clogging than the gel one. I like this one quite a lot because it did keep my makeup looking fresh for the whole day without any oiliness creeping through. It doesn't hide my pores though and doesn't make my skin feel amazing. I did repurchase this product as it is a pretty decent primer for the price, which is about £14.


MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Face Base

I got this in last month's Glossybox and I'm not really a big fan of it. Its both a moisturiser & primer in one so the product is like a thick cream. I really dislike the way it feels on my face. It made my skin feel tacky and wet rather than silky and smooth like most primers. It makes my makeup look smooth and last most of the day but does nothing for my pores. Plus the citrus smell is horrible. A fullsize pot of this costs £15 so its in the same price range as the GOSH one but nowhere near as good.




Benefit The Porefessional

I saw this product in pretty much every '2011 Favourites' post out there so I was really excited to try this one out. When I went to buy this from Boots a couple of weeks ago they had this little gift set including a fullsize tube of The Porefessional for the same price as just the regular tube (£23.50). I'd wanted to try Girl Meets Pearl for ages so snapped it up even though the concealer is too dark for me. This product is really fantastic. Its not like any of the other primers I've tried because the balm is actually flesh coloured. The beige colour really helps to cover up any redness. It's definitely not enough to wear on its own but it does help to even out skintone making my complexion look flawless. I find that it covers my pores really well and makes my skin feel lovely. Really brilliant product.


Philosophy The Present

I absolutely love The Porefessional and didn't think I would ever find anything better until I was browsing the Philosophy counter in Manchester last week. Considering I'd only just bought the Benefit one a week before I wasn't looking for another primer but once I get obsessed with something I'll buy more until I find the perfect one. I remembered reading about The Present on Adrienne's blog and she seemed to think that it was better than The Porefessional. So after having a good natter with the sales assistant, who happened to be a MUA and used this primer on all the models at London Fashion Week, she applied it to my face. 'Wow, that's insane' was pretty much all I could say. I felt my face afterwards and it was just so smooth, I couldn't believe it. My pores were invisible and my bare skin actually looked pretty decent. The sales assistant has also pretty much convinced me that I need Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel in my life. I've been using this under my foundation for the past week and it looks like someone has airbrushed my face. My makeup lasts all day long without a single touch up and even with foundation on you can barely see any pores on my face. Another big advantage of this product over The Porefessional is the value. For £1.50 less you get more than double the amount of product. Pretty much the perfect primer. I can't wait to try even more Philosophy products.

Honorary mention goes to the Laura Mercier primer which I used to own many years ago but sadly never repurchased. That product was the perfect partner for the Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser but I never tried it with a regular foundation so can't really comment on it. I still think I prefer the Philosophy one as it makes my skin feel absolutely incredible. Are there any other primers that you like?

Now for the mini giveaway. As you can see in my Porefessionally Pretty set I got a mini pot of Benefit Erase Paste. The only colour included in these sets is Medium 02 which is way too dark for me. Rather than bin it I figured one of you might like to have it instead. I've not opened it so you'll get a brand new pot. Its the perfect size for if you want to just try it out or to put in your bag for quick touchups on the go. If you want to win it just write a comment saying so below and I'll pick one of you at random. I'll announce the winner this Friday. Easy peasy :)

38 comments:

  1. I've been looking for a good new primer for ages! I used to swear by benefit's ''that gal'' and it did make me really glowy but student budget doesn't really stretch to £22 for primer that only lasts me a few months :( I've been using some £5 rimmel one lately and its pretty pants! I'm definitely going to consider some of these before I re-invest in my benefit one xo

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  2. The present is next on my wishlist, I love Philosophy and have heard so many good things about this. I'm so glad you wrote this post, it has more detail.

    That little set looks so cute xx

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  3. I will definitely be trying The Present now. I used to use a primer years ago and to be perfectly honest, I have forgot about it ever since! Philosophy counter, I am coming for you! SAC x

    www.sacstyle.tumblr.com

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  4. id love to be entered for the giveaway! :-) funforever@live.co.uk

    thank you x

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  5. I think you've totally sold me on The Present - and I've been looking for the perfect face primer for a while now too - I'll be sure to give it a go next time I'm near a Philosophy counter!

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  6. I would love to be entered in your giveaway :)
    Thank you :)

    pinkdt12355@yahoo.co.uk

    http://jen-theblondeblogger.blogspot.com/

    xox

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  7. i've been wanting to try erase paste for a while after seeing loads of bloggers talking about it so i would love to enter your giveaway.

    i've never used primer before but you have inspired me that philosophy one looks so good will have to try it!

    eloise
    eloise.ayers@hotmail.co.uk

    xxx

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  8. great post! i've been using a mac primer that they released last year. its a yellow could to help counteract the redness in my skin. is pretty good but not the best at helping makeup stay in place. really want to try the philosophy one!!xx

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  9. Great post as I have been needing a primer! I really want to get Benefit the Porefessional as I have heard so many good things about it! Plus I am starting to build up a Benefit 'collection' as I was lucky enough to get a few goodies for Christmas!
    Would love to be entered to win the Erase Paste as I have shade No.1 and I think its too light, so I would like to see the difference when using No.2!!

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  10. Great post! I'm using the other benefit primer "brightening face primer" and it words really well, however I don't think it does anything for my pores, so I really want to try the pore specific one by benefit! It looks really good, and the first primer by smashbox looks really good, I love the bottle! I would love to be entered in the giveaway just because I want to try all the primers out :)
    Thank you!

    franky @ snippets-scribbles.blogspot.com
    xx

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  11. I've never really used Face Primers before, but I'd love to try the GOSH one!

    http://juffielovesstyles.blogspot.com

    juffie87@live.co.uk :)

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  12. great post! ive just bought the rimmel primer to try out, have been looking for a velvet finish one for a while :)

    great giveaway, i definitely need to get round to trying out porefessional as well! victorias.blogx@gmail.com xx

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  13. I am one of those people guilty of not using a primer, having one but not using it!
    Please enter me in the giveaway, been dying to try the erase paste for AGES now!

    nnnrs1@gmail.com
    xoxo

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  14. i really really want to try the benefit one! may i also reccommend the laura mercier oil free primer, it's pricey but totally worth it! XXX

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  15. I've been dying to try The Present for ages but can't find it anywhere! Please enter me for the giveaway - loulabellex@hotmail.co.uk xx

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  16. love to be entered, 02 would be perfect for me!
    I have the Urban Decay primer which has a nice shimmer in and I love my mac prep and prime with factor 50 xx

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  17. I'd love to be entered purely because I'm one of these guilty people who rarely use primers as on a student budget I don't normally get to buy a good one! I think this is a lovely give away!
    I'd especially love the Benefit package!

    lauren.christina@hotmail.co.uk xx

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  18. Would love to be entered, heard great things about benefit erase paste but unfortunatley never had the chance to use it.

    Great giveaway.

    candiceold7@hotmail.co.uk

    xx

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  19. Ahh I love seeing posts like this so I can decide what product to go for next when my version of it runs out. I'm using MAC prep and prime SPF50 at the minute.
    I hope Boots still have this deal when I make a cheeky trip to it tomorrow, £23.50 is such a good deal...I wonder if it's on the website!
    What shops stock Philosophy? Might give that a go as well, well done for making me bankrupt :'(

    I'd love to be entered in the give away as well, in case I'm not lucky enough to find the full package elsewhere (I'm a woman on a mission though) xx

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  20. Normally I'm pretty relaxed about reviews and can contain my excitement but oh my god, I need to try The Present! I'm forever searching for 'perfect skin', aren't we all?
    I'd love to be entered for the giveaway as well, please! xx

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  21. I really need to purchase a primer, i always go out to find a good one and end up getting distracted and buying something else! haha

    i'd loved to be entered for the giveaway! email: alicewojcik@googlemail.com

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  22. this is a really informative post. I consider primers to be one of the most important parts of my make-up routine, so am always keen to try out new ones in hope of finding something one up on my last.
    I have used both the gosh gel and cream versions. And although i think the cream version has a better texture to it, it unfortunately irritates my skin. The gel one doesn't seem to, so have been sticking to using that at the moment.
    I have also been a fan of Urban Decay's pore perfecting primer potion. I haven't bought it in awhile, so am unsure if its still avaliable, but it could be.

    Definately interested in giving the philosophy one after reading this, sounds too good to be true! :) xx

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  23. I havn't tried any primers since getting the smashbox one, it just made my skin feel like velvet but I didn't really notice any difference with the end result when putting my "face" on!

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  24. I never tried smashbox primer before, I love the gosh one. I also have the MEMEME primer it's smells so bad. I had the Benefit porefessional and I hate it, it's very thick and sticky, unless mine only was. xx

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  25. I've always wanted to try the Erase Paste! Thanks for being so kind to give it away =)

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  27. I've never tried the Erase Paste! Maybe this can be the right occasion to do it! Thanks for being so lovely with us!! <3

    francescamargariti@hotmail.it

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  28. Loved reading this! Might have to consider buying one of these. I used to have the GOSH gel primer but hated the feel of it on my skin and so I never really use primers anymore but I agree the cream might be much less clogging :)

    Also, just wondering where you got the floral background from? Whatever it is haha if you know what I mean x

    lauradreamsanddresses.blogspot.com

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  29. I love the giveaway!
    My name is Isa Martins and my email is "isamartins.6145@gmail.com"

    Good GIRLS!

    (btw, I love your looks, you are beautiful)

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  30. Great post! I've used Benefits Porefessional before as a trial and loved it but I'm definitely going to check out The Present as well! As for the mini give away I love Erase Paste and that's actually the color I use but I highly doubt you'll ship the US so :(

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  31. Great post! Never really believed the hype of the primer until I read this! Very tempted to buy the Philosophy one. I'd love to be enter into your giveaway(: Nearly bought some Erase Paste the other day, would love to give it a try before buying the full sized one(: xo

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  32. Your blog and your posts are so lovely. And philosophy products always smell so delicious. Love the give away and I'd love to enter!
    coup.de.foudre@hotmail.com
    p.s - adore your bedspread (?) :)

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  33. I've got really into primers too, they make so much difference to your makeup. I've been using the L'Oreal Studio Secrets one for a while and it's really good, especially as it's only around £14 and hides pores as well as being a great base for makeup.
    I was thinking of trying Porefessional but think I might go for the Philosophy one instead, it sound amazing!

    Gillian x
    elevatormusik.blogspot.com

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  34. Fab post Caroline! I have a drawer full of primer's that I always forget to use, including The Present! I must give it another go! I've been meaning to try out The Porefessional too, might have to buy it if I don't get on with The Present! xx

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  35. I'd really like to be in with the chance to win this :)
    Charli :)
    @Charli008 on twitter
    x

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  36. I read this post on my way home from work today, wandered into Boots and got told I could get £5 off Philosophy products! So guess what I bought?? Haha thank you for the recommendation! xx

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  37. Please enter me. would love to try it!
    Thanks
    rjs682 at yahoo dot com

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  38. thanks for the lovely comment on my hair! just read this and have actually totally been thinking about buying a primer after seeing all the hype about porefessional, such a great read! thanks for all the reviews!.x

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