Something I have been wondering for quite some time is do primers really do work? I've always convinced myself that applying primer benefited my skin/make-up in some way, I told myself I looked more glowy, hydrated or smoothed but over time I've started to question if it's all in my imagination so I decided it was time for a little experiment! Over the last couple of weeks, I've been testing out all the primers I currently own on half of my face and only applying my usual moisturiser to the other half so I can easily view any differences throughout the day. I was looking to for any visible differences to the look of my make-up after application and any differences to wear time throughout the day.
Below I've listed the various primers I tested out and everything I've noticed about each of them and whether or not I feel they really work.
This is pretty new to my collection, I received this in a gift set at Christmas so it is a miniature like some of the other primers I will talk about today but I have tried it out a good few times. This feels like a thin gel which applies very easily to the skin and feels quite moisturising. This leaves behind little particles of glitter on the skin which I don't really like but after make-up is applied you don't see this anymore, I didn't notice any visible difference to the skin after the initial application so the glitter doesn't appear to add any extra glow to the skin. I also didn't see much of a difference in the wear time of my make-up. The claims state this primer 'helps the skin retain moisture, feel softer and look smoother. It is lush, incredibly lightweight and suitable for all skin types' - I agree this would be suitable for any skin type and it does make the skin feel soft but I'm not convinced that it made my skin look any smoother.
This has a very liquidy consistency that feels a bit like a serum, I like how hydrating and light it feels on the skin. After applying make-up the primed side did look slightly smoother and more refined but I didn't notice any difference throughout the day to the wear of my make-up. Before I started this experiment, this was one of the primers I enjoyed using so even though I don't see any dramatic difference there is something about it I do like. It does claim to help extend the wear of your make-up which I disagree with, I think this feels more like a hydrating skincare product that's designed to sit nicely under make-up.
This primer has a lot of claims including, adding brilliance to dull and ageing skin, minimising the appearance of pores, wrinkles and imperfections and prepping the skin for enhanced make-up coverage and longevity. I must say immediately that I don't think this lives up to these claims, although it does talk a lot about wrinkles and ageing so perhaps this would work better for someone who is older. I will say that when first applied this primer did leave behind a soft dewy glow with a little tackiness which is a good base for make-up application but most of the glow was covered once I applied foundation so I think this would work best for those who wear a light foundation with less coverage. I didn't notice a difference to wear time but it does suggest you follow this primer with their pressed mineral make-up so perhaps this is designed more to be used with powder foundations. Overall I don't think this primer is bad necessarily but I don't think it's the best one for my skin concerns and needs.
This is a really nice budget friendly primer and a little goes a long way, I like how this feels and it did leave my skin looking a little smoother with a soft blur over my pores and texture. By the end of the day, any differences in the primed and unprimed sides were pretty minimal but this is one of the primers I prefer as it tackles pores which is one of my biggest skin concerns and it won't break the bank so even though, like the other primers, this doesn't give a big impact it gives just as much as the others for a fraction of the cost.
I guess this isn't marketed as a primer as such but it's actually my favourite, you only need a tiny amount on the areas where pores are enlarged and it gives the most instant visible results of all the primers I have tried out. This filled in pores and made my skin look smooth with a soft matte finish, you can apply alone or under make-up and this does actually live up to its claims. If I could choose only one of the primers in this list it would be this one and I will most likely repurchase this again in the future
This little experiment has been very interesting and has shown me that, at least on my skin, the majority of the time primers don't live up to their claims. Obviously, this is just a tiny percentage of the primers available on the market and I'm sure there are many that can do wonderful things for your skin/make-up but many of them don't do anything more special than what a good moisturiser provides. I will definitely try out other primers in the future because I love testing out products and I'm always intrigued by the latest beauty releases but I think if I had to remove one step from my make-up routine it would need to be primer.
(I will continue to test and play with all of these primers and if my opinion changes on any of them I will update you)
What's your opinion, do you think primers work?
What's your opinion, do you think primers work?
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