To be completely truthful, there are a few other primers I have liked, and do use on occasion, but none with such devotion as the Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer.
It used to be that you were judged, shamed, at a department store makeup counter if you admitted that you didn’t use a primer beneath your foundation. What were you thinking? Well, I was thinking that this unnecessary, useless step was doing nothing to aid my base longevity, nor improve the look, feel, and hydration of my skin. Primers of yesteryear were often sticky, or filmy, or did more to dry out your skin and leave foundation looking parched.
Now, it’s fair to say that there are plenty of good primers on the market these days and that they can be used for different concerns and goals – blurring pores, illuminating, mattifying etc. But when Smashbox came out with something that was priming and hydrating, my ears pricked up.
It often seems like the majority of women are suffering from dehydrated skin. Be it from environmental, diet and lifestyle or other causes, our skin is thirsty. Nothing looks more youthful and flattering than a well hydrated complexion. The Smashbox Primerizer is a light, milky fluid. In brilliant pump bottle packaging, after you’ve started using this you’ll no doubt become more and more generous with how many pumps you dispense – this stuff is lush. It smooths onto the skin like a hydrating serum and beautifully prepares the face for makeup application. It’s in no way greasy, and doesn’t leave that tell-tale primer film over the skin.
While I can’t say whether it’s made my foundation stick around longer – that is after all not what I’m priming for – this product does make my foundation look better. Forget the dry patches (provided you’re also following a good skincare routine and exfoliating them away) that foundation used to cling to, and amp up the dewy glow. Using this primer doesn’t mean your foundation can’t be matte, if that’s what you’re into, but it will prep your skin so that it is hydrated and supple for what you then choose to apply over the top of it. I personally favour a dewy, illuminated base and this primer is helping me achieve those goals beautifully.