Review: My Top Three Face Primers
By marlena • Jun 29th, 2008 • Category: Articles & ReviewsFace Primers seem to be a mystery to us all as they are just now becoming more common in the makeup marketplace. These primers are meant to make concealers and foundation apply more smoothly, giving your face a more flawless finish.
Below is my review of the 3 products I have tried. If you have any other recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments section below!
| Smashbox Photo Finish Primer This primer is great for creating a silky smooth base for any concealer or foundation on top. The negative is it’s price… It does work really well, but my other problem with it is that when I use up a little more than half the bottle, I can’t get any more product out! Find Smashbox Photo Finish Primer on Amazon.com |
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| Monistat Chafing Gel After hearing many people rave about using this as a face primer, I had to get some to try out. I am very impressed, especially for the price! My only complaint is that it may be a little heavy for those with oily skin during the summer. I would say this is a better option than the Smashbox version as it is less than 1/3 the costFind the Monistat Chafing Gel on Amazon.com Find the Monistat Chafing Gel on eBay |
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| Clinique Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector I know it doesn’t sound like a face primer, but I have found this to be my favorite yet! I initially started using just next to my nose as my pores are getting a bit noticeable. But after using for awhile, I noticed that my foundation and concealer has gone on more smoothly. This product leaves a matte finish to your face while helping to hide slight imperfections. What I love most is that is has some color to it, so I don’t have to use as much concealer. I give it a big 2 thumbs up! Find Clinique Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector on Amazon.com |
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My skin care products consist of :
1) Washing my face with Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin. 2) I then apply Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner with a cotton ball 3)Next up is Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15 4) MAC Prep & Prime which I apply with MAC’s 190 brush 5) then I use Lancome Foundation called Teint Idole Ultra in Ivoire 4 (N) which is a 14 hr. foundation (5) Last but not least I apply Sephora’s matifying compact foundation with MAC’s 136 to set.
I’ve used so many products in my life time it’s not even funny. When I applied these products in the order I just described to you I really noticed a difference. I was really impressed, which is not normal for me.
Have you tried the MAC primers? I use the Pre & Prime (I think.) And I like it fairly well. I don’t get creases and product buildup in my fine lines so much. But if there’s something better then I’m all for it! Is the clinique good with sensitive skin types? How bout dry?
Thanks for these reviews! I plan to check out the Clinique product. You have such gorgeous and flawless skin, so I’d love to see more reviews of the fact products you use every day or on a weekly basis.
I haven’t tried the MAC primers yet as I haven’t heard as good things about it, but I should try it so I can compare
I have dry skin and the Clinique one hasn’t given me any problems- you do want to make sure you moisturize well though as it turns to a matte finish. If you want a more silky/glowy finish instead of a matte finish (and if you have dry skin), then go with the Monistat…
I too really like the smashbox primer even though it is a bit pricey. I especially dig the one with SPF. Have you seen the new bottle design Marlena? It’s supposed to be much better than the old one with getting the product out. Right now my favorite primer is bare escentuals barevitamins prime time mineral infused primer. It’s silky and smooth and works great for me so far.
I use the Clinique pore minimizer too! I just discovered it and it really is the best thing for smoothing out my skin. My skin is so far from flawless it’s not even funny… but this stuff even works on me! I tried Mac’s primer once and it make my skin so dry my make up actually starting cracking and my skin was flaky. It was a mess! But everyone’s skin is different.
Marlena: do you use the Clinique all over your face, or just where you have visible pores? I assume it is supposed to be applied after ones daycrem and before putting on makeup?
Thanks for a great webpage, I absolutely love it!!! I have learned so much from you!
Smashbox has a new bottle now? I guess enough people complained, that they got the idea
I’m interested to see it- have to look at Sephora online in a bit…
Ellie, I use the Clinique all over my face as I love it that much! It just helps my foundation go on smoother
I have tried the Smashbox primer and the Monistat as a primer. I have combination skin, with my T-zone more oily than the rest, so I don’t like the Monistat as much as the Smashbox. I have tried the MAC Prep & Prime Skin, and I LOVE it. My face doesn’t look oily after a whole day of wearing makeup. I rarely touch up during the day anymore. I have tried a sample of the one with the SPF in it, but I bought the one with out, and I much prefer it. It has more of a “smoother” consistency, but everyone is different. I was weary about trying out the MAC Prep & Prime, because I haven’t heard many great things about it, but out of all the primers I have tried the MAC Prep & Prime is my favorite sofar.
I have used the Clinique Pore Minimizer for years, but I had never thought to use it all over my face!!! I can’t wait to rush home and try it! As far as making my skin look great without primer, I have recently discovered the Fix+ from MAC. I was just spraying it directly on to my face, and had thought about throwing it away because I didn’t like the way it settled……(I’m a little airheaded at times….) then one day I was tooling around online at work, and discovered the website and saw a tutorial where Marlena sprayed a brush with the Fix+!!!! I tried it and I have a new love for the stuff!!! Thank you for being such a friggin GENIUS, Marlena! I love love love you!!!!! Keep it up!
Tiffany
Just make sure to read the labels, ladies!
Steer clear from those that contain SILICA…while it helps smooth your skin for that silky-soft feel, it’ll be the culprit for some clogged pores!
I LOVE Lorac AquaPRIME, it’s my favorite.
PS. I posted my product review in the Forum under Reviews & Swatches called “Primers Primers Primers”, if any of you are interested.
xo, eM
I just bought the Clinique because I’ve been having some serious problems with my pores lately. I ran out of my Prep+Prime about 2 months ago so I’ve been desperate to find a new primer, but I’m staring at this dinky tube and thinking, this can NOT be economical! If anyone uses the Clinique as primer on a regular basis, how much product do you use to prime your whole face?
I love the monistat chafing gel. I have oily skin in the t-zone area and the monistat keeps the oils away. I have not tried the other primers. I want to try the photo finish by smashbox. I guess I have to save up for it.
if you use a primer, when are you supposed to apply the suncreen and the mosturizer? thanks.
You’ll want to put on the primer after moisturizer and sunscreen- let your moisturizer sit for a few minutes before applying the primer as your skin needs time to soak it in
Have you thought about trying Spackle? It is half the price of Smashbox Photo Finish and it is in a air pump… So you get all the product out. I put it on under my foundation and then take a thin coat on top of my foundation on my eye lips an eye lid primer for my loose shadows.
http://www.sephora.com/browse/section.jhtml?categoryId=C14900&searchString=spackle
Ooh- I haven’t tried the spackle
At first I thought “boy, are our faces that bad that we need spackle to cover it up?” 
hahaha…. It’s cheaper than the Smashbox one, so worth a try!
Wow, I just bought the Monistat chaffing cream, it is very similar to the photofinish by smashbox. I didnt have any face primer, i use to use my moms and I don’t have an extra 40$ to spend right now so the 10$ chaffing cream was just right for me.
I also noticed that SMASHBOX has new packaging for the photofinish, I guess everyone didnt like it so they have revamped it!
It’s called Spackle because Laura Gellar did stage makeup and she designed this to hold up under stage lights and stuff… But yeah… You can’t help but think about wall spackle or something.
It has a very nice, thin feel to it. I use a pump a little smaller than a dime on my whole face. So it goes along way too. I have been really happy with it. She has eye and lip spackle too… but I haven’t tried those yet.
Can anyone recommend any partiular primer for combination skin? My t-zone gets oily during the day even though my cheeks are dry, so my foundation likes to slide off my t-zone. I’ve tried a few different primers that make my foundation look really good to start with but an hour later all they’ve done is make the oily parts of my face oilier.
Hi Emma Louise
I’m sure there are others on here that can suggest ones that I haven’t tried yet, but I will vouch for the Clinique pore minimizer- it gives a matte finish and I haven’t had any problems with oil with it. I have had that problem with the other 2 though…
Maybe try the Clinique one, and if it doesn’t work you can return it (hold on to your receipt
)
Hi Emma-Louise!
I am in total agreement with Marlena. You don’t have to use it all over your face, unless you really want to, but I have used it for years on just my t-zone, and I love it! I have conbination skin as well.
Hi
since then I love this product.
A quick note about Mac prep&prime. I have very oily skin the first few times I used P&P in broke me out horriable. Normally I use my every day face wash to remove my skin my. After talking to a Mac mu she recmened I use the Max wipes first then wash my face. It worked great no more breakouts
thanks! I will check the clinique one out x
UPDATE!
I have been using the chaffing cream for a few days and I love it. It is a matte finish, so if you prefer some shimmer, you can go for the MAC primer, which was what I used before, overall I think it is a great product! It is cheap and affordable, and well you can use it for chubby chaffing legs, like I can get in the hot weather as well!
Enjoy!
Hey Marlena,
I use the Monistat every time I wear foundation or powder. It works perfectly as good as the Smashbox primer. I used to use Smashbox primer for over a year but I hated it for a while because started to melt into my lines. Also, talk about the price of that thing… damn it’s too much. So, I love love love the Monistat and it’s so cheap too ($6.00). It smoothes out my lines and face for a flawless foundation/powder application. Also, I get oily in the summer but I don’t think Monistat is a big issue for my face in the summer time. I just use MAC’s blotting powder when I get oily and it’s perfect!! Thanks for sharing your top three primers. I’m eyeing the Clinique Pore Minimizer… does it really reduces enlarged pores??? I have lots of visible pores and I need something good for the price I pay!!! Thanks again!!
Has anyone tried Prescriptives Illuminationg Potion Primer? It’s really good for those with drier skin who like a little bit of a sheen under their makeup. The sheen seem to hid imperfections and it makes liquid and powder foundation go on so smoothly. I like how it comes in a redness reducer and translucent formula. It’s kinda pricey though, about $35 for a 1 oz bottle.
Hey Marlena,
can I use a primer after the clinique pore minimizer? or is it too much?
I have very oily skin. I currently use MAC prep and prime and I like it. But, I was wondering if there is a better products for oily skin. Any suggestions?
i dnt know if uv heard of it but coverfx do an amazing primer its called skin prep its enriched with vitamins n really helps makeup last all day!!and may i also sugest you try a cleanser called eve lom its brilliant and manages to remove all traces of makeup, i couldnt live without it even though its quite expensive!!
Can I get the Monistat at any drug store? Such as a CVS or Wallgreens? please let me know
Hi Rosario
You should be able to get the Monistat Gel almost anywhere
Hi all,
Love reading all the comments and suggestions about primers. Someone had just told me about the smashbox one. I am 52 yrs. old. So I have concerns about fine lines. I have always stayed away from foundations and powder for that reason. My skin gets very dry during the colder months. As soon as I would put any foundation on it would dry flaky. I have just been wearing tinted moisturizer. Do you think the monistat will be ok for me? It is certainly more in my price range. lol
It would be nice to use something that would make my skin look more even toned.
Hi Marlena,
Surprise, surprise, the best one out of the primer bunch wasn’t even meant for cosmetic but for comfort. I’ll most definitely have to try it. I, too, have combo skin with an oily t-zone. I really struggle with my foundation during the summer because I get the Exxon Valdes effect about 2 hours into my application when wearing full or med coverage foundation. I decided to go with a cheap primer (Revlon $11), but it made my face feel gritty, smelled funky and if I applied even a tad too much my foundation would dry and flake. I’ve even tried a very thin layer of Milk of Magnesia (works good as a mask, but NOT a primer). I also tried Avon Apri Glow Skin Enhancer. It did even out my skin tone and helped some with controling the shine and it did help to minimize my pores a bit. I got a sample of the SB PhotoFinish in my Sephora order the other day, we shall see how that goes, as well. The search continues
I’ve been using the Monistat for about a week now. First, I wash my face with this Clearasil Face Scrub. The, I moisturize with some Clean and Clear moisturizer. And finally, I put on my Monistat…. I really like it bcuz it my makeup goes on really smooth… the thing is I’ve been getting dry around my nose and the outer edges of my lips. I was wondering if anyone else who’s used the Monistat as primer has gotten the same dryness or could it jst be my new facewash…. Thanks!
I was cleaning out my bathroom junk drawer the other night and saw I had some of the Monistat cream… it didn’t work so hot for me for what I’d actually bought it for, but I didn’t throw it out. Good thing. I read the posts today and can’t wait to give it a whirl as a primer. I am going to try it out first thing tomorrow morning and see how it works on my face!! Keep up the tutorials. I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!!
Thanks,
Gina (a fellow Italian who “talks” with her hands, too).
So….. a little while back I wrote that I wasn’t sure if my face was getting dried up from the Monistat Chafing Gel or if it was my face wash. Well, I stopped using the face wash and kept using the Monistat which I just couldn’t put away…. but it was all ok. It was just the face wash drying me out. So, girls don’t be afraid to you use that Monistat. It works GREAT!!!! I love it!
Marlena: besides just helping with application, does the clinique p.minimizer help the foundation stay on longer ?
i have very oily skin and super oily T-zone (even eyelids :/ )… here’s my 2 cents:
Like EmmaLouise said it looks great at first but in a couple hrs my skin looks more oily.
Smashbox photofinish makes my face and foundation looks shiny-er than ever after about 2-3hrs
Monistat works AWESOME ~ same consistency as the smashbox but my face looks only almost matte hours later
D.H.C. velvet skin coat ~ slightly better than the Monistat where it helps foundation stay on long and skin looks great hours and hours later, but costs more ($20 for about 1/4 of the amnt); the consistency is slightly thicker.
The Clinique pore minimizer won’t help the foundation stay on longer, it will help the skin to look more even- it works the same as other face primers but it isn’t oily feeling like the Smashbox…
To get your foundation to last longer, you definitely want to set it with some powder or even switch to mineral foundations if you’re having a harder time with oiliness…
Hope that helps
I am SOOOOOO confused. Some people think that the Monistat helps with the oilies…….some people think it causes it.
I am using it under Mineral Foundation and haven’t come to a conclusion yet. I am hoping that it doesn’t break my skin out though.
Some people swear by the Monistat and some people hate it.
I guess I will have to see which camp I am going to be in.
I have SUPER oily skin and it’s been so difficult to find a primer that doesn’t feel like it’s making my skin even MORE oilier! I tried Bare Essentials primer and Smashbox photofinish primer……..and was highly disappointed. I started using Make-up Forever HD Primer (the green one). I love it so far because it goes on matte (it’s oil-free), they make it in different colors for different skin tones, and my foundation stays on longer. Downside…. it’s pricey. Overall though, I think it’s worth it.