We test out the new primers on the market – one is a 10/10 for me
WHETHER your make-up looks dry, oily or doesn’t stay on long enough, primer is usually the answer.
It’s not flashy or glam, but makes a world of difference.
This week I try three new products.
Budget
L’ORÉAL Paris Prime Lab 24hr Matte Setter Primer, £11.99, 35ml, boots.com: Matte skin is back – and judging by the spring/summer catwalks, in a big way.
Rather than throwing out your foundation for a new one, adding a matte primer can instantly take down the shine and help increase the staying power of more radiant bases.
L’Oreal Paris is one of my favourite high-street brands, so I had high hopes for this, which launched last month.
Thankfully, it met my expectations and then some.
The lightweight formula blurs imperfections and helps reduce oil production without feeling drying or heavy, and it didn’t pill under my make-up which can often be a problem with similar products.
It’s definitely a 10/10 for me, but I won’t be wearing it every day because I still prefer a more glowy skin finish.
Mid Range
CIATE London Dewy Skin Vitamin C Glass Glow Primer, £28, 30ml, lookfantastic.com: When the foundation counterpart to this primer launched two years ago, I was hooked.
It was the first so-called “skin tint” that gave me enough coverage to make the time and effort spent applying it worth it – so many don’t have nearly enough coverage, which feels like a waste of money.
So when this landed on my desk, I was pretty sure I would like it.
The vitamin C works long-term to even out discolouration, and the formula is super-hydrating so I found I could skip my moisturiser underneath.
The glow isn’t quite glass-like, so if you want that extra-luminescent finish you might be disappointed.
Plus I found it didn’t prolong the wear time of my make-up any more than my usual skincare does.
But it is a lovely product to use and feels more expensive than its price tag.
Luxury
DIOR Forever Glow Veil, £40, 30ml, boots.com: While this falls under the make-up category, the high-tech skincare ingredients such as glycerin, squalane, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, as well as tons of floral extracts, almost make it a hybrid product.
And it comes with a 24-hour moisture claim that even some dedicated day creams fall short of.
Although I can’t say I’ve kept it on for a full day and night to test that, my skin feels far more plump and smooth when I use the primer.
I’ve tried it with multiple foundations, and all look better with this underneath.
Plus it helps disguise the dry skin on my cheeks without feeling rubbery or dusty.
It’s not often you find a hydrating primer that makes your make-up stay put longer, as nourishing ingredients normally break down the pigments in make-up, but this ticks all the boxes.
Pick of the week
I’M a huge fan of Boots’ own-brand skincare, and this week it has launched a new product in its vitamin C line-up.
Boots Vitamin C PRO, £6, is the most potent product yet and promises to brighten skin in just seven days.
This month it also introduced a “save up to half price on the brands you love” promotion.
Using customer research data, the shop has identified the most popular brands with customers and is offering deals of up to 50 per cent off on those lines, including Soap & Glory, Dove and Maybelline.