I’d like to open this article by saying that although I love makeup and beauty, I hate primers. I’ve always felt like primers did nothing for my skin. I’ve used the Smashbox Photo Finish, The POREfessional, Dr. Feelgood, Urban Decay Prep Spray and the Cargo Blu_Ray Primer, and nothing has ever felt like it helped keep my makeup on my face. You could say that I was not a believer in primers. I would just slap on my daily lotion and put my makeup on. I skipped primer all together for a very long time. After my friend urgered me, as well as YouTubers, I decided to give a primer I had never used before a shot at changing my opinion.
A few weeks ago, I purchased the Hourglass Veil Mineral SPF 15 Primer in the travel size from Sephora ($18 for .33 ounces). I did some research about this primer and was not surprised to find out that it was a cult favorite on both Sephora and Makeupalley, with over 2,500 and 200 reviews respectively. Before coming to D.C. I had never heard of Hourglass Cosmetics, as it isn’t a brand that any Sephoras in Rhode Island carries. So, as us makeup-obsessed folks usually do, I did some research on the Hourglass Brand.
Hourglass was founded in 2004 in order to fill a void in the luxury beauty market by a veteran beauty expert, Carisa Janes. In the last 10 years, Hourglass has gained a lot of recognition in the beauty community for their Ambient Lighting Powders and their Immaculate Foundation, both of which have won numerous awards. After about two hours of watching YouTube videos and reading reviews, I was sold.
What convinced me? Hourglass claims this primer is specialized to work to reduce fine lines and help to lessen the appearance of pores and oil on the face. I was intrigued to say the least. So I went to the Hourglass counter snatched up one of the few travel sized ones left and marched over to the register with my VIB Rouge card in hand basically yelling “Take my money!”
The first thing I noticed about this primer before using it is that it has a lot of different silicones in it. So as a warning beforehand, if you are allergic to silicone or silicone sensitive, stay far from this primer. It’s meant to be a pore/line filler that erases any problem areas flawlessly. Or so they claim.
The second thing I noticed about this primer is that it has a pump. I nearly jumped for joy. I love foundations, primers and any other liquid makeup that comes with a pump because it makes it easier to figure out how much to put on your face without over guessing how much makeup to use. For most people and most makeup one pump = one coat for the face.
I applied one pump of this primer onto my fingers and then blended it into my face in the morning. It’s a very satin finish, which some people may not necessarily like the feeling of on their fingers. When it goes on, it literally feels like you’re blending satin into your face due to the high amount of silicone. Per the many reviews, I watched as the lines and pores in my face were filled. It looked like I had the perfect canvas to put my makeup on. I then applied my BareMinerals Matte foundation and MAC’s Format blush with my BareMinerals Touch Up Mineral Veil. I noticed that my foundation went on flawlessly. I didn’t have to work at all to buff in my powder. I also noticed that my blush had a bit more to grab onto, so the color was a bit more radiant than usual.
I had class at 10:20a.m. Between that class and my 11:45a.m. I stopped at the bathroom, ready to blot and or fix my makeup. I was still matte, which was to be expected. I left my class and went directly to lunch and stopped at about 2:20p.m. to go to the bathroom. All I had to do was use one blotting paper to blot which is less than I usually use. I got about two more hours than I normally do before blotting, which was pretty amazing. I got out of class at 3:50p.m. Usually around then, even after blotting, I can feel my foundation caking around my nose and my T-zone starts to feel very oily. But guess what? Not today! I took a quick peak in the mirror, and my makeup still looked flawless. I headed over to the library and stayed there for about two more hours. I didn’t take my makeup off until 10:12p.m. And it still looked immaculate.
My conclusion? This foundation primer truly is a miracle primer. I’ve never found one I liked until now. The only drawback of this primer is the price. It’s a very expensive primer. A 1 oz. container retails for $52 and the special edition 2 oz. container retails for $78, ($104 value). However, the special edition size does not have a pump. It’s a squeeze container. The travel size has lasted me quite a while so I think I that the full size would last me a good year and a half before repurchasing. All in all, its expensive, but oh-so worth the price if, like me, you have very oily skin.
*All Products were purchased with my own funds. I have not been given any products to try, or am being endorsed by any companies. All opinions are entirely my own.