As I’m sure many of us know, Sephora held its 15% off Beauty Insider sale a couple of weeks ago. I went in just to get a new foundation, I swear, but I walked out with… a lot more than I’d originally planned.
I have semi-oily skin that’s prone to breakouts. I use bareMinerals Matte foundation, and while I like the coverage it provides, I felt like I was shiny by noon. Could a primer help with that problem? Because I had the discount at Sephora, I wandered over to the Smashbox aisle after I picked up my new foundation. Look what I came home with that day!
Image from Sephora.com - Smashbox Photo Finish Light! Who knew?
I ended up choosing Smashbox Photo Finish Light, and I love it. The primer goes on light and really keeps my foundation matte; usually until the end of the day, unless it’s been one of those high-stress-no-primer-in-the-world-is-going-to-save-you kind of days. It’s a little pricey ($36 for the small one), but to avoid the “Oops! I forgot to put on my makeup today!” look, it’s worth it to me. I definitely feel more polished when I use it.
Even if you don’t battle oily skin like I do, there are plenty of other formulas from which to choose. I have to admit, I am intrigued by the bronzing primer…
In the interest of full disclosure, the primer wasn’t the only treasure I found in the Smashbox aisle. Have you tried their O-GLOSS?
Image from Sephora.com - this one is my new go-to gloss!
I had a sample of the original O-GLOSS in pink, which I loved. I saw the O-GLOSS NOIR (by the way, I really hate when product names are in all caps. I feel like I’m yelling at you!) several months ago, and kicked myself for never buying it. I was excited to learn that it was back, and promptly added it to my basket.
It touts itself as “a lip gloss that turns your lips into the perfect shade of berry,” and it’s true. The color is perfect, the texture is amazing, and it leaves my lips feeling soft for at least half the day. Plus, bonus: It has no taste! I can’t tell you how many lip glosses I’ve trashed simply because they tasted bad. Blech! This one is also on the pricey side ($22), but I’m very happy with my splurge.
What about you, do you use a foundation primer? Do have a newly developed crush on Smashbox products like I do? Tell me in the comments!
I am not affiliated with Sephora, bareMinerals or Smashbox. I just like ’em.
About Jo-Lynne
I have been trying to convince myself that I don’t need makeup primer. But since my face started sliding off by noon these days… I should probably give it a try, right?