Prime Time: 3x Primer Review

Primers are important for our makeup, there's no denying it. They create a smooth base for our skin and help makeup sit well, last well and avoid settling into creases or pores. These three primers are the ones I currently own and they all work a little differently so I thought I would give you guys the low-down. Honestly, finding a good primer is such a struggle...it seems like a stage you can skip but you can spend a lot of money trying them out if you're not careful. Here are my opinions on these few. I hope they help you in choosing your next primer:

1. Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer

This primer is part of the Nivea Daily Essentials range. It's a very good price, at around £4.99 in Superdrug. There are three primers for each skin type. I use the normal/combination skin one. 

The good stuff: I do like the packaging of this in particular; it comes in a really nice looking glass pot. This primer applies like a serum. It's lightweight and smooth. As it's hydrating it doesn't have the same 'silky' effect as silicone-based primers (the other two I'm going to review) in that it simply feels like a moisturiser. 

The bad stuff: I don't really see this as a primer. I like the fact that the silicone-based primers give you that flawless skin finish. This doesn't improve your makeup-free skin's appearance and I don't think it really adds much to the longevity or appearance of foundation. 

Finally, it doesn't aid in combating oil at all. Honestly, I just use this as a moisturiser. 

Final score: 2/10  

2. Maybelline Baby Skin

This has been all over the blogosphere in the past year or so, so I had to pick it up. This primer retails at around £7.99 and is a transparent gel-like formula.

The good stuff: It does indeed create a perfect 'baby skin' feel (as promised!) It softens and smooths extremely well for a drugstore primer. It also blurs any creasing or unwanted pigmentation  and adds a decent amount of longevity to your base.

The bad stuff: One of the main claims of this product is that is is a Pore Eraser. Hmm... it slightly minimises pores but it isn't anything drastic. You'd need a microscope to see it.

You need a lot of this in one use, even if you only want to cover the T-zone. It's frustrating as it seems to stick to the skin and isn't particulary blendable.

It's also slightly concerning that it says 'only for adults'. Okay so what will happen to kids if this touches them? Will they dissolve?

Finally, with some foundations it reacts badly with the formulation and just turns into a big cakey disaster, particularly one from Maybelline's own range (??), the Super Stay. Bit confused there.

Final score: 4/10. It's okay. If you want to improve your natural skin's appearance then it does work, but if you want to minimise pores and get hold of a product that goes a long way then search elsewhere.

3. Benefit Porefessional

Finally, Benefit's famous primer retails at around £25 for a full size (I have a travel sized one at the moment.) It's a beige-tinted gel-like formula.

The good stuff: See how it says it minimses pores? Oh Benefit, you humble people. This absolutely erases the appearance of pores. I use it on my nose, the sides of my nose (where lots of people have the largest pores), between my brows and on my chin. It makes bare skin look flawless.

The silicone-based formula isn't heavy, but glides on and blurs out any imperfections. I don't understand how it works!

A little goes a long way, unlike the Baby Skin primer. It blends well and you don't even have to work quickly.

This primer also aids the longevity of makeup and provides oil-control.

The bad stuff: I'm running out of it. I find no fault with this. I would coat my entire face with this every single day if I could. Though I don't really advise that... let your pores breathe a little!

Final score: 10/10.

And there you have it. Whilst Porefessional is expensive, nothing I have tried lives up to it. Also, if anyone happens to have tried MUA's primer, please let me know. Or any other miracle primers (preferably that cost less than Benefit!) for that matter. Comment below!