Showing posts with label primer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label primer. Show all posts
The first cut, and it's not looking so good. There's a whole load of product lurking directly underneath the mouth of the tube, even though I've been twirling the slanted applicator in an attempt to get at the product in the bulge. I proceeded to cut off the end and transfer the remaining product into a sample pot.
Oi, you, Urban Decay! Please put UDPP in a squeezy tube!
So what does the Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Enhancer Base actually do?
Mostly, it brightens and gives the face a subtle and an unidentified glow while reducing the appearance of discolorations, uneven skin tone and dark circles. I'd say it's like Nars Brightening Serum on steroids, or maybe with a hefty dose of Touche Eclat. I saw a significant difference when using the base on the dark circle under just one eye compared to the other one. I tried taking photos, but this is beyond my skills or my camera's capabilities, so you'll have to take my word for it. This photographing experiment has also shown a certain glare that affected the pictures. I'd strongly suggest consulting with an experienced makeup artist before you wear it for a photo shoot.
Clé de Peau suggests adding a coat or two for darker areas, and that's true. Unlike most primers, this base builds up. It can also be used over your foundation with very nice results (again, be careful if you're using it before having your engagement picture taken). I also mixed some with sheer coverage foundations (Chanel Vitalumiere) and with a tinted moisturizer. It worked every time. Used under mineral makeup, the Luminizing Base requires a very light hand and cautious when buffing the minerals. It required some practice, but once I got it, the results were great. Just make sure your skin is very (VERY) well-moisturized. At least if you're my age and trying to look alive.
Which brings us to two usage tips:
1. Despite claims, the base is not an adequate moisturizer for normal to dry skin.
2. Avoid your eyebrows, or better yet, use brow wax or something similar to protect them. It's a hassle to get the liquid out of the eyebrows, and I promise you, pearly white is not a good look for that part of the face.
Bottom line: Probably not a must-have, but used judiciously it can be a great addition to the makeup addict arsenal.
Cle de Peau Beaute Luminizing Enhancer Base ($90) is available from top department stores, including online. I bought it at my local Saks and highly recommend you get a SA/ MUA to demonstrate it before you buy. Thankfully, Cle de Peau people are among the best you can find and they seem to be extra passionate about the line.
Image: vintage Japanese cosmetics ad from oldorientmuseum.com
In my fog of sleepiness this morning, I managed to apply Urban Decay's cult Primer Potion onto only one of my eyelids. How I managed this I have no idea, but it has served to remind me just why I love the stuff so much in the first place.
Read more from this post in Beauty follower »
It's quite clear to see that on the right, my oily lids have consumed all the eye shadow, causing it to crease and even completely disappear in patches. It's worth mentioning that this is the bit of creasing left over from the very end of the day, as I did attempt to re-blend the creased shadow back into place a couple of times today (which clearly didn't work). On the left, however, the primer has held the shadow in place perfectly. These photos were taken after about 12 hours of wear.
So, if anyone ever asks me if Urban Decay Primer Potion really does work, I will continue to wax lyrical about its virtues, and now I have the photos to prove it.
I'm a primer fiend. If you're a regular reader you already know that (and you use one. Right? RIGHT?). A good primer create the smoothest base for everything that comes on top, allow you to use less foundation and get a better coverage and keep makeup looking fresh for long hours, even in extreme weather conditions (NYC in mid-August). Silicone-based face primers have become the standard and many companies offer one. They rarely vary, though some are thicker than others and all of them use some form of Dimethicone Crosspolymer as the main ingredient. The differences are in the minor additives and I've discovered that a few can be slightly pore-clogging.
Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics have their own primer, and looking at the list of ingredients it is, as they claim, chock-full of mineral and plant extracts. It's hard to say how much of it (if any) actually gets to work on my skin, but what I like about this Mineral Primer is that it actually feels lighter than than several other similar products I've been using. I wanted to take a photo comparing a drop of three or four silicone primers, but between my camera's limitations and my lack of skills I couldn't capture the difference. So you'll have to take my word for it- the Youngblood product looks the clearest and has the lightest texture. It doesn't affect performance, though. I still get the perfectly smooth canvas effect that works well with every foundation I've tried to use over it. Makeup stays vibrant and fresh from morning to night and I've not experienced any skin issues. Knowing that the primer is made of things like malachite extract, honeysuckle flower extract and also includes jojoba oil is just a bonus.
Mineral Primer from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics ($37.50) is available from Henri Bendel (highly recommended to visit the counter, where you can get some good advice and match the products to your needs) and from the comany's website, ybskin.com. I've been testing a sample that was a GWP and recently received a full-sized product directly from the company.
Photo of Princess Natalie Palie in Paris, 1937 from myvintagevogue.com
Ever since the release of Sin, the colored and shimmery version of Urban Decay Primer Potion, I approached it several time at various Sephora stores. If I were lucky to find a working tester that seemed half clean and free of cooties I'd swatch it on my hand, wrinkle my nose and think: "Seriously?!". It just wasn't my thing. The color seemed off and the texture reminded me of the long gone Lancome cream eye shadow that used to crease even before you stepped away from the mirror. But I've accumulated so many samples of Sin that I had to give it a fair testing.
The good news is that it looks better than I expected. I wouldn't wear it on its own, as the color is a bit too warm for me, but it actually brightens and mellows other eye shadows that are too cool toned (that's the curse of having a weird skin color). The metallic shimmer isn't too strong and wouldn't create drama when you're aiming for an understated look.
The bad news is that it's not as good as the classic Primer Potion. It doesn't have the same cream-to-powder texture and doesn't create the same silky canvas for the eye shadow you use above. As a result, it doesn't grab the eye makeup as well and doesn't last as long. It's still an acceptable eye primer, but not a great one.
Urban Decay also hasn't improved the packaging- it's still that little genie bottle that looks cute but is completely useless in dispensing the product after a couple of weeks. My strategy with the regular Primer Potion is to remove the inside plastic ring. This way you get more wiggle room for the wand and can reach further into the bottle.
Bottom line: Meh. I'm not buying it.
Urban Decay Primer Potion- Sin ($18) is available from Sephora in store and online.
Regular readers know that I'm a big advocate of makeup primers. They make whatever color products you use last longer, look better and even apply more smoothly. It's an extra step, but a quick one that pays off hours later. Eye primers are especially great because they prevent your shadow from creasing, melting and changing color as a result of exposure to air and skin oils.
However, I understand why the cream-to-powder texture of many popular brands might feel too dry for those with super dry or mature skin. The Eyelid Base from Sensai by Kanebo is an excellent solution for this issue. This is a very creamy primer, as you can see in the picture. It has moisturizing and shielding qualities while still providing a silky canvas and anchoring your eye makeup. The flesh color you see in the jar disappears upon application, but instead there's a very subtle brightening effect. It's barely noticeable- no sheen, shimmer or frost- only a slight illumination that is always welcome around the eyes.
I've been testing the Sensai Eyelid Base with most eye shadow and eye liner brands I own and the results are always great, no matter what (or how much) eye cream I've been applying underneath. The makeup stays on looking fresh with no change to color and finish. My one and only gripe is the packaging. The primer comes in this little jar with no want or applicator. You're supposed to dip your finger and dab right on the lid. I suppose you could also use a brush (a synthetic concealer brush would work here), but I find that primers are best applied with one's pinky. The average germaphobe wouldn't be happy with this arrangement, so my suggestion is to use a clean plastic applicator (like the one that comes with many good skin care products) to spoon a tiny amount out of the jar, then use your finger from there. Clean the applicator and rinse in hot water after use and store in a little ziploc bag.
Bottom line: Other than the packaging this is quite fabulous.
Kanebo Sensai Eyelid Base ($26, 0.22 oz) is exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. I received it as a PR freebie.
Photo by me.
Bottom line: A great product and
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