But I Don't Want It To JUST Prime!

Primers, I've found have moved from just bases to make foundation last longer into a product that does many things, both aesthetically and preferably health-wise as well. Personally, I want quite a bit from my primers, especially because foundations have made such leaps in wear time lately (Estee Lauder Double Wear is a favourite of mine, and everything I've heard about the to be released (already out in the UK) Mac Pro Longwear is positive).
I know many people are confused about the point of primers, and so in continuation of the theme for the last couple of days, I thought I'd list the things I expect and demand my primer to do and things I'd consider a bonus if my primer could do (that I've seen primers advertise to do this- I swear I'm not going to make up fantastical benefits such as create gold over night, I promise!) Of course, take into account that these may not be exactly what everyone is looking for but just to give a general idea. :D

Expectations:

• Extend foundation wear time (i.e. keep the foundation on, and looking nice the whole day long)
• Make the foundation apply easier
• Minimize the look of pores and fine lines
• Be free from silicones and other acne causing ingredients! (i.e. mineral oil is not appreciated!)
• Dry fairly quickly and actually soak into the skin, no oily residue or feeling afterwards
• Reduce oiliness as the day goes on (or doesn't make me feel as oily as normal)
• Doesn't have a smell that puts me off
• Has decent packaging for easy dispensing, and doesn't let the product evaporate or go off
• Does NOT ball up under foundation

Extras:

• Makes my skin look luminous, hides redness, evens skin tone etc. with a slight tint (Can you tell I'm still mourning the blue MUFE HD primer?)
• Smells nice
• Soothes irritation (redness)
• Works to minimize pore size and fine lines over time
• Works to make skin more hydrated
• Works to keep skin elastic and youthful (anti-aging/ prevention benefits)
• Sun protection from UVA and UVB that won't sting when going on and won't cause break outs
• Has acne fighting benefits
• Is priced well
• Has a pump and can be placed standing on a flat surface (i.e. vanity table)

So, what am I using at the moment? A sample of the Nars non-SPF primer, but I'm almost out (as in I have enough for today) and I hope to get more samples of some other primers this coming weekend to try out, heres what I may try out (as samples, I'm a university student, I don't have the moola to buy all these!):

--> Korres Silicone-free Natural Origin face primer (I had a sample of this before, but other reviews scared me off from using it as it supposably acne causing. Not to mention it looks quite gloopy and thick.): They say it improves condition of skin with anti-oxidants, preps skin for foundation so it applies better (implied it will last longer), and reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines. Also is silicone free.

--> Cargo Activating Face Primer (I'm doubting I'll be able to try this as it's not available in my Sephora and Canada doesn't have Ulta *sigh*): Said to reduce shine, be oil and silicone free, refine pores, visibly reduce wrinkle appearance, and will make skin look better in 30 days.

--> Tarte Recreate Primer: It's suppose to increase skins moisture, decrease the appearence of pores, make foundation last longer and apply better, have an anti-inflammatory effect, improve skin condition and reduce the appearance of fine lines. Honestly it'd be great if it will do all these things, but I'm a little skeptical as Tarte has had many claims before on past items I've tried that haven't lived up to their claims (such as the lip stain pencils). Also silicone free.

How about everyone else? What primers are you using at the moment? What primers are you itching to try out, or look great to you?

Primer Mini Reviews: NARS, LORAC, and Make Up Forever

Continuing on yesterday's theme, I've got three foundation primer reviews for everyone; 2 silicone-free ones, and one with silicone. I wanted to include a silicone one because I know silicone isn't an ingredient that affects everyone negatively. That said, let's start with that one:

1) Make Up Forever HD Microperfecting Primer- A gel, oil-free primer said to reduce the look of pores, soften skin, create a glowing effect and lengthen the wear time of foundation.

Shade 5- Blue, suppose to add radiance to fair skin and cover minor imperfections

Pros:
- smells good (to me at least!)
- evens skin tone for every skin colour or problem (7 different shades, personally I loved the blue one as it brightened my fair skin as well as toned down the redness and took away any sallowness. My recommendation is to get samples in a bunch of the shades and try them all, I honestly was surprised at what colours made my skin look better and which didn't work.)
- moisturizes (I wouldn't have to use moisturizer on most days when I used this!)
- noticeably reduces look of pores (as in much better than other primers I've tried!)
- makes foundation last longer
- doesn't make you feel oily like other silicone primers can
- this completely soaks into the skin (or at least feels that way), and it does so quickly so it doesn't feel like you're wearing anything extra on your face at all
- the packaging is amazing, the bottle feels nice, the pump is great and it looks nice. Not to mention the pump is designed to pretty much vacuum all of the product out of the bottle.

Neutral: The cap doesn't stay on too well for travel, but it doesn't have a tendency to leak so it's just a minor annoyance possibly.

Cons:
- Price. At $32 USD for  1.01 oz ($3.17 per 0.1 oz) its an expensive purchase (but the air tight packaging ensures it's not going to go back before you finish it at least)--it's even worse if you're in Canada as the price jumps at least $7.00 *sigh*
- The 'glowing effect' really depends on which shade you use and what skin tone you are, and really it goes away once you apply liquid foundation over top (though if you've got great skin you could wear this alone to make it look even nicer I suppose)
- If you pump out too much you can't place more of the product back in the container due to the sealing
- The Silicone might break you out (but if it doesn't I'm so jealous of you, because I want to use this again without the skin issues!)

Rating: 8/10

2) Nars Primer (the one without SPF!): A botanical gel primer said to sooth irritated skin, and make foundation and other make-up easier to apply and longer lasting.

Pros:
- Silicone-Free
- Has ingredients to reduce redness caused by inflammation ( I don't have a bunch of inflammation, but I think it may have helped a bit, but it may differ for others)
- Reduces the look of pores
- Absorbs into the skin/ dries quickly
- Helps foundation last
- It's surprisingly less expensive than some other primers on the market, though $33 USD seems like a lot to spend all at once, per weight it's not bad at $1.94 per 0.1 oz of product (where most average around $3.00 per 0.1 oz).

Neutral: It's very easy to pick-up the wrong primer from Nars! The Black packaging (not shown) has an SPF and very different ingredients, including silicones so take note!

Cons:
- The smell is strongly herbal (which may not be a con for you, I'm neutral about it, and it does fade fairly quickly).
- squeeze tube packaging (I prefer pumps as I tend to squeeze to hard and waste product, and this way the top can get more easily contaminated with bacteria if that is a worry for you)

Rating: 7/10

3) Lorac Aqua Prime Make-up Primer: Water based gel primer that is said to hydrate skin as well as prepare it for better make-up application and increased make-up duration.

 Pros:
- Reduces the amount of oil on skin through-out the day
- Helped my foundation last
- It's less expensive than some other primers on the market ($30 USD for 1.35 oz or $2.22 per 0.1 oz, most average around $3.00 for 0.1 oz).
- Silicone-free, oil-free
- Paraben-free, sulfate-free, synthetic fragrance and dye-free, petro-chemical free and phthalate free

Neutral:

- Reduces look of pores--- ONLY if you use it BENEATH a moisturizer, otherwise it doesn't seem to do anything

- didn't notice an increase nor decrease in hydration of my skin

Cons:
- takes slightly longer to dry on face than other primers
- If the primer is exposed to air it will evaporate over time (found this out from my disappearing sample)
- the packaging cannot stand up on a flat surface, thus making it difficult to get all the product out with the pump when the amount starts to go down (I've also heard pump complaints, but I've not used the pump myself so I can't say this from experience- but it looks awkward to me).

Rating: 6/10

What do you think? Do any of these primers sound right for you? Let me know! (I'm still debating whether I want to take the plunge and buy a full size one of these silicone-free ones or try another I haven't sampled yet. I'm just so hopeful to try and find something even better you know? Anyone have any recommendations?

Silicone Free Primer Price Comparison List

Silicone-free primers have been all the rage lately, mainly because companies are starting to realize that silicone causes breakouts for those acne-prone among us. I know I certainly fall into this category, and I want primers that help my foundation stay on longer, look nicer, and disguise pores too! So this post is the start of a couple of primer related posts I'm going to be doing over the next few days.
Some of the primers below are not named as primers, for example the Korres Wild Rose Serum. However, the company states that it works well as a primer too, so I've included it as part of the list. The below silicone-free primers are listed from best value to most expensive price per 0.1 oz of product. I've checked all the ingredients myself on these to make sure none contain silicone, but because everyone's skin is different, I can't guarantee these won't break you out. So without further ado:

1) Fyrinnae Velvet-Gel Silica Primer, 0.75 oz, $5.50 USDà 0.73

2) Laura Mercier, Foundation Primer, 1.75 oz, $30 USDà 1.71

3) Josie Maran Argan Primer Mist, $36, 2.0 ozà 1.80

4) NARS, Makeup Primer $33 USD, 1.7 ozà 1.94

5) Bare Essentuals Prime Time Foundation Primer Oil Control, 1 oz, $21 USDà 2.10

6) Lorac, aquaPRIME Oil Free Makeup Primer, $30, 1.35 ozà 2.22

Korres Face Primer $28, 1.01ozà 2.77

6) Korres, Quercetin & Oak Age-reversing Primer, 1.1 oz, $33 USDà 3.00

6) Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion – Brightening, 1 oz, $30 USDà 3.00

8) Tarte, ReCreate™ Silicone-Free Primer with Wrinkle Rewind™ Technology, 1 oz, $32 USDà 3.20

8) TARINA TARANTINO Pearl Glow Primer, 1oz, $32 USD->3.20

8) Cargo Blu_ray activating primer, $32 USD, 1 oz à 3.20

11) Fresh, Rose FreshFace Primer, $36 USD, 1 ozà 3.60

11) Fresh, Twilight Freshface glow, $36 USD, 1 ozà 3.60

13) Korres Wild Rose Brightening Serum, 1.01 oz, $41 USDà 4.06

14) Urban decay De-Slick In A Tube Mattifying Gel, 0.67 oz, $28 USDà 4.18

If I've missed one you know doesn't contain silicone please let me know! It's so hard to find Silicone-free primers (especially good ones!) so I'm keeping this list up so everyone can see the options available! And Bonus all the brands listed are cruelty-free. :D

ADDITION: I've found the Cargo Primer available for $28 CND on theshoppingchannel.com and it ships for free, so if you go by their lower price, it would rank lower on the list, just incase someone is interested. :D (I'm always on the lookout for good deals!)

Mac A Tartan Tale Sneak Peak

So for the last couple months, ever since I saw the promo picture for this collection, I've been collecting photos and information like a magpie with shiny things. You've probably already guessed but it's: A Tartan Tale for this Holiday season.

Yep, thats the largest image of the Promo picture I can find. Bleh.
From Prettyaspeaches.blogspot.com

However, being a die-hard lover of my Scottish background, Scottish history and tartan in general (particularly my family one), I feel I have an excuse. 


Here's some of the product names:
Dazzleglass Cream- Radiant Jewels, Soft Dazzle, Gone Romancin', Passing Fancy, Lightly Prancing
Lipstick- Cut a Caper, Deepest Wish, The Faerie Glen, Courting Lilac, Full Fuschia
Pigment- Later, The Family Crest, Moonlight Night
Powder Blush- Her Blooming Cheek (bright medium pink), My Highland Honey (Peach)

A photo of another Promo image (so its bad quality) at the Venomous Villains debut in Taiwan.  This image is to give you a better idea of the actual colours of the palettes a bit as they differ between images.  From http://blog.fashionguide.com.tw/BlogD.asp?Num=25385&from=sn2

From Specktra.net member iheartmakeup. L: Moonlight Night, R: The Family Crest

From Specktra.net member Hergreyness, the centre hot pink colour is called Irish Red.

All three of the above pigments are described as having a smooth texture and a golden shimmer to them. Here are some swatches of them (same source for images as above):

Of these pigments they've been described by Hergreyness as a Glimmery Fuschia (Named Irish Red), a Bronze with gold shimmer and a black base, and a Purple with gold shimmer and a black base. There was another red mentioned as well that wasn't shown.

The blushes (note, I'm fairly positive the dates on these pictures are wrong, these are the correct items):

From Specktra.net member bbgillian. Her Highland Honey Blush.

Her Highland Honey Blush swatched.

Her Highland Honey blush is swatched above on NC25 skin, bbgillian mentions that it gives a lovely peachy glow but would be best on quite pale skin.

Also from Specktra.net member bbgillian, Her Blooming Cheek.

On the other hand, Her Blooming cheek is said to be the brightest hot pink blush we've seen to date from Mac, well pigmented and bright enough for any skin tone.

bbgillian swatch (NC25 skin)

bbgillian swatch of Her Blooming Cheek on hand, blended slightly.

Lip Products:

Gone Romancin' Dazzleglass Cream (Image from bbgillian)

Swatch of Gone Romancin' Dazzleglass Cream (bbgillian)

Cut A Caper Lipstick (bbgillian)

Cut a Caper is described as a candy pink, between this picture and the next you can tell that lighting plays a big part in how this colour appears (I'm quite excited to see it in real life!)

bbgillian's Cut A Caper in daylight.

UK Vogue shows The Faerie Glen lipstick off beside similar colours of other brands.

I'm thinking The Faerie Glen might be a nice Fall neutral colour but that all depends on how brown it appears on me in life.

The Sets (All from Musings of a Muse Blog):

From Specktra.net (Sorry I can't remember who translated/found this information) here's some more information on the sets.  All prices are estimates based off last years holiday sets. The main colours are pink, and tan for these.

• Each Pigment set has four pigments and one glitter vial, last year the price for a pigment set was $32.50 USD.
• Each Lipgloss set has 5 inside, they previously were sold for $29.50 USD
• Each eyeshadow palette has 6 shadows, the only name I can remember is the bottom left one which is called Tartan. They will also have a mini 213 brush with them. Cost should be around $36 USD
• Each Lip Bag will have a Tartan patterned bag, a full size dazzleglass lip gloss and a full size lipstick. Costs are estimated between $22.50 and $36 USD
• Mineral sets will come in the cute tins and contain a full size paint pot, a full sized mineralize eyeshadow, a full sized lip glass and a sample size zoom lash. $59.50 USD
• Each Blush palette has three blushes, a sheertone shimmer, a beauty powder, and a normal blush. $38 USD
• One brush set comes in a cross shoulder strap bag containing a small 275, 212, 227, 190 and 129 brush.
• The other brush set is in a similar tartan cross-shoulder strap bag with a small 209, 219, 252, 168, and 187 brush.
• The eye bag includes, a mini 209 brush, of course the neat tartan bag, a full size fluidline, a full size pigment jar and a sample Zoom lash mascara.

So, I hope you benefited from this, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm truly excited to see more swatches and I'd love to see more photos of some of the lip products (like Courting Lilac). What are you thoughts? Digging the Tartan look?

I'm Back! With Reallllly Bad Jet Lag.

Which pretty much means I'm not accomplishing too much other than sleeping, eating and bathing. However, I do have some ideas I just need to actually do for you. Here's some stuff you can look forward too:
- Clarisonic Mia review (and how it helped me on Safari!)
- Batiste Dry Shampoo review
- Gelous Base Coat
- Mac A Tartan Tale (Some Collection Info I've managed to scrounge up from the web)
- A look inspired by the Egyptian goose (with pictures :D)

So, I am working and excited to be back, but my sleep is all over the place and I have pictures to organize from my trip, still need to unpack, need to pack for moving back to school for the new semester and need to start writing my essay for the end of my field course.  I hope to get back into the spin of things soon! (though I must say having access to a shower and that shower having an adjustable temperature, isn't helping speed the process along!)