After Claire’s brilliant post yesterday (about the dark side of Instagram), it feels a bit wrong to be diving in with a beauty product review. Because, you know, the issues I have with primer are definitely up there in terms of importance. While I’m throwing myself willy nilly back into beauty blogging, I do recommend you give her post a read and let us know what you think.
So.
As usual, I’ve managed to get caught up in the hype of Maybelline’s ‘Baby’ range. I’m not sure what it is about this bandwagon, but ever since the Baby Lips fiasco (which, lets be honest, was just Vaseline in nicer packaging), we’ve all been keen to see what Maybelline would bring out next. When the Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer (HOW MANY WORDS) popped up on beauty blogs and in stores, I was like “yes, get on my face”. I hurled myself to Boots as soon as I possibly could and bought it. What a mistake.
I worry that Claire and I are becoming a bit too free with our bad reviews (check out our From Bag to Bin post as an example), but the fact is we like to complain and if something isn’t right, we will most definitely share it with you. And probably use quite a few adjectives in the process.
I am just not impressed with this primer at all. AT ALL I TELL YOU. As a serial primer user, I’ve used a lot of different products over the years. From high street to high end, I’m casually working my way through what’s on the market to find the best primer out there. Unfortunately, Maybelline’s offering is way, way, way down my list.
Maybelline has described it as a “lightweight primer” for “smooth, poreless looking skin”. Personally, I like to use primers for both keeping makeup on my face for longer and reducing the size of my face caverns pores. So, the fact that Maybelline haven’t mentioned much about it making makeup last rang a few warning bells in my tiny head. While I agree that pores are a terrible problem that many of us struggle to deal with, I don’t really see the point of a primer that doesn’t help makeup length in any way. And unfortunately, the Baby Skin Primer doesn’t do anything for helping my foundation last. I still find myself powdering my shiny bits throughout the day and lasting wise, things still look a bit on the worrying side by the time I get home from work.
Another one of my problems with the Baby Skin Primer is the way it feels. I put a picture up on our Instagram the other day and mentioned that I found it quite greasy. With oily skin, I really hate anything that feels remotely greasy on my skin so I wasn’t massively keen on how it felt initially. Also, the gel is quite stiff, which is a bit odd when you squeeze it from the tube. After our blogger pal Imogen mentioned it felt ‘silicone-y’, I realise that is exactly what it’s like (partly because it does actually contain silicone) – it doesn’t feel nice and fresh like other primers, but rather like you’re smearing solid petrol on your face.
So…apart from it being like petrol and generally rubbish, what are the good points? Fair play to Maybelline, it does help to reduce the size of my pores. As that is supposed to be the main aim of the product, it does do quite well and it gives a nice ‘blur’ effect to my features. However, I’ve found that other primers do the job better (Seventeen’s Flawless Poreless Primer for example) and there’s no way by the Queen’s pantaloons that I would go out just wearing Baby Skin. For that, I would rather use the magical Skin Perfect Primer by Dermalogica and rest assured that my face looks mega.
This may even be the most damning review I’ve written to date (although Barry M’s TRAGIC AND WRONG Eyebrow Pen might come close), but I will finish with this: it is not a dupe for Benefit’s Porefessional. It’s not a dupe for anything, apart from maybe the tears of an Orangutan.
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OMG I was so close to buying this today at lunch. So glad I didn’t now! x
Haha, it really isn’t doing anything for me – I’ve read some good reviews of it and some people have been really keen for it, but unfortunately I absolutely hate it. The silicone thing is annoying too, apparently it helps to unclog pores but there are enough people around who can’t use silicone products for it to seem a bit unwise!
If you do end up buying it, I’d be really keen to hear your thoughts!! xxxxx
Haha I love your style of writing! It’s a shame you didn’t like the primer though x
Sweet Dreams
Aww thanks! Absolutely love it when people say that, you’re so lovely 🙂 Haha yeah, I’m a bit gutted! It was £8 too! xxxx
Its crap that its rubbish, I wasn’t going to buy it because it didn’t say anything about making make up last longer and thats what I look for in a primer. x
fabheadtotoe.blogspot.co.uk
Yeah, it unfortunately is a bit useless and I’m definitely the same – totally recommend the Dermalogica Skin Perfect primer if you’re keen to spend a bit of money – it’s amazing 🙂 xxxx
Yeah I defo didn’t think this would be any good especially for my skin type I just thing these silicone, gel primers just do nothing for pores or oily skin, if anything they just make my make up slide off even more through out the day, so glad I avoided this x
http://subjectbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/
Yeah, I definitely felt like my makeup would just slide off, this primer creates a bit of a layer between your skin and makeup, which is definitely not what you want. I also really didn;t like how greasy it was! It doesn’t seem like a good idea to put silicone in primers, it feels so wrong on the face xxxx
I have read so many good reviews about this, it almost seemed too good to be true! I definitely agree that a primer is there to ensure your make up stays for longer and this was the one thing putting me off about it as no one seemed to mention this at all; it seems a bit pointless to me! 🙂 P.S Your style of writing is so good, I love it! x
Yeah, I’d read loads of good reviews on this too – especially from the bigger bloggers! Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me – I also need a primer that keeps makeup on my face (oily skin is a nightmare!!) Aww thank you so much, what a lovely comment!! xxxx
I like your bad reviews, saves me wasting my money. I actually only use primer for my pores, I dint wear foundation. Not sure about the greenness of this though, will stick with benefit
Lauren
livinginaboxx
Haha thanks! You can rest assured that there will be more to come when I invest my money unwisely 🙂 I can’t believe you don’t wear foundation, your skin must be so lovely!! I couldn’t live without mine xxxx
I like hearing about the bad stuff, too, it saves wasting money and it shows readers you’re always honest! 🙂
Sophie
http://what-sophie-said.blogspot.co.uk/
xxx
Yeah I agree – not all reviews can be positive, nobody likes every product 🙂 xxxx
Glad I’ve read this – refreshing to hear when things aren’t as good as well, sometimes feel like I’m reading constant adverts for things!
Yeah I totally agree, you can’t like every product! Although I know some bloggers prefer to only write about the products they like 🙂 Thanks for your comment lovely xxxx
Greasy primer is just a no-no!!
Kerry @ little bit of luxury
Ugh, I know! What on earth is the point?? xxxx