It’s Primer Time! Review & Compare FLOWER, SMASHBOX and E.l.f!

So i wanted to talk about different face primers today! I have three here we are going to compare and review. I also have swatches to show you differences in consistency & texture, and swatches of color over the primers. If you’re interested, keep reading!

Primer 101

 When it comes to using a primer, a lot goes a long way no matter what brand you use. You’re trying to achieve light coverage as a base for your makeup to hold onto to, and you want to start from the center of your face and work outwards.

How does primer work?

• Evens/smoothes out your skins imperfections
• Enlongates the wear of your makeup

Are there different kinds of primers?

Yes! Hydrating/moisturizing primers for dry skin, matte primers for more oil prone skin, anti aging primers for creased/aged skin, discoloration correcting primers for skin imperfections/birth marks, neutral primers for combination skin etc.

When to apply a primer

In between applying your moisturizer & your makeup/foundation.

Can i use face primer for my eyeshadow?

There are different types of primers for different areas of your face. For the most part eyelid primers cannot be used as face primer, because of its thicker texture. However, most face primers can be used as eye primers. So YES! As long as the ingredients are safe to use near your eyes.

Now, here are some swatches for you to check out:

Here you can see the texture, color etc. of these primers. Here is my opinion on each since i am able to actually feel the consistency of them, smell them etc..

FLOWER Perfecting Primer: Extremely slick, applies nicely, moisturizing, smells fresh and clean like a face wash.

SMASHBOX Photo Finish: Velvety soft texture, smooth, matte. virtually no smell detected.

E.l.f Pore-less Primer: Texture is a lot like a face lotion. Application appears more like a thicker creme, or sunscreen. Smell is a bit unusual, like astringent/sunscreen. May be bothersome to some people.

Here are some examples of the same eyeshadow over the three separate primers after they have dried. (I used eyeshadow since foundation would be much harder for you all to see)

As you can see above, FLOWER’s primer really made that color bold and it stuck smoothly and evenly to the primer swatch beneath it. SMASHBOX’s primer has created a more natural lighter look to this color, but none the less smooth and nice in appearance. Finally, E.l.f’s primer seemed like it clumped the color in some areas, and was lighter in other spots. Don’t know if i’ll be using this one again, being the cheapest of the three i sort of expected it. So, in regards to applying foundation over these primers, FLOWER’s will really give you a full face & even dewy look, SMASHBOX’s will give you a overall more natural looking matte face. I would not recommend purchasing E.l.f’s.

Thanks for reading!

❤