I think we all have heard about this primer at one place or another. One day, Jeffree Star did comparison of this primer with the Tatcha Silk Canvas and the whole internet lost their mind.
We all know, e.l.f. is available in Czech Republic now, yeeey, and I decided to get this primer online, because it was sold out in stores non-stop! So yeah, I bought it to see what the hype is about and if it's actually any good.
It was 249 Crowns, which is quite a lot for me to give for a primer, and you get 12g of product. Looking at it, it looks like a lot of product, because you won't be applying too much of it anyway. It's infused with squalane, which I love in my makeup remover, which also helps grip the makeup to your skin, protects skin from moisture loss, and it creates smooth poreless effect.
I like squalane so far, because I have Squalance Cleanser from The Ordinary and I love the way it makes my skin feel. I've never used it in a form which is stuck to my face and not being washed off. So we'll see how it works. It's also cruelty-free and vegan formula.
It feels very smooth and almost cooling to the touch. I expected it to be a little more silicone-like and slick, but it's actually more hydrating and it feels overall very nice. I saw some people apply it with their fingers, some people with a brush. It's important not to overapply it, because it may cause some unwanted things like bunching up or pilling off.
I also like the packaging, it's pretty sleek and simple. The surface of the product gets a little dirty when you're not careful, so watch out not to get any hairs or fibers stuck in it.
Application
Applying this product can get a little tricky and I have a few tips on that. I've been using it for a couple months now and there are several ways I like to apply it.
The most simple one is just with my clean fingers. I graze the top of it and gently press and rub it into my skin. It's easy to overapply, so I just go a couple times to cover the area where my pores look bigger.
Another way is using the Tati Beauty Blendiful or another tool similar to it, such as powder puff. It's easy to use when you want to press something into your skin and make it flawless and not waste a lot of product. I take it directly from the pot and press it in. It works like a charm.
Wear test
I do not wear test primers very often, because it's hard to see if there's any difference. However, this one is supposed to blurr your pores and that's something that is absolutelly visible after a long day. Some pore blurring primers don't last at all and some really can make a difference. I decided to do a one day wear test and apply the primer on just one half of my face to see the difference after the whole day.
List of used products
e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer
RL de Young Dewy and Fresh Primer
Flormar Mattifying BB Cream, shade 01 Fair
Maybelline SuperStay Under-eye Concealer, shade 15 Light
183days Face Baking Powder, shade Bake to Perfect
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, shade 001 Transparent
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, shade Soft Brown
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Gel, shade Soft Brown
Benefit Highbrow Pencil
Sephora Universal Tinted Eye Primer
Tati Beauty Textured Neutrals vol. 1 Pallete
e.l.f No Budge Shadow Stick, shade Bronze Metal
Benefit Roller Lash, shade Black
Physician's Formula Butter Bronzer, shade Bronzer
Colourpop Pressed Powder Blush, shade Lunar Has It
W7 Very Vegan Highlighting Powder, shade Nature's Glow
Revolution PRO Supreme Hold Finishing Spray
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb, shade Fenty Glow
There was a little bit of difference after I applied just the foundation. The side with the primer was a tiny bit more blurred, but certainly not as much as with some of my other products. I applied it with my fingers, pressing it into the skin as much as I could to make sure it's filling the pores as much as possible.
The foundation applied the same on both sides and they both feel the same and look very similar. One doesn't look much more blurred than the other.
Wear time 11 hours
I would say that this primer really doesn't do much in terms of pore blurring. Both sides look almost the same and the foundation is starting to sink into my pores on both sides. One thing I was worried about with this primer is that it's going to make my base makeup slide around, That's not the case and I also feel like it makes my face pretty hydrated through the day. The BB cream I had on today is quite matte and when I don't use it with hydrating primer it usually makes me super dry by the end of the day. That tells me that the moisture keeping claims might be more true than the pore blurring ones.
Final thoughts
I have mixed feelings about this one to be honest. First of all, don't expect miracles. It's not going to blur your pores very well and it's not similar to your typical smoothing silicone primer. So in this department, it failed for me.
However, as just a primer, it works nice. The thing is, I really like the texture and the sensation of applying it. The glidey and cooling formula is really neat and as a primer it keeps the makeup on and makes your face hydrated. If you have super dry skin, it might not be enough, but if you have normal-combo and you need a little extra moisture help, this will do the trick.
It's really all about the preference, if you like an idea of this primer and you don't really expect it to blur and more like the fact that it's pretty much a solid slightly moisturizing primer, sure, go get it. If you're looking for a Porefessional type vibe, don't buy it. It's not going to break the bank, but it's probably going to last you a very long time so I would recommend getting it only if you're sure you will get a good use our of it.
What are your thoughts on this viral primer? I honestly still don't fully know, it's making me confused. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and thanks for reading!