prime time

Ever notice how the word prime makes common things that much better? Prime time TV, prime beef, Prime 112 (kobe beef sliders por favor...) Well that's exactly what face primer does for your face...it simply makes it better. I don't wear this daily, I like to let me face breath once in awhile. I do like to wear primer, though, for special occasions....which for me just means grabbing drinks at the local watering hole. That's special enough.  So what do I look for in a primer? Well I am not the biggest fan of silicone primers. Yuck. They do make your skin feel soft but they feel weird on my face and I feel like your makeup doesn't last as long as sans primer. BUT if you have a lot of fine lines and wrinkles silicone primers will settle into those lines better than lotion based primers and for that they serve their great purpose. I do have a favorite for those wanting to disguise those smile and laugh lines (don't run to get fillers, it just means you've lived a happy life) Remember, apply your regular moisturizer on first and wait a couple minutes and then put on your face primer. Let the face primer settle in before you put on your foundation...it sounds like a lot on your face but since they're all lotions they blend in well.

Here are primers that work and that make grabbing my vodka/soda's a little more fun...

Tarina Tarantino - Pearl Glow Primer $32.00 I was hesitant to try this because I seriously thought who the hell is Tarina Tarantino and why does she suddenly have a makeup line. Well, that was until Sephora sent me a sample of this little gem. It gives you a luminous glow without looking like you just slathered glitter on your face to hit up the local rave. Your skin looks healthy. Another tip with this stuff is if you don't want to put the primer on your face you can mix it into your foundation to get a subtle glow. You can get it at Sephora (obviously) or here's the link to Amazon

TARINA TARANTINO Pearl Glow Primer Pearl

Smasbox- 2 in 1 Luminizing Primer $19.95 (at Amazon only) This stuff will last you for all of eternity. It better, if not you're putting WAY too much on that beautiful face of yours. It squirts out 2 different things. One is Smashbox's infamous silicone primer and the other is their luminzer. Pretty ah-mazing. The annoying thing is sometimes it doesn't squirt it out evenly. Don't let that stop you from purchasing it. I mean seriously we can all figure out to squeeze which side we need more if that happens, right?  You cannot wear this stuff alone. The luminizer really makes your face look, well, luminized. You will probably hate me when you put it on....but then you will put your foundation on over it (don't race to the bathroom and wash your face... trust me) and you might even send me flowers (tulips are my fave) Your skin will look perfect. I have put this on my friends who never wear primers and barely ever wear foundation and they have obsessed about it and ordered it.  I only wear this stuff if I'm going somewhere a little fancier than my local watering hole...

Smashbox MUSE Hybrid 2 in 1 Luminizing Primer, Bare Canvas .98 fl oz (29 ml)

Fresh- Rose Freshface Primer $36.00 This is for all my "green" friends. I know we obsess about the ingredients we put on our face....and I agree it's very important.  I hate cheap fillers like Mineral Oil and Petrolatum (check your grocery store lotions guaranteed they have these devil ingredients) This is a little disclaimer (and extremely nerdy science talk) There is a difference with a product being "topical" (which is all make up and lotions) versus being "transdermal" (which is usually prescription drugs) Topical means it stays on your skin and doesn't enter your bloodstream. Transdermal is systemic and it enters your blood stream. So don't be too obsessive of having to buy everything natural. However, I am aware that skin is our body's largest organ so we should treat it with respect (I'm still working on finding more respect for my liver, whatever you know you are too...) Alright,my greenies, this is fragrance and paraban free. It is extremely lightweight and it smoothes your skin and still gives you a dewy glow. This primer is excellent for those days you don't want to wear makeup. Your skin will glow and you will feel that much more confident being naked in front of the world! Purchase it at Sephora or Amazon!

Fresh Rose Freshface Primer 1 oz (30 ml)

Clarins- Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch $32.00 This is the stuff you want to hide those beautiful smile and laugh lines. If you don't have perfectly smooth skin this amazing product will really help smooth it out.  It looks like a small amount when you get it but please remember you only have to use very little. This is perfect if you just want to put it around your eye area too (it also works as a eye shadow primer) Sephora and Amazon carry this great product line! This is a primer you can use daily since it doesn't have any luminizing qualities. Which you could always buy the primer and then buy a separate luminzer to put in with your foundation or to just highlight areas of your face.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, 0.5-Ounce Box

 I hope this helped a bit in the face primer world. I know all of a sudden every single makeup company has come out with their own primers! Another great primer if you have redness or yellow undertones is the  Make Up For Ever HD primer http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P217906 There are six different ones to choose from and it gives a description next to each one regarding what skin concern you are looking to fix. I own this one too (shocker, right) and you will not be disappointed.

If you want a flawless makeup application and are wanting to enhance your skin this really is essential.

xx

Liz