Is it Worth it to Wear Primer – Does it Really Work?

Primers have always been used in the professional makeup world to give anyone a flawless finish, that would last. However, not many people actually believe in using these products for everyday use. Some don’t find it necessary and others don’t believe these products will actually hold makeup for a longer period of time. But, I am here to tell you that primers definitely do their job! It could benefit many CD and TG woman out there – if they just gave the right primers a chance. Trust me, I never used to wear a primer. I thought it was a waste of money, time, and I believed it wouldn’t make a difference. However, I was wrong and I now apply primer every day. I can really see the positive effects of this product when I come home from a long day and realize my makeup still looks flawless- hours after application.

A great primer will:

Work as a moisturizer to protect and invigorate skin throughout the day.
Create a surface that powders/foundation/concealer can adhere to easily.
Reduce excess oiliness from the skin (oil-free, anti-shine primer).
Seals pores.
Give your makeup a smooth, soft look.
Won’t irritate the skin, cause breakouts
Act as a sunblock – many primers include sunscreen
Prevent smudging or melting from the heat/perspiration throughout the day

Popular Primer Brands

Of course, different primers should be bought for different skin types, but these are the most common brands that customers seem to like.

1. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: $36

#1 FACE PRIMER BRAND IN THE USA*

Smashbox’s award Winning Photo Finish Primer! This product has won around 13 different awards for its outstanding performance.

This product is best for Oily T-zone skin, acne prone skin, everyday use, men and women.

2. Mac Prep + Prime: $31 each

These products work great as a primer/neutralizer. Great for CD and TG woman because you can hide your beard and prime with one product! This primer takes a step out of your makeup process which, is always great. Also, SPF 30!

Colors available:

ADJUST peachy beige
NEUTRALIZE yellow
ILLUMINATE lavender
RECHARGE apricot

These are also available in powder and compact form as well!

3. Mehron Skin Prep Pro: $11.95

Clearly, the more affordable out of the three primers, but still packs a punch when compared to MAC and Smashbox primers. This product works great for our clients because it really helps with perspiration. As many males know, we sweat a lot. So, finding a product that prevents sweating while also, increasing the wearability of your makeup is important.

It also works great on all skin types which is a big plus!

Miss Rana, our experienced makeup artist, has used all of these great primers before and has seen impressive results with these brands. It seems to be most successful on oily skin types and with protecting the makeup application from the effects of heat so that your femme face stays in place for longer. Most of the feedback and reviews for this product has been very positive. Give it a whirl and let us know how you get on [email protected].

How to Apply Primer

Carry out your daily facial cleansing regime as normal. After your skin is cleaned and dried, primer can be applied. Primers always go on your face before any makeup. Primers come in a gel form and are best applied using just your fingers so they melt into the skin. Most girls apply primer to the whole face but at the very least it should be applied to those areas where the makeup comes off most easily: chin, nose, eyelids, and forehead. However, for CD and TG women; be sure to apply primer to your neck as well. Be sure to allow time for the primer to ‘rest’ for a few minutes before you apply foundation.

Make Up Primer Part 2 – UPDATE

Wow! What a response we’ve had to our article on the wonders of primer and what it can do for your makeup. Thank you, to all of those who emailed us with their personal experiences with using primers and particularly, Janet for sending us ‘before’ and ‘after’ pics to compare – fantastic.

Of the leading brands mentioned it was clear that two names seemed to give the best results. Both, Smashbox and MAC Primers received rave reviews. Not even a single negative critique towards these primers. That is truly impressive. The only downside appears to be the $40 price tag for just 1 fl. oz. of Smashbox. The same fat price tag appears when browsing the Mac primer’s as well. Sometimes glamour can be costly and you have to weigh the pros and cons when deciding to spend your hard-earned cash.

With that in mind, we spent the last few weeks with some of our more experienced make-up friendly readers researching cheaper alternative. We not only managed to find a product less than $10, but it also performed equally as well as the leading brands.

Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel

So, what is this wonderful new miracle product available at more than 25% less than the leading brands: Monistat anti-chafing gel! Yes, we thought the same thing that I’m sure you’re thinking- “It has to be a joke” – but when more than one customer shared this little tidbit with us, we did more research. We found that GG’s and CD’s are using this product with the same fabulous results.

So, why does an anti-chafing gel work like a primer? If you peep the list of ingredients on the back of the bottle, all you budding chemists out there will notice that most of these agents are available in typical makeup primers:

Cyclopentasiloxane
dimethicone
dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone
crosspolymer
silica
tocopheryl acetate and
trisiloxane

The Monistat gel contains silicone the same as the other primers, and it’s the silicone that is the secret to a good primer. It helps to fill in any pores and any fine lines you have on your face, thus making your foundation go on smoother and last longer. The Monistat also contains Aloe and Vitamin E and lets the skin breathe – which is a good thing.

Despite what you may initially think, this product is absolutely not for use in or around the vagina. It’s to be used between a person’s legs or arms to prevent chaffing. Chaffing is when someone sweats and their thighs rub together, making the skin red and irritated. Using this product makes a smooth barrier between the thighs so the actual skin is not rubbing against each other. A word of warning, though; this is not the Monistat yeast infection cream; please don’t go rubbing that stuff on your face. As with any new product you may try, always test first on a small area of your skin other than your face in case you do have an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients.

And last but not least, the price. It’s less than $7 at your local WalMart! Give it a try and keep the makeup tips coming.