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Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer

I’ve heard and read a lot of mixed reviews about the Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer. I swatched it a while back at an Urban Decay masterclass. And from then, I was super intrigued, so I took the hit and picked it up from Debenhams.

First up, I really like the packaging of these UD primers (they come in different finishes). I always appreciate a pump when I’m spending a few bob on a product. I like that you can see how much product is in the bottle too. You get 28 mls for on average €29. So you’re getting a ml of product per euro. It contains rosehip and argan oil.

So what does the Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer claim to do? Well pretty much that. They say it blurs pores and fine lines. As well giving a velvet like texture to the skin to help foundation go on smoother. It gives the skin a bit of a pink tint. UD say this helps illuminate the skin. I think if you’re my skin tone or lighter that might be the case. But, if you’re darker, it could give a white cast to the skin, that might not be so flattering.

I really like this primer, it works really well for me. I do tend to use it only in my t-zone though. It’s thick in consistency and takes a bit of working in to the skin. I press it into my skin with the tips of my fingers.

The big no no that people say about it is that it balls up as you apply. That definitely can happen with a silicone heavy product like this if you use too much, or use it over a thicker moisturiser. They’re two things I tend to avoid on a daily basis so for the most part it blends out smoothly on my skin. It definitely glides over my enlarged pores and helps fill in my more prominent forehead lines. It gives a smooth base and foundation blends well over top. I find it does help with longevity too. I do always set my makeup with powder as well though.

It reminds me of a thicker Benefit Porefessional, with a drier finish on the skin. I find that as it is thicker, it goes further than Porefessional.

I can whole heartedly say I am happy enough that I spent the €29 on the Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer. It ticks all the primer boxes for me. My skin likes silicone heavy primers and this is definitely that with a more velvet finish. Have you tried it?

xxx

June 27, 2018/by Gem

Makeup

Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer

I have been using the Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer since just after Christmas on and off. It’s definitely been a hot minute. I’ve put off writing about it for ages, just because it took me this long to formulate a logical opinion on it.

I bought this along with the Bomb Baby Mini Lip And Face Set. I really like the gloss, I can understand the hype. Although I will say loads of brands have jumped on the pretty sparkly non sticky gloss band wagon now. So there’s many a lovely gloss out there to choose from now.

The Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer is said to be ‘A shine-stopping, pore-diffusing primer that smooths the way for better foundation application and longer wear with an instant retouch effect’. This description is basically what confuses me. Hear me out 🙂

This is obviously a description that would hook me with my skin being on the oiler side and having pores like craters in my t zone. I’ll start with the pros of this primer. The packaging is so lovely and the matte glass bottle feels so fancy in your hands. The pump is really easy to control. It has a really delicate , sweet scent. The formula is really light, blends really nicely and applies nearly like an extra layer of skincare. It dries down and leaves your skin feeling really soft.

Ok, this is where I get confused. For me, it doesn’t really control oil. I generally use it in conjunction with another more hardy primer like Benefit Porefessional. I apply the the Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer all over and the other primer in my t zone where I know it just won’t cut the mustard. Just because I like how it feels and, well I have it and spent a decent amount of money on it. It also doesn’t do anything for my enlarged pores either, so that were Porefessional comes too.

If they had of marketed this primer towards drier skin types, I could completely concur with the consistency and how it feels. But saying it’s a pore diffusing, shine stopping primer doesn’t really make any sense to me.

Overall, I think it’s nice and it doesn’t put me off the brand at all, this was just a kind of a miss because it doesn’t do what it says on the tin.

The Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer is available from Harvey Nichols in store and online here now.

Have you tried anything from the Fenty range yet? I’d love to know your thoughts.

xxx

May 2, 2018/by Gem

Makeup, Youtube Video

Benefit The Porefessional Pore Minimizing Makeup

I jumped in at the deep end with the new Benefit The Porefessional Pore Minimizing Makeup.

This very cute package arrived the other day from Benefit with all four products from the range.

I thought I would do a complete first impressions video using everything including the new Benefit The Porefessional Pore Minimizing Makeup.

I’ve used the Benefit The Porefessional Primer many times before over the years and do really like it. So, my first impressions are of the other three products that are newer in the range. The Matte Rescue, Agent Zero Shine and the Pore Minimizing Makeup that was the whole point of the press release 🙂

Obviously you don’t have to buy all four products, they are pretty pricey! But if you do, I go through and use all four step by step. And also, I don’t read the instructions on the makeup and do a really bad blogger job of showing it in action 🙂 I think I make a pretty decent comeback in the end though so don’t judge me on that, k?

Here’s a before and after of the first three products minus powder and obviously eyes and brows done aswell.

Then here is my skin with all four products applied with the added makeup accoutrements 🙂

If you click on the video either above or directly on my YouTube channel here, you can see them all in action one by one, my first impressions and how my makeup fared throughout the day. I do a check in after wearing them for about six hours.

The whole Benefit The Porefessional range is available from Benefit retailers nationwide with the Pore Minimizing Makeup coming this month. You can have a closer look at the products on the Boots website here. Anything take your fancy?

Gemma

xxx *****PR SAMPLE****

May 5, 2017/by Gem

Makeup

Barry M Flawless Original Primer

I’m not afraid to admit it, I am a makeup primer junkie. My life (nor my makeup) would be complete without it. So I am always on the look out for new ones to try. The Barry M Flawless Original Primer caught my eye in Boots a couple of months back. There is three primers to choose from in the Flawless range. They have a green one to help with redness and then a purple one to that is supposed to help with brightening the complexion. The original seemed the most suited to me, although they do say it suits all skin types.

I always enjoy a pump on a product. Not great when you’re nearing the end of it and want to get your monies worth, I know. But until you reach that point, it’s super handy.

The Barry M Flawless Original Primer is white is colour and has quite a wet texture when applied to the skin initially. It nearly feels like lotion.The first listed ingredient in it is Cyclopentasiloxane which is a type of silicone even though it doesn’t feel like your typical silicone primer.It also smells really nice and fresh!

Barry M say it’s for all skin types, pore minimising, smoothing and mattifying. Perhaps I’m wrong but I am guessing people with a drier skin probably wouldn’t be too interested into mattifying their skin any more than it already is?

On me, the Barry M Flawless Original Primer is somewhat smoothing and somewhat mattifying.

Clean moisturised skin

One pump on my foundation brush

I dab it onto the centre of my face and buff outwards

After application

My skin isn’t as shiny and does feel smoother after I’ve applied the Barry M Flawless Original primer and I’ve let it settle into my skin, but I don’t notice any major diminishing to my pores. Makeup does apply easily over the top of it, although if you have larger pores like me, you have to really buff your foundation in to make them look less noticeable. Whereas if I use a a primer with a more gel like consistency like the Smashbox Photo Ready, or one of my very favourites the Benefit Porefessional, they tend to help fill the pores in so you get a much smoother application. The Flawless primer does help the longevity of my makeup though, which is I guess is the main reason why we use a primer!

I picked up the Barry M Flawless Origninal Primer from Boots in store and of course you can buy it online too here. It costs €8.99.

So enable me…what’s your favourite primer? 🙂 xxx

June 5, 2016/2 Comments/by Gem

Skincare

Review Image Ormedic Balancing Eye Lift Gel

I am reviewing Image Skincare’s Ormedic Balancing Eye Life Gel. I love Image Skincare. It is definitely not cheap but they do some lovely products. I love their Iluma range, especially the Intense Brightening Serum.

I have the Balancing Eye Cream a while now and have been using it everyday.

Image say that this is a balancing, hydrating and lifting eye gel with organic ingredients and medical effectiveness. Multi-peptide formula reverses the signs of ageing. This eye gel is marketed towards all skin types. I am turning 30 very soon (the panic is starting to kick in, believe me) and so eye cream has become a staple in my skincare. As I am not a morning person I have been enjoying using Benefit’s Puff Off most mornings which I reviewed here not too long ago. So, I have been using the Eye Lift Gel in the evenings, it is recommended to use for both occasions though.

I love the packaging of this eye gel, the product comes out of a pump, and for me, one pump per eye is enough.

Although it is a gel, it has a creamy consistency so does feel hydrating on the skin which some gels don’t always do. I can get dry under my eyes so I am very glad of this. It has a pleasant smell and rubs into the skin really easily, leaving behind pretty much no residue. Some eye creams can leave behind a tacky sensation, which really isn’t very pleasant. The Ormedic Balancing Eye Lift Gel doesn’t though, it sinks in really well. Although I am heading into my 3rd decade on this planet…yuck. I have oily skin, I get spots galore, but wrinkles (so far) have been kind to me. I do notice after using the Balancing Eye Lift Gel that the area around my orbital bone feels soft and nourished.

I can’t really say it reverses the signs of ageing, I don’t think any product really can, but it is a lovely eye cream and is lovely to use for more preventative measures. We can all get behind that mentality 🙂

xxx

April 1, 2015/by Gem

Posts

I can whole heartedly say I am happy enough that I spent the €29 on the Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer. It ticks all the primer boxes for me. My skin likes silicone heavy primers and this is definitely that with a more velvet finish. Have you tried it?

xxx

The Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer is available from Harvey Nichols in store and online here now.

Have you tried anything from the Fenty range yet? I’d love to know your thoughts.

xxx

I jumped in at the deep end with the new Benefit The Porefessional Pore Minimizing Makeup.