Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil & Photo Finish Foundation Primer

Press Sample (Affiliate Links)

I am currently smitten with two Smashbox Primers, and I often don't even bother with primers. One, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil, is a delectable oil-based serum that looks and feels like a luxury face oil, and the other, Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, is a more traditional silicone-based primer. While I am impressed by both, it is really the former that has captured my attention because of my penchant for luxurious oils.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil ($42.00 for 1 oz. from Smashbox, Sephora, Sephora in JCP, Nordstrom, Ulta, Dillard's and Macy's): If you love facial oils, then this is a primer that you really must try, and it has quickly become my favorite primer for that very reason. It is silicone-free, and therefore uses its oils to prep the skin and serve as a base for makeup. It is, essentially, a lovely face oil that just so happens to function as a wonderful face primer. It is ultra-lightweight and fast-absorbing and it leaves skin soft, supple moisturized and luminous. It unquestionably nourishes and moisturizes the skin, and offers a luminous base to increase the longevity of foundations. It has a very light aroma from the natural oils, but there is neither an artificial, nor a cloying scent that lingers. This is a really great option for someone who wants to use a primer that is free of silicone.

According to Smashbox,

An ultra-light, fast-absorbing oil that doubles as face primer to prep skin for flawless makeup application. It nourishes skin and gives you a radiant, youthful look with a dewy finish.

Features:

• Preps skin for makeup
• Moisturizes for seamless makeup application
• Instantly absorbs & adds radiance
• Reduces the appearance of dry fine lines
• Blended with 15 lipid-rich plant extracts & essential oils including moisturizing jojoba + calming chamomile
• Strengthens the skin's barrier
• Formulated without Paraben, Phthalates & Silicone
• Cruelty-free

Directions: Using fingertips, massage two drops onto clean skin. Use morning and night. Allow primer to absorb into skin before applying makeup. Use over makeup. Pat it above cheekbones for an extra dewy glow. Studio tip: Apply a few drops to split ends, cuticles, elbows and clavicle for a dewy, youthful sheen.

Ingredients: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Tocopherol, Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract, Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract\Extrait D'orge, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu) Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Rosa Canina (Rose) Fruit Oil, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil, Cholesterol, Water\Aqua\Eau, Polysorbate 60, Linoleic Acid, Linalool, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36.00 for 1 oz. from Smashbox, Sephora, Sephora in JCP, Nordstrom, Ulta, Dillard's and Macy's): If you are more of a primer traditionalist, and you desire that delectable velvety texture from silicone-based primers, then this primer gel is a really great choice. It is very lightweight, and oil-free, and it effortlessly glides across the skin leaving it so soft and smooth. It has no detectable scent, and it creates the perfect base for foundation. If, however, you either dislike, or are sensitive to, silicone-based primers– then this definitely is not the primer for you.

According to Smashbox,

This clear face primer gel smooths skin and blurs flaws. It was developed to help makeup look better and last longer on set.

Features:

• Makeup lasts hours & hours
• Fills in fine lines & pores instantly
• Glides on to give you a flawless finish
• Lightweight & oil-free
• Protects skin from environmental pollutants, damage & stress with antioxidants vitamin A, E and peptides
• Ideal for all skin types
• Cruelty-free

Directions: Smooth a layer over clean, moisturized skin. Let it set for 15 seconds. Wear alone or under makeup. Can also be used over makeup for touch-ups. Studio tip: Try it in your hair to tame frizzies.

Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trisiloxane, Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Extract, Cola Acuminata (Kola) Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Water\Aqua\Eau, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Propylene Glycol.

Overall Assessment: I am impressed by both of these primers, but if I had to choose a favorite it would definitely be the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil.  Given my deep and abiding love of facial oils, this primer really resonates with me. I also can't use silicone-based primers for too many days in a row since my skin becomes reactive to silicones when I use them too often, but I love it nonetheless. If you are unsure about purchasing either, I would suggest asking for a sample from Sephora or Nordstrom to test them out before purchasing.

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own (Affiliate Links).
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