little white truths

I bought this travel-sized Hourglass primer because I absolutely loved the product when it was applied to my face during a makeup application, but I couldn't bear the thought of dropping $100 on a primer so I went for this 8ml version.

From memory I paid $29 for it (it's gone up since then), which has ended up being a better-value purchase than I first thought because you only use the tiniest bit each time - about half the amount or even a third of other primers.

I also don't use it every day but instead save it for special occasions or when my skin needs some extra TLC, so this little bottle has lasted me months so far and I've barely made a dent in it.

So if I end up buying the travel-size every year or so because I would never get through the full-size fast enough, it doesn't end up being a huge expense for me - something to consider if you've had your eye on this or the fabled Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer. Yes they're expensive, but you don't need to hand over a huge wad of cash for the full size if you're not going to use it every day.

Verdict

This stuff is just divine. I can't remember the last time I used something this luxe and hydrating: while I've got plenty of hydrating products for my dry skin, this primer is in a class of its own.

It's a thick oil serum that has a faint smell - I smell a touch of lemon and something fresh - but it's not strongly fragranced so the scent shouldn't bother most people. 

One pump is enough for your whole face, although you wouldn't quite believe that when you see it because one pump is about the size of a swollen grain of rice. The product does warm and spread on impact with the skin (so it spreads to about two grains of rice in size), but that's all you need. Honestly, I've used eye creams that require more product per application than this primer, meaning it's better value than you might think, given the whopping price tag.

No other primer I've used hydrates my dry skin like this does. At the moment my skin is dry and flaky around my mouth and nose, which makes foundation application a complete nightmare because I wind up with foundation-coloured flakes on my face. Unless I use this product. When I use this, my dry skin suddenly becomes beautifully nourished. This means the primer is a perfect base for makeup, although I do wonder whether it would suit those with oily skin.

Because this hydrates so well, it also means I need less of my base product when I use it because my skin doesn't 'cling' to product as it does when it's dry. This of course makes for a more natural look, and that's the look I prefer.

On the product claims: yes it nourishes and prepares your skin for makeup application; yes it's silky and lightweight; yes it's hydrating and it absorbs well; and yes it softens the appearance of fines lines and wrinkles. I can't say whether it makes my makeup last longer because makeup tends to cling to dry skin like mine anyway, and I can't tell you what it's like as a hair serum because there's no way I'd use a drop of an expensive product like this on my hair!

In sum, I love this product and I absolutely recommend it. I don't recommend buying it without testing it first since it's so expensive (!), but do pick up a sample or test it in-store if you can.

Amazing. I've given it an HG tag.