little white truths

I received this primer as a GWP just before Laura Mercier packed up and left Australia, and at the end of August I decided to put it on my Project Pan list because it's a travel-size and it won't take long to finish. 

I've been using it every day since then, and while I haven't had much luck with Laura Mercier's face products so far (I'm struggling to use the Candleglow Foundation as we speak), this primer is excellent and I'm glad I bought two other Laura Mercier primers while I could: if this primer works for me and it's not designed for my dry skin, I have high hopes for the two that are.

Laura Mercier claims/product details:

• Our specialist primer for blemish-prone skin
• Flawless makeup application plus a clearer complexion
• Oil-free formula balances the benefits of our primers with the needs of skin that's prone to blemishes and breakouts
• Creates a smooth, even surface for flawless makeup application
• Helps improve the appearance of blemishes, control shine breakthrough and minimise the look of pores
• Lightweight, soothing, water-based gel includes salicylic acid and other blemish-minimising ingredients for a significant improvement in blemishes after 4 weeks of use (based on a 4 week clinical efficacy study conducted on 30 subjects)
• Non-drying formula keeps skin in balance
• Helps makeup glide on easily and last longer, so your look stays fresh and colour-true for hours
• Unlike traditional primers that are overloaded with silicone smoothers, our primers are water-based and include a minimal concentration of the lightest silicones: that's why they feel fresh and lightweight, and why they work as well as they do
• Ideal for normal to oily and blemish-prone skin types
• Oil-free, non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested
• RRP $38 USD for 50ml

What I should note from the outset is that I don't have blemish-prone skin because I'm dry, so I can't tell you whether this reduces blemishes within a period of four weeks because I don't get many of those (although I do get little bumps along my chin that generally respond to chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid).

What I can say, though, is that my skin has been relatively clear while I've been using this, and while I can't say that this product is responsible for that (to be honest I think it's the skincare I'm using), what I will say is that I agree that this product doesn't clog pores in the way that some primers do.

Verdict

I really like this primer and I recommend it, and I have dry skin so it's not designed for me - meaning I'm looking forward to trying the two Laura Mercier primers I own that are designed for my skin.

It's a lightweight gel product with a barely detectable, gel-like scent that shouldn't bother most people. It's quite sticky in texture but it spreads and applies beautifully, and it feels really smoothing on the skin.

It leaves behind a tacky finish that's perfect for makeup application because it helps my products adhere. I can also see and feel that it creates a smooth canvas, and it sits beautifully under makeup.

I also think that it makes my makeup last a bit longer. That's rare for me because I normally use hydrating primers that help my skin more than they help longevity, and I also use tinted moisturisers that have a tendency not to last as long as foundations. But this primer gives me an hour or so more out of my base, so my face looks a little better towards the end of the day than it did before.

On the claims: yes this creates a smooth, even surface for makeup application; yes it minimises the look of pores; yes it's lightweight and soothing; yes it's non drying; and yes it helps makeup glide on easily and last longer.

As for the claims about what it does for blemish-prone skin in terms of reducing shine and minimising blemishes, I can't comment on those because I have dry skin, but I'm certainly prepared to believe it's effective because it meets all its other claims and it's had such great reviews.

Overall I think this is an excellent primer and I recommend it. It helps my makeup last longer and look smoother, and I'm enjoying using it.

Worth trying.