little white truths

As you may know, I bought a few Laura Mercier products before the brand packed up and left Australia, and this was one of them.

Indeed, I bought two primers and also received a third as a GWP - which was a bit naughty of me because I've been desperately trying to reduce my primer collection this year - but I'm happy with the two I've tried so far and I don't regret it.

This is the sunscreen primer, which I bought because I'd finished my facial sunscreen and I was able to buy this with a good discount code, plus we're coming into summer now so it's the right primer for this time of year.

I like it. I'm not sure I would buy it again because I would prefer to just use a facial sunscreen and go in with a standard primer, but I do think it's a good product and I've been enjoying it. More on that below.

Laura Mercier claims/product details:

• The ideal blend of priming and protection
• Creates a smooth, even surface for flawless makeup application while helping to minimise the look of pores, fine lines and imperfections
• With UVA/UVB broad spectrum sunscreen and an antioxidant vitamin complex that helps protect skin against the harmful, ageing effects of the environment
• Feels weightless on skin
• Non-chalky, oil-free and hydrating
• 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, Laura Mercier primers are water-based and include a minimal concentration of the lightest silicones: that's why they feel fresh and lightweight, and work as well as they do
• Gives skin a natural, dewy finish with invisible coverage 
• Ideal for normal to dry skin types
• Non-comedogenic; dermatologist-tested
• RRP $38 USD for 50ml, but do shop around

Verdict

This is a nice primer and I'm enjoying using it, although my issue with primers that contain sunscreen is that you don't typically apply enough to get the benefit of that sunscreen (you need a whole teaspoon of sunscreen just for your face), meaning you'll still need to apply a dedicated sunscreen underneath it to ensure you're really protected.

It's a cream-coloured product that smells a little like sunscreen, but the scent isn't strong so it shouldn't bother most people. It spreads and applies well, and a little goes a long way although I tend to use double the amount that I would with any other primer - just to make sure that I'm properly protected from the sun.

What I like about this is that it's very lightweight so it doesn't feel like a greasy sunscreen. For this reason I think it should suit those who don't like heavy products or who perhaps have oily skin and are struggling to find something with sun protection that doesn't feel like it chokes the skin.

The other thing I like about this product is that it dries down to a tacky finish so it's great for hanging on to makeup. I'm not sure I've come across a sunscreen product before that does this, so it gets points on that front because it's been well-formulated.

It also leaves a slight, dewy finish that isn't oily so it works well for my dry skin and I can see it working for normal to oily skin too because it's not too shiny. Plus it doesn't feel as though it clogs pores and it's thin enough that it sits well under makeup.

Note, though, that I don't think it does much for longevity, and while it helps create a smooth canvas for makeup, I don't think it does anything extra and I can't necessarily tell that I've used this once I've got my tinted moisturiser or foundation on. So I reckon that you'd buy this for the sunscreen factor alone (including the fact that it's not greasy): I don't think you'd buy it for the priming factor because it's not a stand-out in that department.

Overall I think this is a good product and it's lovely to come across a sunscreen that's lightweight, non greasy and that doesn't clog pores, but it's not a stand-out in terms of its priming abilities so if you're after a fantastic primer, I would look elsewhere and buy a standard facial sunscreen instead.

Lovely, but not a repurchase for me.