Primer primer
April 10, 2010 7:03 PM Subscribe
Cosmetics experts: will primer destroy my face?
I finally thought I had the perfect skin routine down. Gentle cleanser in the shower, extremely rich moisturizer for my combination skin, then a light coat of Bare Minerals. I LOVE Bare Minerals. It feels light on my face, and true to the commercials, I can sleep in it. I'm a frequent napper, and while I try my best to wash everything off before crashing, I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that I will fall asleep in my makeup every now and then. My current routine allows for this with little punishment. I used to use thicker, creamier foundation, and paid for it with breakouts on my chin every time I forgot to wash it off. Those days are gone!
However! I recently picked up Rimmel's Fix and Perfect primer on a whim, and I like it. I can use about half as much foundation for the same coverage, it stays on longer, and my pores appear smaller when it's on. I'm worried that this is going to screw up my system and I'll start breaking out when I forget to remove it. Is this a legit concern? Would upgrading to a better primer mitigate such concerns? I'm open to other brand suggestions, as the Rimmel stuff does smell funky in the tube.
I finally thought I had the perfect skin routine down. Gentle cleanser in the shower, extremely rich moisturizer for my combination skin, then a light coat of Bare Minerals. I LOVE Bare Minerals. It feels light on my face, and true to the commercials, I can sleep in it. I'm a frequent napper, and while I try my best to wash everything off before crashing, I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that I will fall asleep in my makeup every now and then. My current routine allows for this with little punishment. I used to use thicker, creamier foundation, and paid for it with breakouts on my chin every time I forgot to wash it off. Those days are gone!
However! I recently picked up Rimmel's Fix and Perfect primer on a whim, and I like it. I can use about half as much foundation for the same coverage, it stays on longer, and my pores appear smaller when it's on. I'm worried that this is going to screw up my system and I'll start breaking out when I forget to remove it. Is this a legit concern? Would upgrading to a better primer mitigate such concerns? I'm open to other brand suggestions, as the Rimmel stuff does smell funky in the tube.
It's different for different brands and people, so just try it and see what happens. Worst case scenario is you get crappy skin for a week.
Personally, whether or not a make-up makes me break out depends on the brand: for example, no matter what MAC stuff I put on my face nothing bad happens, but if I use the same sort of thing from another brand -- like liquid foundation from Revlon instead of liquid foundation from MAC -- I break out. How often I wash my face seems to have no effect on this; if something makes me break out, it does it whether I'm religious about washing it off at night or not. Since switching to MAC I frequently get compliments on my skin and not only do I have naturally oily skin, I never wash my make-up off at night, and some days I don't wash my face at all. I nearly never get blemishes, and when I do, it's just one or two that are hormone-related a week before my period.
So, at least for me, face-washing doesn't seem to have a lot to do with anything. I imagine if something made me break out it would be worse to leave it on longer, but I just don't wear anything if it makes me break out whatsoever.
posted by Nattie at 7:24 PM on April 10, 2010
Personally, whether or not a make-up makes me break out depends on the brand: for example, no matter what MAC stuff I put on my face nothing bad happens, but if I use the same sort of thing from another brand -- like liquid foundation from Revlon instead of liquid foundation from MAC -- I break out. How often I wash my face seems to have no effect on this; if something makes me break out, it does it whether I'm religious about washing it off at night or not. Since switching to MAC I frequently get compliments on my skin and not only do I have naturally oily skin, I never wash my make-up off at night, and some days I don't wash my face at all. I nearly never get blemishes, and when I do, it's just one or two that are hormone-related a week before my period.
So, at least for me, face-washing doesn't seem to have a lot to do with anything. I imagine if something made me break out it would be worse to leave it on longer, but I just don't wear anything if it makes me break out whatsoever.
posted by Nattie at 7:24 PM on April 10, 2010
Sephora gives out samples, when I'm in the market for something new I like to go there and try before I buy.
posted by cestmoi15 at 7:40 PM on April 10, 2010
posted by cestmoi15 at 7:40 PM on April 10, 2010
So far, my favorite has been the Bare Escentuals primer. I love it and it doesn't do anything weird to my skin. Meaning, I don't tend to break out any more than without it (I use primer sparingly, and not every day) The one I use most often though was a CVS brand that I think has been discontinued.
If the silicones bug you, one thing I've got my eye on is Korres' primer, which is silicone free. I've been wondering how it compares.
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:50 PM on April 10, 2010
If the silicones bug you, one thing I've got my eye on is Korres' primer, which is silicone free. I've been wondering how it compares.
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:50 PM on April 10, 2010
Best answer: FYI, the silicone based primers generally use dimethicone as a main ingredient. I learned a long time ago from many makeup wags that Monistat anti-chafing gel is a great primer. I know, weird, right? But cheaper. Use sparingly. Dimethicone in any form can clog pores. Your Rimmel uses dimethicone.
posted by oflinkey at 10:15 PM on April 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by oflinkey at 10:15 PM on April 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Never go to sleep without thoroughly cleaning your face first. If you do, you always risk breaking out.
By the end of the day you won't only have the product on your face, you'll also have dirt you collected from the environment, bacteria transferred from your hands, and whatever grease and dead cells your own skin has produced during the day. You need to wash that off, no matter what the product is made of.
posted by tel3path at 6:24 AM on April 11, 2010
By the end of the day you won't only have the product on your face, you'll also have dirt you collected from the environment, bacteria transferred from your hands, and whatever grease and dead cells your own skin has produced during the day. You need to wash that off, no matter what the product is made of.
posted by tel3path at 6:24 AM on April 11, 2010
I came here to say the exact same thing as oflinkey... the Monistat stuff is exactly like Smashbox primer.
posted by kimdog at 8:22 AM on April 11, 2010
posted by kimdog at 8:22 AM on April 11, 2010
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It's pricey, about $22.00 a bottle, but like all Bare Minerals stuff it lasts a long time. I go through a bottle somewhere between 8 and 10 weeks. Well worth it as far as I'm concerned...
posted by lootie777 at 7:20 PM on April 10, 2010