The easiest primer you’ll ever use: Skindinavia The Makeup Primer Spray

MAN how time flies in the summer! Here I’ve been having a blast, getting away from the city almost every weekend for the past two months, and here the blog ia getting more neglected by the day! It’s just the way I roll when the sun starts shining. Can’t say I’ve been missing it terribly – I spend enough time on a computer at work when I’d rather be outside – but I don’t want to fall completely off the radar, either. And so, here I am 🙂

Last month I was sent a sample of Skindinavia’s The Makeup Primer Spray ($35/4oz; $49/8oz) to try out, which couldn’t have been more timely due to the crazy humidity we’ve been having (not complaining of the heat though! No siree!). I was excited to try it out because the spray mechanism really appeals to me, and I figured it would feel a lot less heavy than your usual primers, which I tend to avoid save for events because I hate that extra layer of product. In addition, the product is non-comedogenic, as well as silicone- and oil-free, so you’re pretty much guaranteed for a light-as-air experience!

I also received a small sample of the ‘Oil Control’ version as well (on left)

The Makeup Primer Spray, like most other primers, is designed to help makeup go on smoother and last longer, and to help reduce the need for blotting throughout the day as it controls excess oil production and diminishes shine.  At the same time, it’s also supposed to hold moisture in the skin by creating a lightweight, breathable ‘web.’ It also claims to help prevent redness, uneven skin tone, and large pores. Sounds pretty sweet, right?

Because sometimes I am not so smart, initially I imagined this as a makeup SETTING product, so I was using it after applying my makeup. OOPS. How you are supposed to use this, is to spritz the face in an ‘X’ motion, then apply your makeup shortly thereafter. It’s supposed to help foundation apply sheer to prevent caking, so obviously in order for this to happen you need to apply it while it’s still a bit damp. On this score, I found this to be true. I prefer my foundation sheer to just even out my skin tone, so the fact that this helps encourage this is a bonus.

However, the claims of oil-control, shine reduction and less need for blotting is JUST NOT TRUE, dudes. It *could* be this mega-humidity, but I find that more than anything this actually makes my skin look MORE greasy, unfortunately (same story with the ‘Oil Control’ version, too). By the end of the day, it’s shine-city! It’s almost fascinating in a way though, because it reminds me of model-dewy skin, you know, like this:

If I had flawless skin and was wearing (next to) no makeup, this would be all sorts of awesome. Mostly, though, it looks like this:

Which isn’t horrible I guess, but it’s a wee bit too shiny/greasy for my taste. Part of me just feels like I’m using it wrong, and if I could *just understand* I could get it to look more like the first photo. Or maybe I just need perfect skin for that to work. ~sigh~

Anyway, the moral of this story is that I think this does quite well on the moisture retention front, but not so great on the other points like keeping makeup in place or warding off the shine-ies. For those of you with drier skin, this might be a great bet – it’s also paraben-free and hypoallergenic, so it’s great for more sensitive skins. Because I’m stubborn, I’m going to keep trying to figure out how to get this to help me achieve that first-photo glow….I WILL find a way, dammit!

Have you tried a primer spray before? Which do you prefer: a matte, satin, or dewy skin look?

*Products were provided by the PR company/brand for my unbiased consideration.