My Review on Make-up Base and Primers

Hi everyone! Happy FREEday!!! (me liking Fridays a lot!) *wink*

Today I am going to do a review on make-up primer/base that I’ve owned and used. I’m really into that kinda stuff because of my grand oiliness! I have to prep my face so that my foundie would last a long, long, long time… and would not end like an ice cream that melts under the sun!

Firstly, most of us girls don’t have any idea of what is a make-up base or a primer. We just put foundation directly onto our skin/face and later afternoon, we could see some melting over here and there and some cracking too.

“Primer is just like you prime a wall before you paint it, you can prime your face before you apply foundation. Primers are a relatively new concept in the makeup industry (they became popular in the last couple years) and you'll notice they've popped up everywhere. They actually work much like a moisturizer under your foundation does: they ease the application of foundation and are meant to create a barrier between foundation and skin.” This is according to what I have read a couple of months ago.

Makeup artists swear primers go one step further than moisturizers: They'll even out skin tone, help your makeup stay on longer and absorb oil with salicylic acid.

Other benefits, according to Laura Mercier:

1. They allow foundation to "stay put" in hot weather.
2. Help prevent skin from absorbing talc and pigment from your foundation as well as preventing talc from drawing oil from the skin.
3. They contain botanicals such as lavender, orange, jasmine, rose, geranium, grape, kiwi and aloe extracts to soothe and refresh the skin.

If you don't want the added step of a primer to your beauty routine, you can slather on moisturizer before makeup application, says Linda Wells, Allure's beauty editor, in her book Confessions of a Beauty.

Here are some of the primers/bases that I’ve used and still using right now:

Avon Simply Pretty Fresh Radiance Make-up Base in Pink Glow


(hope you won't mind about my St. Peter background thingie!)

I only used this when I am not putting on any make-up. It’s just like a moisturizer keeping your face radiant because of its pinkish color. Texture is good and the smell is quite just fine. But when I used this under the foundation, it’s just not a good idea hehehe! Cheap in price for only Php150 or $3 converted.

The Body Shop Matte It Face and Lips

The first time I used this one I’m kinda thinking whether I put it under or after the foundation. Transparent gel based and felt like silk when applied but does not last a long time. The SA told me it’s alright to use it after the foundation, and when I tried it after the foundation, something is just not right all along bleeh! For me this thingie is quite okay if put on the T-zone and not all over the face and also this is quite pricey for just a 15ml tube and again this is not my HG primer teehee!

The Body Shop All in one Face Base in 02

This base is in a compact form. I like the casing of this one, the sponge is separated to the compact quite neat though but it has a smell that I think I’m not getting used to. This base is good when you will use a powder foundation or use it as a foundation itself but it sinks through fine lines and makes it evident. I think that the one I bought is on a lighter shade.

The Face Shop Make-up Base in Green


Oil-free, non-sticky makeup base helps skin banish unwanted shine for fresh makeup. Green neutralizes redness and evens out skin tone.I approved with this one! Green for redness isn’t it? It gives me the matteness I never found in any base that I used. My foundation glides really well and it does not feel icky or sticky or heavy on my face. It last long time promise!!!!

The Face Shop Span

Just like the TBS Matte It Face and Lips, this primer is not what it used to promise to conceal pores and all. I just lost a few hundreds on this one also!

On to this moment I’ll still vote for the TFS Make-up Base in Green. My HG make up base for now. I’m still on the look out for the best base/primer that will perfectly fit my skin type!

How ‘bout you what primer are you using?

Have a great day!

Don’t forget it’s FREEday! *mwah*