Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance and a Bit of Fashion

(Paul & Joe Foundation Primer N in #01)

For me, foundation primers are never a necessity. For my oily and sensitive skin, the fewer products I have on my face, especially during daytime in warmer months, the better.

But, occasionally, I really want my base makeup to give me an ultra-flawless finish. This is when primers can potentially make a positive difference.

In the past couple of years, more and more brands are coming up with various kinds of primers. (For Japanese brands in particular, primers have long been a crucial aspect of base makeup.) There are just so many kinds of them: those that cover pores, those that make fine lines appear less visible, those that control shine, those that add luminosity, those that further condition the skin, green ones that conceal redness, purple ones that cancel out sallowness, pinks ones that combat ashy skin tones, those specifically for the eye/lip/T-zone areas, and those with a combination of the purposes above…

If you want to try a foundation primer, do know exactly what you want it to do for you. Otherwise it is very easy to be confused with all the products with all the various purposes. Think specifically about what you want your usual foundation to do for you and you will know what kind of primer you are looking for to work hand in hand with your foundation to give you the overall finish you want.

For me, I want my base makeup to even out my skin tone (particularly some minor redness) and to conceal pores. So, I naturally look for primers that achieve these alongside my foundations.

Between the two, I am slightly more concerned about concealing pores than evening out my skin tone, and I have found that I don’t really need a primer for pore-concealing. Any heavily silicone-based skincare product will make the skin look and feel more even and help the foundation go on smoother. I happen to have a couple of trial samples of the new Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher, and, like the previous version, it gives me the (temporary) pore-concealing effect that I want. When my foundation goes on after that, my pores look much less obvious.

So, for a long time, I never really wanted a primer. But when I tried the samples of Paul & Joe Foundation Primer N from the October issue of Voce, I was pleasantly surprised by what it did in terms of evening out the skin tone. So I decided to pick up the product.

The one I bought is #01, which is the lighter shade of the two. (#02 is slightly too orange for my skin tone.) It is a little bit like a yellow-based tinted moisturizer. But in many subtle ways, it works better than just a tinted moisturizer in the sense that it really complements my foundation (usually a powder foundation), which is exactly what a primer should do. For me:

1. It unifies my skin tone and makes redness less obvious.

2. It brightens my skin subtly and effectively, without leaving any visible shine.

3. It further moisturizes and conditions my skin and makes the foundation stay longer. This injection of moisture, especially on the cheek areas, is particularly helpful for me in winter.

Overall, what I like about this primer is that my foundations don’t have to work that hard to achieve and maintain the coverage I want. One thing worth noting is that this primer is not silicone-based (silicone is quite far down on the ingredient list) and it is not a product designed specifically to conceal pores. But it still has a minimal pore-concealing effect.

In short, it is a good all-rounder for me.

On the other hand, one drawback that I can envisage at the moment is that it might be too emollient for some people with oily skin in warmer months, since it is quite moisturizing in itself.

Interestingly, I went to my own Biteki “archive” and found that it had been popular with Biteki readers. Each February, Biteki publishes results of the readers’ poll on their favorite products in various categories. This primer was among the top five in 2006 and 2007. I don’t usually pay a lot of attention to poll results, since different products suit different people, But in this case, for me, it deserves the high placings.

Lastly, this primer comes with SPF 12 and PA+, which is not enough in itself for daytime use. An effective sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and anti-UVA ingredients has to be used before this primer for proper sun protection.

Related posts:

Paul & Joe Lip Gloss N
(part of the holiday 2007 collection)

Loving Japanese Brands: Paul & Joe
(my personal thoughts on the brand)

Foundation Face-Off: Chanel Mat Lumière & SUQQU Powder Foundation Glow
(Find out which one I like better)

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