Illuminating Perfecting Primer Reviews

Estée Lauder Illuminating Perfecting Primer is a great radiance enhancing primer that really peps up your skin. You apply it before your foundation,
I wear this to create different looks, sometimes with foundation, other times BB creams and even just on its own with loose powder, as it makes your look and feel very healthy, vibrant and radiant. It works for both day and night, and really gives my skin a lift and boost, that tiredness takes it toll on my skin.

I received a deluxe sample tube of Estée Lauder Illuminating Perfecting Primer. Although I do not have issues with pigmentation or dull skin, I have read that the primer could be beneficial for someone with dry and mature skin such as mine.

Illuminating Perfecting Primer has the consistency of a light lotion. It did not feel like I was applying a silicone-heavy primer on my face. After application, I waited a few minutes before I applied foundation. The primer was easy to apply and I only needed a small amount of it for one application.

I used the primer with Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup. I did not see any difference in how my foundation looked. This could be because Double Wear works well on my skin without a primer (I apply it with a blending sponge).

I tried the primer with another foundation that pools into the larger pores on my cheeks, nose and chin; creating a polka dots appearance. This foundation also needs powder to set it. The primer made a subtle difference in reducing the pooling on my cheeks and chin, but not on my nose. The primer did not stop the foundation from transferring - if I touched my face, there were visible areas of bare skin.

I tried the primer under a hybrid mineral powder foundation that gives my skin a cake face appearance. The primer did not reduce the cakiness.

When I checked the ingredients list for this primer, I saw that it contains bismuth oxychloride. This is an ingredient that can make my skin itchy. I never experienced any itching when I used this primer.

Putting it's name "illuminating" aside, all in all it is a very good primer to use after moisturiser and before foundation. This primer comes in a flat tube packaging which is perfect for traveling. The nozzle is also small enough for a good control of the amount of product coming out from the tube. I usually enjoy a water-based primer more than a silicone-based primer as I can still breathe in my skin. Although note that this water-based primer still contains a substantial amount of silicones.

The foundation glides on very smoothly after using this primer. I would recommend leaving this primer on for at least 3-5 minutes before applying foundation - it can make a very big difference.

However, in terms of the "illuminating" claim, I don't think I have noticed any illuminating effects. If anything, it's very very subtle. It's so subtle that I wouldn't classify this as an "illuminating" primer at all. At most it provides a satin finish (also depending on the foundation to be used).

When I was testing this product out I used it for up to 3-4 times in that week. I haven't experienced any break out.

It does contain shea butter and some rice bran extract. But I would consider it as a purely cosmetic product rather than a skincare product., and for this price I would prefer a product to contain more beneficial skincare ingredients.