Beauty
The Gloss Report: Anti-blemish Primer Reviews
2 April 2016
1 / 6
The Gloss Report: Anti-blemish Primers
With all of the daily stresses that life holds, we're not surprised that our skin can cause us a bit (or a lot) of grief. Whether it's acne or the odd spot that you have to contend with, an anti-blemish primer could be your new makeup bag staple. We've tried and tested the latest spot-busting primers so you don't have to.
Click through the gallery for our honest reviews from when we were feeling less than our best...
2 / 6
Smashbox Photo Finish More Than Primer Blemish Control
Price: £28
Feedback: "If you've got oily or blemish prone skin then you must give this a go. This breathable primer is perfect to layer underneath foundation for an even application and makes it last that bit longer. The best bit? This primer works to treat blemishes while keeping them at bay to keep skin clearer over time, as it has 2% salicylic acid. My skin can be dry and sometimes sensitive and I didn't find any irritation with this. It felt really light on the skin and once I applied makeup over the top I really noticed the difference."
Reviewer: LP
Rating: 9/10
3 / 6
Cover FX Mattifying Primer with Anti-Blemish Treatment
Price: £29
Feedback: "The faff of an extra step in my makeup regime was usually what put me off primers in the past. However, after seeing how effective they are at boosting both the longevity and finish of my foundation, I've become a convert. The lightweight texture and silky formula of this particular pick were 2 attributes that immediately stood out to me - primer prerequisites of mine for ensuring that my base doesn't look or feel too heavy. While I can't say that my spots were left looking any less pronounced from a treatment perspective, my skin certainly did appear smoother and noticeably more matte, ensuring my oilt T-zone and face of makeup were kept in check from morning to evening superbly."
Reviewer: AM
Rating: 8/10
4 / 6
Jouer Anti Blemish Matte Primer
Price: £29
Feedback: "This Jouer lightweight, oil-free primer from Cult Beauty is a perfect base for prepping the skin for makeup application, leaving a smooth canvas without feeling heavy or greasy on the skin. The texture is enriched with anti-oxidant protection alongside soothing and clarifying ingredients, it helps to neutralise any redness or blotchy patches as well as I feel, blurring the complexion by giving a matte finish. What I love most is that it is designed to resurface the skin as it sits by helping to unblock the congested pores and protecting the skin against any further development. The addition of aloe vera is really soothing on any of those angry red spots and inflamed parts of the skin. I never really use a primer so I can't say if it beats everything else on the market, but I think its a really great addition to my routine when I'm suffering from angry breakouts."
Reviewer: SM
Rating: 9/10
5 / 6
MAC Prep + Prime Blemish Control Gel
Price: £13.50
Feedback: "When it comes to blemishes my skin is frankly a little confused - part oily and spot prone and part dry and flaky - making both skin care and makeup prep trying at times. I'm therefore always keen to try out anything that might help to treat and soothe my many imperfections! Enter the MAC Prep + Prime Blemish Control Gel, which claims to do just that. First impressions on opening this glittering black tube were a slight scent of alcohol so I opted to try the formula out on my blemishes only, rather than applying more liberally across the rest of my face. The formula is really light, dries almost instantly and I do think it has helped calm my blemishes over the last week, whilst holding onto my foundation that little bit longer. I'll definitely keep it to my trouble spots going forward as it may be just alittle too strong around drier areas but certainly a reliable blemish remedy when you need it."
Reviewer: GB
Rating: 7/10
6 / 6
Bareminerals Blemish Remedy™ Mattifying Prep Gel
Price: £22
Feedback: "It could be the Easter eggs, perhaps it's the hormones or maybe it's the deadlines...whatever the root cause, I'm spotty. I'd normally opt for a 'glowy' primer, but this particular Gloss Report couldn't come at a better time in terms of switching things up.
"My main aversion to anything 'mattifying' is the overly slippery feel and grey aura of silicone overload, not to mention the 'rolling' that occurs if you layer a silicone foundation over an already silicone heavy primer. Refreshingly, this gel primer did silica on the sly, so that my skin felt smooth and comfortable, and appeared almost dewy, although not shiny per se. The shine control is fairly minimal as the day goes by, which I didn't mind, but it might be a detractor if you suffer with extremely oily skin. Otherwise, I couldn't be more impressed. Applied to the t-zone area, or over cheeks if you're suffering from breakouts there too, the gel brings down inflammation, redness and general zit anger while also anchoring makeup in place. I needed to touch up around my nose at the end of the day, but underneath my makeup I could tell my skin was calmer."
Reviewer: AH
Rating: 9/10