The perfect primer

Tried this about a year or so ago...and agree with you,it added nothing to the look and made foundation slide off.I would only use foundation now and then in any case, but primer is a waste of money.

I use Clarins Instant Smooth primer which works a treat smoothes out wrinkles and fine lines and makes a good base for the foundation. I do always use a really good foundation Chanel Les Beiges and I know both of these are expensive but I only need to buy one bottle of each a year.

I read an article yesterday that said in the heat you should mix a drop of suntan lotion with your foundation and not use a primer

I use benefit primer . It leaves my skin super soft and smooth and foundation stays put . I did try others that are available in supermarkets but found they left my face looking ghost like . My dil could not stop laughing it was very strange. It also felt quite thick and gloopy when on ..

Er, what's a primer? Is it the same as a BB cream?

It's an undercoat that you put on to cover the cracks and imperfections, before the top coat. It usually does what it says on the tin, if you're lucky.

Isn't bb cream a tinted moiusturiser?

Thankyou ladies,I am off to buy Benefit primer and Clarins Instant Smooth primer
I use Rosaliac CC Cream and Effaclar BB Blur by La Roche-Posay after trying many products and they are both lovely but would really like a primer that worked.

Teetime thank you for the suggestion of the Clarins Primer. I have bought myself a pot and I noticed on my first go that my skin looked smoother.

It cost £26.50 for a tiny 15g pot but if it continues filling in the cracks and smoothing the old visage out I will continue.

I know I've said this before but I'll say it again for those who may be interested

www.peta.org.uk/blog/are-clinique-clarins-dior-and-more-illegally-marketing-cosmetics-tested-on-animals/

"Experiments to assess the toxicity of cosmetics products include the notorious Draize test, in which rabbits are placed in restraining stocks so that they cannot struggle or wipe their eyes. Their eyelids are pulled apart, and chemicals are dripped, sprayed or rubbed into their eyes. In the similarly horrific skin test, chemicals are typically rubbed onto the shaved skin of rabbits to check for the severity of the reaction before they’re killed or “washed out” and reused."

I purposely avoid these products. I only use those guaranteed not to be animal tested and my skin is great for my age IMO.

But the thought of some poor little rabbits (and it's usually bunnies) being in pain just because of my vanity is something I couldn't stomach.

And it's not just cosmetics......

Animal testing link

Hear hear Anya
I was shocked to find out how many (I thought reputable) manufacturers still test on animals.
Medical advances, I suppose the lesser of the two evils, but for "slap"? No thankyou.
At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, can we really fool ourselves that any amount of slap product will fill in or cover up the lines which our faces have gained from six or more decades of laughter and tears? You only have to look at women who have had "work done" to see how unconvincing they are.
Not saying don't wear make up, just that we are more than the face we present.

My face is now 80 years old and apart from the simplest and the cheapest cream on offer it gets no special treatment. I am not saying because of that it looks wonderful, it doesn't , it looks its age. Primers? special treatments? Couldn't be bothered. Hardly go out apart from shopping and everyone looks just like I look then, totally harassed and fed up.

I've given up on primer - it didn't seem to make a difference - but I do now use facial oil morning and night under my moisturiser (letting it settle for five minutes or so first). I think it does have an effect (this could of course be wishful thinking). The downside is that I invariably get it on my glasses!

Thanks All for flagging up the use of animals in popular cosmetics, I will be more diligent in future when buying face creams etc. Animals are more important to me than a few wrinkles.

What a lovely thing to say NanKate ??

This thread reminded me of something that one of our local district nurses told me last year, she'd come to dress a wound on my leg. We were having a chat and she said that her husband bred asses, because he can sell their milk to chemical companies who make expensive beauty products.
He makes a living out of it too.

What happens to the foals?

Annsixty, I expect your face is as lovely as your nature. You have been so good to Rubylady, that it must shine through, and your posts are good too

Leesa, if you are over 55, I sincerely recommend Look Fabulous Forever Face Primer. They recommend mixing it with their foundation with a brush on the back of the hand and then applying (one squirt of each). It goes a long way and is so smooth on the skin. I have been using it for over a year now and wouldn't ever change. You can find them on the internet. Within UK, your order arrives in 24 hours in a lovely silver blisterpack envelope.

Am I being unfair but I have not been impressed by the LFF videos. The lady just looks as if she has got a bit of fundation, blusher and lippy. And not really much better.!
I actually feel that as we get older LESS is definitely MORE , delicate skin cannot take the same amount of "slap" that young women can wear and it can quickly look ageing. Think Barbara Cartland!!

So I wouldn't bother with a primer nor a full-fat foundation, but tinted moisturiser, mascara and lippy with nth tiniest touch of (not pink) blusher or bronzer.