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Illamasqua Matt Primer
What it is:A primer that creates a flawless, shine-free base.What it does:An essential for any screen goddess, Illamasqua Matt Primer helps create a flawless, shine-free base. For use under foundation or on its own, this professional cream formula contains UVA and UVB filters, and gives skin an even, matte finish. Prepare to impress.
Average Rating:
33 reviews
5 stars
18
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reviews for Illamasqua Matt Primer
Review 1 for Matt Primer
It works
-11.09.12
Quick Take: evens out skintone, lightweight
It tried it a couple of times under my foundation or under my loose powder, makeup stays for longer time which is why i bought it
0points
1out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Matt Primer
too tacky feeling
-03.16.12
I've tried the Satin Primer, which made me look shiny under my foundation. So I thought I would give this primer a try. It made me feel sticky, and I still looked a little shiny. Primers don't seem to be the highlight of this makeup line.
0points
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Review 3 for Matt Primer
Not a good experience
-03.09.12
Quick Take: too thick, makes my pores more pronounced, difficult to blend and for skin to absorb
I love Illmaqua productsl. Their eye shadows, blushes, mascara, etc are awesome. Their foundation and this primer are a disappointment. This primer feels like glue and it's very difficult to blend on your skin. The positive is that it does make your makeup last and kind of control your oils. However, my pores seemed more pronounced every time I used it. I don't want to throw it away because it is expensive but I don't think I will repurchae this product. Everyone's skin is different. If you want to try it, go ahead, you might like it for your skin. For mine, it definitely didn't work.
0points
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Review 4 for Matt Primer
Horrible smell
-01.29.12
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing
This product was pretty good, it gave me a good base for my foundation. However, it didn't apply very well as it didn't want to spread on my face and was a little tacky. The main issue I had with this product is the smell, I can't stand it! Maybe it is just me, but it has a very chemical smell to it.
0points
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Review 5 for Matt Primer
94crazykid
Location:New Albany, IN
Eye Color:Blue
Skin Tone:Light
Age:13-17
Absolutly Amazing
-01.04.12
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing, mattifying, great for increasing staying power
This is an amazing primer and I cannot wait to be off acutane in order to experience its full effects. This is the primer you want to go for if you need your make up to stay put as well as last a long time without going oily. This is a quite thick consistancy and soaks in and dries quite quickly so it must be worked with quickly. I find that the smell of this product unlike most Illamasqua products to be unpleasant, but the effects override this small inconvinience.
0points
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Review 6 for Matt Primer
Keep Looking
-09.03.11
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing
This primer has so many great qualities that I was surprised and disappointed when it flopped. It's lightweight, absorbs super fast, a kittle goes a long way, and make up goes on very smoothly over it. It just doesn't control shine at all.
0points
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Review 7 for Matt Primer
Not Impressed
-08.19.11
Quick Take: lightweight
After reading the reviews I had to buy. This did nothing for me, I have an oily t-zone and I was shining after 1 hr. I sit in an air conditioned office and was still oily. After being outside my makeup just slid off with the humidity. My pores stuck out there for everyone to see.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Matt Primer
Very good mattiying primer but not perfect
-07.05.11
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing
This is a very good mattifying primer, and I'll definitely buy it again. But it's not the holy grail in mattifiers (I haven't found that yet). Goes on very light, and it's not silicone-based, so you don't get that slippery feel, which is a plus for me.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Matt Primer
Absolutely amazing~
-06.10.11
I'll be honest, I purchased this solely on a whim after several other primers didn't work out. Silicone-based primers tended to just melt off my face, taking foundation with them, and I did want something mattifying. Before we continue, I'll say my only really oily area is my nose; beyond that my skin is fairly normal. So for me, matte is definitely more of a preference than a requirement to not look like a greaseball under normal conditions.
With that in mind, I would say this absolutely works. The texture is like a thick lotion, and it applies somewhat tacky in feel, so about a pea sized amount is needed to cover my entire face evenly, I find. It disappears easily into the skin. I personally like to wait a few minutes after application to let it set; I feel it works better with a bit of time to dry.
It definitely holds all day, even under extreme conditions. Even working in fast food, by the fryers where the heat from the vats as well as from the fry holding station can make me break out in a sweat in half an hour, my make-up held fast. I would say that after 8 hours in extreme heat I had shine breaking through, but overall it makes my make-up last all day with minimal need for touching up the base.
As far as actual make-up application over top this primer, it is very grabby. I definitely recommend a light hand with powder blusher, because it's very easy to overdo it atop this primer. Creams and liquids apply as normal, with the benefit that I've not experienced my foundation shifting underneath if I use a powder and then decide to use a stain for my blusher. However, if cream or liquid foundation is used, I find it is absolutely essential to set with a powder for best results. This primer seems specifically designed to hold dry products in place, and the wear does prove a bit disappointing when I omit this crucial step. Apply powder, however, and everything is locked in place and not going anywhere.
The bottle is small (included are two pictures of the size compared with a MAC Studio Tech compact), but don't let that deceive you. I've had my bottle since December 2010, and as of this review (June 2011; so six months later) I've only used a third of the bottle, having used it on average three times a week. Doing some quick math, I'd say that if I used it every day it would last about nine months with the amount I use. If one were to use less than a pea sized amount, this could easily last a year. So I very much cannot complain about the price compared to the amount received, not with a make-up result so excellent.
My only complaints are as follows. It has a definite sweet, cloyingly candylike scent to it. Some sort of vanilla, I assume, but I can't pinpoint it. If you're overly sensitive to scent, I would not recommend this product. I have days where I can't abide putting something so strongly perfumed on my face. Other times, I think it's lovely. So if strong scent is a problem for you, this is NOT the primer for you. (Though I find the scent fades quickly once on skin, it's very intense at first.)
My other complaint is that it has a definite feel to it on the skin. While I don't particularly care one way or the other, it has a slight heaviness to it. Thus, if you don't like being able to feel products on your skin, again I say to you, this is not the primer you are looking for.
Finally, it does not mattify instantly. Simply doesn't. So if you're looking for instant results, look elsewhere. I don't use foundations with a dewy finish, so I can't attest to how well it works with those, but if you're using matte finish foundation, it will make them stay matte.
However, if none are of particular concern, and you are looking for a quality mattifying primer that will absolutely hold your make-up in place and keep things non-shiny, I highly recommend giving this a shot. If it doesn't work, Sephora does have an excellent return policy.
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+15points
16out of 17found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Matt Primer
bobbiebrown123
-06.07.11
Quick Take: great for oily skin
i have always been very conscious of my oily skin and have tried everything to disguise it, however i find with the matt primer and some powder foundation it's almost impossible for me to look shiny
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Review 11 for Matt Primer
Good Mattifying Primer
-05.31.11
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing, mattifying, makes foundation easy to apply, makes foundation stick, makes foundation last all day
Very Good Mattifying Primer! Went on creamy, smooth, & dried in quickly. Made foundation stick to skin & go on evenly & smooth. Also have not had any shine and it has been 5 hours of wear with this primer plus Illamasqua rich liquid foundation & set with Bare Minerals Mineral Veil (i haven't got my Illamasqua setting powder yet, but will be switching to it when it arrives) I am loving this product line will be purchasing more, wished Sephora carried more so I don't have to order from Illamasqua.com
0points
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Review 12 for Matt Primer
Goodbye shine!
-05.25.11
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing, evens out skintone
This product is truly amazing because it if you have oily skin this product is for you. It gives you a flawless canvas to put your make-up over. It also makes you make-up last longer, look fresh, and NOT oily.
0points
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Review 13 for Matt Primer
I love it
-04.19.11
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing
It leaves my skin feeling so soft and velvety. I love the way it absorbs and helps create a more poreless finish to my skin. It helps keep my skin shine and oil free. Its amazing.
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Review 14 for Matt Primer
Not for me...
-12.06.10
I read so many positive reviews for this primer that I caved and bought it. It just didn't suit me at all. I've tried quite a few different primers, so my expectations were high. After wearing this for maybe 2 hours, it made my face itchy and red. I couldn't wait to go home and wash my face. I also felt that this was very tacky and didn't apply smoothly. I disliked it.
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Matt Primer
I'm on my second bottle, so I guess this is love
-10.15.10
Quick Take: lightweight, makes skin feel soft
I have super-oily AND super-sensitive skin (dubba-whammy!). Plus, my acne-prone skin can't tolerate sillicones (that alone knocks out half the primers out there!). So I need something that will keep oil at bay, not irritate my skin, and not break me out; truly, a tall order. But this primer stands up to the challenge AND it has SPF, wooooo!
I let my moisturizer sink in for a bit, then I apply this primer gently with my fingers and let it sink in for a few minutes (while you're waiting, brush your teeth or pick out your outfit or do a shakey-shakey dance or something). My skin feels sooooo soft afterward! Then I apply my mineral makeup, and off I go.
This is one of the few things that passed my "Would I re-purchase?" test. I'm terribly fickle about cosmetics; one day I'm in love, and the next day we've broken up (have you ever dumped an eyeliner? Heart-breaking). So when I actually use something up and go buy another, it's a keeper!
My only complaint: I still need a good setting powder to completely control oil; this primer alone won't do it. Of course, to be fair, my MMU (5 ingredients) does zilch for oil; other foundations have junk in there to help with oilies. BUT, even with a mediocre setting powder (still searching for my HG powder), and my no-help MMU, my makeup STILL lasts for 10-11 hours before it's just beyond all hope and I need to wash it off and re-apply. Oh yeah, and that's WITHOUT blotting or mid-day touch-ups (I'm lazy; that's just how I roll, baby). Daaaaang.
Final thoughts: If you have sensitive skin, give this a try (you can always return it!). I'm sure I'll keep trying other primers (omg cheating!), but it's nice to know I can count on Illamasqua Matt Primer to soothe my skin after the other primers have wrecked up the place.
I let my moisturizer sink in for a bit, then I apply this primer gently with my fingers and let it sink in for a few minutes (while you're waiting, brush your teeth or pick out your outfit or do a shakey-shakey dance or something). My skin feels sooooo soft afterward! Then I apply my mineral makeup, and off I go.
This is one of the few things that passed my "Would I re-purchase?" test. I'm terribly fickle about cosmetics; one day I'm in love, and the next day we've broken up (have you ever dumped an eyeliner? Heart-breaking). So when I actually use something up and go buy another, it's a keeper!
My only complaint: I still need a good setting powder to completely control oil; this primer alone won't do it. Of course, to be fair, my MMU (5 ingredients) does zilch for oil; other foundations have junk in there to help with oilies. BUT, even with a mediocre setting powder (still searching for my HG powder), and my no-help MMU, my makeup STILL lasts for 10-11 hours before it's just beyond all hope and I need to wash it off and re-apply. Oh yeah, and that's WITHOUT blotting or mid-day touch-ups (I'm lazy; that's just how I roll, baby). Daaaaang.
Final thoughts: If you have sensitive skin, give this a try (you can always return it!). I'm sure I'll keep trying other primers (omg cheating!), but it's nice to know I can count on Illamasqua Matt Primer to soothe my skin after the other primers have wrecked up the place.
+16points
17out of 18found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Matt Primer
Review 17 for Matt Primer
Review 18 for Matt Primer
Not a good buy in my opinion
-06.16.10
Quick Take: fast-absorbing
I din't really see any difference at all. Not like I have noticed with products like smashbox and Tarte. I was looking for that perfect finish the other 2 brands give but it wasn't there. Has a consistency like glue and it is completely absorved by the skin with no results...the ottle also looks big but it is actuallly tiny...tiny tiny
0points
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Review 19 for Matt Primer
Awesome primer!
-06.03.10
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing, smooth, thick
Out of all the primers I have tried, this is the best one for oily skin. It is thick. I apply it by mixing it with my moisturizer. Leaves my skin feeling smooth and my make-up looks nice, and it definitely keeps the oil at bay!
0points
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Review 20 for Matt Primer
Great stuff
-05.11.10
Quick Take: lightweight, fast-absorbing
I really like the matt primer. I went to Sephora and a Illamasqua associate recommended this to me when I told him that I had a problem with shining. He told me to put this on before applying my temptu and do not use a moisterizer before (i use the moisterizer at night instead). Well, it's working out for me and I love it. I get lots of compliments on how professionally applied my make up is.
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
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