Review: Prime Primer Hydrating (Banila Co)

Do you guys know the importance of primer in your daily make up routine? I didn’t – haha! For the longest time, I had been using moisturiser as a primer because of how dry my skin was. I hadn’t thought about the longevity of my BB cream or how it wore throughout the day; though, obviously, I have been noting those details a lot more now that I’m actually reviewing and testing these products. On most days, I still don’t use a primer because I want to see how these products wear without any additional help but, when I am using a cushion or BB cream that I’m already familiar with, I do finally use a primer to help it last throughout the day.

Plus, I hate that late afternoon cakiness.

So, onto this review. This is one of the primers that I’ve recently bought (I’ve been using another Missha pore filler primer for a long time) and, to be honest, I totally bought this because Taeyeon was advertising it. In fact, I have to admit that I bought most of my Banila Co products because she’s their new model and I’m a total sucker. However, I’m really happy because I’ve actually loved so many of their products and this is definitely one of them. I was originally going to review the hydrating and the blur at the same time, but I found that they are both so different that it’s better to go one at a time.

So, for all my dry skinned, pore-troubled people out there… this is the product for you- the Prime Primer in Hydrating!

So the bottle is really pretty, made of a metallic plastic (I believe) which has a really striking and trendy appearance. I was initially more drawn to the blur version because I think that the gradient design is prettier but the plain bottle is quite nice too. It looks classy and is pretty sturdy, though I often worry about it scratching. There’s a cap over the dispenser, which is good for travel and prevents accidental spillage. It felts on smoothly but I sometimes have issues where I misplace it. Overall, the design is pretty and functional, even though it isn’t anything amazing. I like it though.

My only issue with the Prime Primer packaging is that the bottle was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. It’s a standard size, I guess, but it might be the material or their official photos but I had the impression that these were almost double the actual size. It’s only 30mL so keep that in mind when you’re buying it. I got these in-store, so I didn’t have any surprises really.

Below is how the formula looks on my hand and applied. The hydration formula is very gel-like with a semi-solid consistency. It reminds me a lot of the pore fillers that I usually use and have that same super smooth and feathered touch finish. It smooths over any dries patches on your skin though, hydration wise, this is definitely not skin care (which I recommend applying underneath). It has some hydration functions but isn’t anything drastic. It does work really well for dry skin though and gives you an even, soft canvas to work with. The finish is semi-matte and, I imagine, similar to their classic version.

Basically, I love the Prime Primer. It smoothes over my dry patches and pores, so my make up applies very evenly. I have been having pore issues lately (thanks, Summer) so this has been a complete life saver and a staple in my make up routine. I’m interested to see how this will fare during Winter when my skin is super dry though since I feel like it isn’t as hydrating as I thought it would be.

As a primer though, this really does its job. Make up applies well and it lasts for much longer too. I wore my Banila Co with this (which usually cakes a bit by late afternoon) but my base make up lasted with minimal caking until I got home that night! It did fade a bit around my T-zone area – which is where I get oily – but it did so really naturally. Overall, my make up is great when I use this – even on my bad skin days – and I find this particularly good for hiding pores. I would absolutely recommend this!

Here’s the verdict:

THE GOOD

• Contemporary and fresh packaging design
• Sturdy and light
• Capped dispenser – good for travel
• Smoothes out pores and dry patches
• Make up applies smoothly and easier
• Make up lasts longer and fades naturally
• Some hydration benefits
• No scent or colour
• Easy application

THE BAD

• Small bottle
• Metallic finish may scratch
• Might not work for very dry skin

WOULD I REPURCHASE?

Absolutely! I initially bought into this product because of my bias (and because the bottle was pretty) but I’ve definitely found something that I really like. I would be looking to repurchase the hydration version and I’m also interested to try the classic matte as well, as I think that would be even better wearing during Summer. Have you guys used this before? If not, I totally recommend trying this product. I think it is most suitable for combination skin, but can work for skin that is a bit oily or dry too.

WHERE TO GET IT FROM

I got the Prime Primer from the flagship store in Edae (I think… or maybe it was a duty free) but you can get yours online at RoseRoseShop (which stocks the hydration formula) and/or StyleKorean* (which stocks the classic and classic matte):

* The above banner and link is an affiliate link – this does not cost you anything but helps me to support my blog. Thanks!

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