Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Review: L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Secret No. 1 Magic Perfecting Base

Late to get on the bandwagon much?  This product is one that I've seen reviewed on several blogs--too many to name. Almost all, if not all of them, were very positive reviews that raved on and on about the product.  Why didn't I give it a try back when it first started gaining popularity?  I was using my own Bare Minerals "regimen" and thought that I would give it a try as soon as I went back to liquid foundation (reviews on this to come today as well, hopefully!).  Well, I'm back to it and now I can finally give this a review!

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Secret No. 1 Magic Perfecting Base
What it is:
This is a priming base offered by L'Oreal, although I'm pretty sure that it can be worn alone.  It claims to give "perfect skin texture" that will happen "instantly" and last "all day."  The texture is described as silky and lightweight, making application easy since it just glides over the skin.  Another one of its purposes is to minimize the look of pores and fine lines.  The result?  Skin that is very smooth and has an even matte finish.  It is said to benefit all skin types and is non-comedogenic.
My impression:
When I first got this product, I was a little wary about the size of the jar.  It's a very small jar, probably a little bit bigger than the size of a MAC Paint Pot jar.  Since I work every day and more often than not go out on the weekends (and it is my habit to apply a full or mostly-full face of makeup each day), I knew that it was going to get a lot of use.  However, after using it a few times and seeing how very little I need, my fears were allayed.  All I really needed to do was dab my finger into the jar once or twice and I was good to go.  The texture is a little bit thick and gummy, but it's very spreadable once you get it to your face.  It is also lightweight and if you don't make the mistake of globbing it on, it shouldn't feel heavy at all.  Despite the product being white, it blends into the skin quite well and invisibly.  I found that my face definitely became a lot smoother and more matte.  I was very impressed at the way that it made my nose and the areas on my cheeks around my nose look, since those are the areas where my pores are most visible.  When it came time to apply the liquid foundation (I used Revlon Photo Ready Foundation), it applied very smoothly.  Concealer did not crease underneath my eyes as it usually would without a base.  My makeup definitely lasted throughout the day and I didn't feel the need to blot until about 8 hours in.
My recommendation:
After using this several times, I would have to say that I agree with the raves that everyone was posting.  It's a really great product and if someone were to ask for a primer recommendation, I would definitely recommend this to them.  As someone that has tried both Smashbox (Photo Finish Light) and Monistat Chafing Gel, I would probably have to say that this primer works just as well.  I like that it is about half the price of Smashbox, and if you're bothered about putting something that wasn't originally designed to be a primer on your face, you've got a relatively inexpensive alternative.  It says that it can be used alone, but I personally wouldn't--not for any reason other than I just wouldn't, but it can definitely be done.  I have only used this with liquid foundation, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't work for creams or powders.  All in all?  Great product!
The rundown:
  • Product:  5/5
  • Packaging:  4/5
  • Quality:  5/5
  • Overall:  4.7/5
  • Would I buy this again?:  Yes
  • Where to buy:  You can purchase it from the L'Oreal website, ULTA, or from various drugstores.
  • Price:  $12.99 at ULTA
  • Pros:
    +  Evens skin texture
    +  Long-lasting
    +  Minimizes the look of pores and fine lines
    +  Matte finish
  • Cons:
    -  At $12.99, it's a little bit pricey
    -  The jar is a little small for my tastes
So there's my review of this base for you!  I know that I was slow to jump on the bandwagon, but for those of you that haven't tried it yet and are interested, I would surely recommend it.  If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to let me know!

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to review the product featured above. I purchased all of the products reviewed in this blog post and did not receive them for free. I ensure that this is my true and honest opinion.

3 comments:

Red said...

You have a knack for reviewing stuff I've been curious about for ages. lol I might have to pick a jar up the next time my mom and I have a girl's day out for shopping. =D I've used a couple other primers/bases and they just felt thick and heavy no matter how little I used. I wanna try this out though. =)

kimmydadiva said...

Great review, I really like this product, I can't believe I was sleeping on it till lately.

Mellie said...

@ Red - Haha. I guess I just have an ability? Yeah, when you first touch it, it's really thick and gummy. You wonder how it's ever going to smooth out, but you really just need a dab and then you spread it over your face and don't realize it's even there. Well, I never did, anyway. Haha. If you decide to try it out, I hope you like it! :)

@ Kimmy - I know, right? I love this product and it's sort of sad how I am JUST realizing how great it is! I'm glad we both got on the bandwagon eventually, though. :)

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