primer advice

[moogalicious]

Can anyone recommend a good primer? I have £20 to spend and would like one that I can wear on it's own and brightens (but not too 'sparkly')

TIA

I haven't tried it yet but have heard a lot of good things about the Smashbox one. If I get any Xmas or birthday money this year I plan to treat myself to some! It's about £20-£25 I think, you can get it in Boots or online.

Thanks fruitowl. I've been looking at that one.

What is that Lifeofpo? Does it hold your foundation well?

Smashbox photo finish is excellent.

Benefit one can't remember the name is actually quite good as well

BareMinerals one is poor

I am currently using BlackUp Mattifying primer, it is ok.

benefit porefessional is fab but you will need foundation over the top, the other benefit one has an 'illuminating effect' but ive never used without foundation over the top either. that gal/girl I think its called.

I used to use benfirt dr feelgood too, but sometimes it can gather in pores and in folds and not be very attractive especially if you have a habit of rubbing or touching your face in the day.

this one is good too, im using it everyday at the moment, again under foundation but I need it as getting old and being an insomniac I need all the help I can get bourjois

Boots own Airbrush is one of my favoruites. I also love Garnier's 5-second blur.

Lanacane anti chaffing gel has almost the same ingredients as Smashbox and is around a fiver. It's fab.

Porefessional is excellent.

Thanks for your help so far!

Melanie that Garnier one is cheap! Also, can the boots one be used on its own?

Dontletthemgetyoudown I looked at the bourjois one the other day but thought it was a bit thin iyswim. You reckon it's good?

Just bought the smash box one, thinking it was going to be top notch, having waited for ages and decided to treat myself for Xmas. Not overly impressed, it's quite thin and I don't really notice a difference. Have tried a few and actually so far prefer the Barbara Daly one at Tesco!

A quick search on this forum re products , will bring you a huge amount of advice/reviews. This has been discussed to the death.

I'm currently using a no7 one from boots. Works out even cheaper if you wait for one of the £5 off vouchers

Laura Mercier's Radiance one is brilliant.

I rate Revlon Photoready better than the Smashbox one but have stopped buying the Revlon one as after 3 bottles of it, each one the pump has stopped working with still about 1/5th of the content still in the bottle. You can't get the top off so no way to get the rest out.

I tried the Hourglass one in a Space NK recently and it was AMAZING. Literally streets ahead of anything I have tried before, but also more expensive.

bareminerals one is a waste of time - was a shiny mess within an hour.
revlon photoready is ok but makes you a little whiter (esp if you wear w/o foundation)
i like smashbox green tinted one to counteract the red in my face but wouldnt wear it without fdn over the top.

Just popping on to recommend the Illamasqua Hydra Veil primer.

It's amazing.

Thanks for your input kaumana

I've heard good things about the BD one was thinking of trying it

Thanks walnut re revlon I'm already really pale so will give that one a miss

How much is that one bunny?

It's £27 so a wee bit over your budget but you only have to use a teeny bit
so it lasts for ages.

But honestly it's amazing. I have pale normal-dry skin and it works wonders. It's a gel formula and is incredibly hydrating and smoothing. Sometimes I don't even want to put my foundation on after priming because my skin looks so nice.

And no I don't work for Illamasqua! I wish .

Sorry was grumpy after spending the day Christmas shopping along with it seemed a million others.

MUA do a cheap one, it's not as good as more expensive options but does the job for daily usage.

Another vote for Laura Mercier Radiance here.