For the last few months I have been struggling to find primers that I actually enjoy. Somehow the ones that I always swore by just stopped doing the trick for me, I don’t know if the formula changed or if my skin changed but I felt like nothing was improving my foundation application and they definitely weren’t improving the wear time. It seemed like every day my makeup was broken up and gross looking around my T-zone after a few hours. So the hunt for the best makeup primer was on like a prawn who yawns at dawn.

I don’t have particularly oily skin. I would describe it as normal-combo. So my T zone gets a tiny bit oily, my outer perimeter can use a little moisture, but neither area is extreme, ya follow what I’m saying? I always combine primers for that reason though, and I actually have been really loving the Marc Jacobs primer for the outer areas of my face. But I was still stumped on what to put on the T-zone.

I was lucky enough to receive a PR package from Nip+Fab (who do some of my favorite body washes, but TBH I didn’t even know they did makeup) which included their Smooth Viper Venom Primer. Holy moses on the high seas, you guys. It’s EXACTLY what I was looking for

[ Just full disclosure here, yes they sent it to me but I am not required to speak about it, post about it or review it in any way. I will always tell you guys when I get something for free but I will only ever give something a positive review if I would buy it again with my own money. I will totally buy this again with my own money ]

PROS:

• Smoothes the pores without a heavy silicone feel. I like the way those types of primers make the pores look but I hate that silicone feeling. This feels silky smooth and a little bit tacky to the touch.
• High glycerine content makes a sticky base for your makeup to sit on and keeps it in place all day. Since I have been using this in the T zone my makeup has stayed looking fresh until well into the evening. Thank gaaaawd because I was so sick of it breaking up after a few hours.
• Makes my skin feel really plump. The older I get the more I appreciate plumpness. If only I had known that in high school.
• Packaging is sleek, clean and functional. There’s nothing I hate more than a primer that takes a vice grip to get it out of the tube or that you have to scoop out of a tub. Gross.

CONS:

• Honestly so far I haven’t found any. Some people online seem to think it smells weird but I don’t really notice any smell at all. Maybe my nose is broken? I don’t know but I’m not smelling anything

PRICE

• $19.95/ 1.35 oz - That’s pretty much mid-range for a primer as far as the price per unit is concerned, but it’s actually really affordable if you break it down to price per ounce. Most of my primers are around 1oz so this seems to be about 1/3 larger than average.

Real talk, I really like this stuff and when I use it in the center of my face with the Marc Jacobs primer around the outside my makeup goes on smooth as a baby’s bum and actually stays on all day. If you’re looking for a smoothing primer that actually keeps your makeup in place and doesn’t feel weird and gritty like silicone then this is your jam right here.

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