So primers...

Alisha_A

Yikes! I want to start using primer (jeez, that sounds like I'm painting a wall).

I had a sample of Veil Hourglass and it was nice, but its rather spendy. It is no animal testing, no sulfates or parabens.

F&B recommended Smashbox Photo Finish which I've heard a lot of good things about, and I believe is no animal testing (would need to double check), but has parabens. So that's out for me.

Another poster recommended another one, Tarte, but I'm not sure I like the company.

ANYWAY... looking at all these, most are a bunch of dymethicone and crazy chemical sounding stuff.

The Hourglass Veil is Zinc Oxide 4.20%, Titanium Dioxide 2.45%. Other Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Polysilicone-11, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hexyl Laurate, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isosterate, Stearic Acid, Alumina.

I thought cyclopentasiloxane (how can you forget a word like that?) was a somewhat controversial ingredient.

The Smashbox: Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isopropylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorium (Safflower) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Water.

Tarte: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Mica, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Centella Asiatica, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Malpighia Punicifolia (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract/Punica Granatum, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract.

Is there such a thing as a natural primer, without rubbing freaky *** all over my face??

ksdk

I'm using Remede's Soft Focus Lotion... more of a finisher than a primer. I don't shell out big bucks to get it whenever I need it, but I manage to find a way ; ) I won't be surprised to find out it's garbage.

CarrieB.

i use the Smashbox primer (not every day, but a few days a week when I want my make up to look better). And i think it looks great.

 I do use an organic face lotion prior to applying primer, so I imagine the chemicals cannot leach into my face as much. but this is probably just wishful thinking.

Alisha_A

CarrieB.:

.

 I do use an organic face lotion prior to applying primer, so I imagine the chemicals cannot leach into my face as much. but this is probably just wishful thinking.

I have to lmao @ this! That's hilarious!

Have you tried cootie spray?

As much as I've heard about Smashbox, its my last choice. Its one of the only ones I've found loaded with parabens. Bleh!

I'm still searching around. I'm going to check out Whole Foods, they carry some local cosmetics at our store.

PurposelyVague

why do you want a primer?

i'm actually not a fan of the smashbox primer. i didn't think it make my foundation last much, if any, longer. and it felt kind of plasticy to me. 

i will look through my sample stash and see if i have any for you.

anneliesek

I used the smashbox primer for my wedding and while my face looked fine that day, the after effects weren't so pretty as it broke me out like crazy. 

As much as I want to like primer it always feels like I am spackling a wall instead of my face.  I currently have the laura mercier primer although I am sure it is positively bad.

Alisha_A

Well I've noticed that after a while, my makeup tends to sort of cake up in some spots. I was reading some other posts about mineral powder makeup and they really claimed primer was key.

I had a Sephora sample of the Hourglass Veil primer, and I have to say it was quite nice. I was out from about 7 - 3, had a decent amount of makeup on ("going out" level, at least, in my range) and it still looked decent and wasn't cakey and I did feel it evened out my skin tone.

(BTW PV I did some fun eyeshadow, I almost texted you because I knew you'd be proud!)

I'm not entirely set on never doing liquid makeup again except...I know I just won't do it. I'm way too lazy and I don't really need full coverage, or to put it everywhere. I like that with the mineral powder, I can just go heavier with it where I need more concealing and then do a light dusting all over.

So anyways (wow, this is getting long) the Veil was nice but its $52 an ounce. Eek. I'm not expecting to pay WetNWild prices but that's a little steep. And I'm not thrilled with the ingredients.

I don't know, is rubbing dimethicone on your face ok? It just seems wrong. I mean, I won't put it on my hair (drying) so...

I haven't tried the Smashbox, just heard good things. But its a definite no, paraben-city!

Alisha_A

anneliesek:

I used the smashbox primer for my wedding and while my face looked fine that day, the after effects weren't so pretty as it broke me out like crazy. 

As much as I want to like primer it always feels like I am spackling a wall instead of my face.  I currently have the laura mercier primer although I am sure it is positively bad.

Wait, spackling?? Why? I've just used the one, the Hourglass Veil, and it was like a nice lotion.

PurposelyVague

oh i am proud! next time i expect you to text me a pic!

i will look through my stash tonight, i remember thinking i might have a sample or two. i'm definitely not a fan of the photo finish though.

kris216

In addition to looking at Whole Foods, check out Lorac and Korres at Sephora.  Both are paraben-free.  Our WF sells cosmetics but not either of those brands.

PurposelyVague

i have three i will pop in the mail to you tomorrow.

Mrs.S_0909

I'm late to this, but have you tried the Bare Minerals primer? I'm not sure it's good for you, but it doesn't have parabens that I can recall... Another tip to avoid the cakey/powdery look is to mist your face with mineral water to set your makeup. Sephora sells little cans of Evian that work great.

daisies916

I have the Smashbox tinted primer (it's the green one- my face gets really red in places).  I bought it for my wedding, and used it regularly after that until I read the ingredients.  Eeeep!  Now I save it only for occasions when I know my picture will be taken (like weddings).  When I run out of this stuff, I won't buy it again.  Let us know how it goes at WF!

Alisha_A

Ooh yay! I love makeup mail! Thanks PV! I did actually try to text you a pic but I was running late and having trouble with lighting.

I did like the Hourglass Veil, and it was paraben-free, but I'm going to have to look into all these other ingredients.

I will continue my quest!

Jeff & Em

I think at least one of these was listed already, but I googled and found this article.  I really want to try the Inika but it's got too many ingredients I'm allergic to. 

Alisha_A

Ooh thanks Em, that article is awesome!

The third one, which sounded nice, upon research has a lot of the stuff that freaked me out in the 'regular' primers, but the first two both sound promising.

I'm going to try out some samples and see if I can figure out what it is a like in the primer. I really liked the Veil sample, but I think its the dimethicone or whatever silicone product.

Jeff & Em

Yes, there are some weird ingredients in there.  I was surprised at how Bare Minerals is paraben, sulfate, blah blah blah whatever free but has that crazy long ingredient that starts with "c" and dimethicone in it.  I thought it was much better when I used it a few years ago.

nital

http://www.lumierecosmetics.com/products/Perfecting_Primer-333-52.html

or

http://www.aubreynicole.com/store/home.php?cat=319

i ahven't used either of the primers, but i do like both company's mineral makeup.