TikTok says this makeup primer creates a ‘flawless base’ - but can it survive my midday makeup meltdown?
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A mattifying primer is gaining TikTok viral status for its ability to blur pores and eliminate shine, and reviewers claim it gives them a ‘flawless base’ – so we put it to the test.
Trending thanks to its lightweight, silicone-free formula that leaves the skin smoothed and perfected, the bestselling Skin Defense Mattifying Primer from Grown Alchemist could be your saving grace for tackling oiliness and visible pores.
Designed to blur, mattify and prep the skin for makeup application, this primer boasts a lightweight, soft matte finish that not only helps to smooth lines and reduce the appearance of pores, but also counteracts unwanted oiliness and shine.
The result is a matte-but-not-flat finish, offering decreased oiliness but a lit-from-within glow that lasts all day and ensures your makeup does, too.
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Designed to blur, mattify and prep the skin for makeup application, the Skin Defense Mattifying Primer boasts a lightweight, soft matte finish that smooths lines and pores
Whether you have dry or oily skin (or like me, a fickle combination of the two), finding a primer that hydrates while keeping shine at bay can be a tricky task. This Grown Alchemist primer, however, has stopped our search.
Designed to blur, mattify and prep the skin for makeup application, the Skin Defense Mattifying Primer boasts a lightweight, soft matte finish that not only helps to smooth lines and reduce the appearance of pores, but counteracts unwanted oiliness and shine, too.
‘Grown Alchemist Skin Defense Primer has absolutely WON me over,’ raved one impressed reviewer. ‘The way it instantly blurs the skin and gets my skin ready for makeup makes it the perfect makeup bestie my routine was missing.
‘It goes on so well and feels like it just melts into the skin. When I say I put this primer to the test, I tried it soo many times before deciding on my final decision. I used it on a humid and hot day down here in Florida. My makeup stayed in place and looked great all day and night.’
The primer boasts a super-smooth, lightweight matte gel formula that glides onto the skin
While many blurring primers are formulated with silicones and can leave the skin feeling dry and lacklustre, this Grown Alchemist primer has been made using a nourishing blend of ingredients such as Prebiotic Peptides, Ashwagandha and antioxidant-rich Reishi Mushroom.
Offering the benefits of skincare in a makeup product, these hard-working ingredients help to hydrate, protect and strengthen the skin barrier as they smooth your complexion, creating an instantly blurred and healthy-looking finish on application.
The result is a matte-but-not-flat finish, offering decreased oiliness but a lit-from-within glow that lasts all day, too.
In an independent user trial on 111 users, 100 per cent agreed the primer left their skin feeling smooth and 97 per cent agreed their skin felt instantly soft
In fact, in an independent user trial on 111 users, 100 per cent agreed the primer left their skin feeling smooth, 97 per cent agreed their skin felt instantly soft and 95 per cent agreed their skin looked radiant.
Reviewers love the primer, too, giving it hundreds of five-star reviews and calling it a ‘game-changer’ and the ‘perfect base’.
‘Smells and feels like the spa on my face,’ raved one reviewer. ‘Satin feel under makeup. Dries fast, isn't sticky, doesn't dry out my face. I like products that smell like a grown-up spa, not little kid candy store. This product hits all the marks for me!’
As someone with dry/combination skin, my experience of using mattifying primers is largely negative. Needless to say, I was somewhat nervous to try this matte-gel primer when I would usually opt for hydrating, glowy formulas.
This Grown Alchemist primer, however, pleasantly surprised me.
Utterly soft and smooth to the touch, the primer translates its weightless feel onto the face, smoothing across skin and truly leaving it near-faultless.
I loved the smooth and glowing finish the primer gave me, leaving me looking matte yet healthy
Where this type of formula would usually feel drying on my skin, I found this one to actually be quite quenching, keeping my skin hydrated throughout the day despite the office’s air conditioning.
I also loved the matte finish, which to me was more of a demi-matte (this may have been exacerbated by my glowy setting spray), ensuring my skin didn’t look flat or dry.
Instead, it had a lit-from-within kind of look, with my pores smoothed and lines filled. The primer also quite happily sat beneath my water-based tinted moisturiser without lifting, pilling or flaking away, and I do truly feel it helped my makeup last all day, too.
I’m actually really impressed by this primer and truly look forward to using it again – especially with more full-coverage looks, as I feel like it could help thicker products sit beautifully without any dreaded caking.
