Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 - £20

I love a good primer and seem to have amassed quite a few of them over the past few years. Unfortunately some of them do absolutely nothing at all and some only play nicely with certain foundations so my quest for the perfect primer continued on. I decided to look for something that could do it all - something that could minimise pores, reduce redness, control oil and create a smooth base for longer lasting makeup. So I placed a very naughty Space.NK order (is there any other kind of order from that place?) including a bottle of the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer AKA the primer everyone wants to hate due to it's ridiculous price tag. I purchased the small 10ml bottle which was £20 but they also do a 30ml bottle for £52. It's such a great idea to have a smaller version because I doubt there's many people out there who are willing to drop fifty notes on a primer without trying it first.

Veil is a mineral based water-resistant primer with the added bonus of SPF 15. The SPF is provided by a mix of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Those are physical blockers so be prepared for some major white cast. I was kinda shocked the first time I used it because sun protection never normally makes me look that white. It soon sinks in though and the extreme whiteness disappears completely. Veil does contain silicone to enhance that smooth appearance but it doesn't feel thick or heavy on the skin like other silicone based primers. I think that's due to the light creamy texture as opposed to the thicker putty-like texture of some of my other favourite primers (eg. Philosophy's The Present, Benefit's The Porefessional & Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch). My main problem with those primers is that they can ball up & pill with certain foundations whereas there's none of that at all with Veil. It feels really lightweight and smooths over pores & dry patches without clogging up my skin. I love that it comes with a pump because it's really hygienic and one pump full is the perfect amount for my entire face. I start by blending it over my T-Zone because my foundation tends to fade around my nose and forehead first and then smooth the excess over the rest of my face. After applying it my skin is left with a luminescent satin finish which makes my foundation look amazing. My makeup lasts all day long with this stuff and looks just as perfect in the evening as when I applied it that morning. The results are incredible and my base has never looked so good before.

This is one of the few primers that actually lives up to it's claims. Whether I should repurchase this or not is a very tough decision. I love absolutely everything about it and it is undoubtedly the best primer I have ever used. It's just that crazy price tag that puts me off. It is extremely expensive but it does it's job oh so well. I think this might be one to save for the Christmas list!

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