Illamasqua Hydra Veil

Illamasqua Hydra Veil - £27

I consider Illamasqua to be one of the greatest innovators in the cosmetics industry. Their products & campaigns always think completely outside the box. You're unlikely to find such a fantastic array of colours & textures from any other brand. Hydra Veil is one of their most amazing creations. It's kinda like a hybrid between a skincare product & a primer. It has a thick gel texture that feels incredibly cooling & refreshing upon application. You only need a tiny bit for your whole face, the little spoon included in the pot picks up the perfect amount. If you take a chunk of the gel out, it will actually resurface itself so it'll look brand new again next time you use it! It immediately floods your skin with hydration & features firming marine algae to reduce inflammation. It makes my skin feel much plumper & smoother. You can even use it around your eyes to de-puff the area. However these skincare benefits are not long term which is why it acts more like a primer. You put it on just before your base and as a result your foundation will apply more smoothly & easily, with a much fresher appearance.

Whenever I've had my makeup done at an Illamasqua counter they've applied it using their highlighter brush & then used the same brush to apply Skin Base Foundation but I prefer to apply Hydra Veil with just my fingers. I'm a big fan of the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation (read my really old review here) but I always had a bit of a problem with it clinging to any dry patches on my face. Even though my skincare routine has improved over the past few years I still had the same problem until I tried using Skin Base with this product. I kinda wish that Skin Base could've been originally formulated with this stuff mixed in, although I doubt that would've been possible. Hydra Veil doesn't just work with Skin Base (although they are a magical pair!), you can use it before applying any foundation for an instant hydration boost. If you have any foundations that cling to your skin or become patchy throughout the day then this will sort them out a treat. It smooths over any dry or flaky areas allowing you to get a truly flawless finish to your foundation.

My base makeup simply glides over my skin whenever I use this product. I find that I can blend out my foundation faster with it & my face looks much better in the end. It totally stops any cakeyness in it's tracks. If silicone primers aren't your thing then this is a brilliant alternative. It feels so much lighter on the skin. The watery consistency means that it is suitable for all skin types. Anyone with dry skin would probably benefit most from it though. Unlike a traditional primer, Hydra Veil does not claim to greatly increase the longevity or adhesion of your makeup. However by temporarily treating any drier patches your foundation will stay looking fresher for longer. Skincare products with hyaluronic acid are your best bet if your skin is chronically dehydrated but if you need a quick fix then you can't get a better product than Hydra Veil.

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