We Try Before You Buy: Primers

The CLEO team bares all to see if these primers do the job.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

The CLEO team bares all to see if these primers do the job.

My Reading Room

WHAT: Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer, $55.

TESTER: Cynthia Chew, Senior Beauty Editor.

“ This primer has a velvety texture which goes on like a dream. I was hoping for it to smooth out my fine lines and leave a “soft focus” effect, and I’m happy to report that it did just that. What’s more, my complexion looks much brighter too. With this, I can almost go out without any makeup!”

My Reading Room
My Reading Room

WHAT: NARS Radiance Primer SPF 35/PA+++, $65.

TESTER: Karen Fong, Associate Editor.

“ I’m always on the lookout for products that will add glow to my skin. I was a bit worried when I saw that this primer had a pinkishgolden hue and thought it would be too much, but actually, you couldn’t really see a difference at all. It goes on smoothly and blended easily. The fact that it offers sun protection is a bonus since it means one less step in my daily makeup routine.”

My Reading Room
My Reading Room
WHAT: Benefit PoreFessional Facial Primer, $54.

TESTER: Hidayah Idris, Senior Digital Writer.
“This balm glides smoothly onto my skin, and doesn’t require a lot of blending to get it even. This means less tugging on the skin! It really does what it promises, which is to create a pore-less appearance. This is perfect for those with oily skin who want their makeup to stay matte all day.”
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Photography Nyen.

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