Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

I'm not really a primer girl. If I have it, I use it. But mostly I tend to skip it. But I really wanted to try Smashbox primer, mostly because I had seen so many people using it on youtube. Naturally the $30 price tag is a little off putting. But sometimes you have to treat yourself. So that's what I did.

Smashbox claims:

Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation, our best-selling, oil-free primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish.

Winner of Best of Sephora Award for Best Primer, one of Marie Claire's "25 Products That Will Change Your Life", & an InStyle Best Beauty Buy.

Apply a dime-size amount of PHOTO FINISH FOUNDATION PRIMER to clean or moisturized skin, using fingertips, for complexion perfection. Follow with your favorite foundation (try HIGH DEFINITION HEALTHY FX FOUNDATION). To tame frizzies, try smoothing primer through wet or dry hair.

So I've found the results of this product really depends on the foundation you use.

I had a problem with the Fit Me foundation going on too dewy (read oily-at least on my skin). I really like the foundation minus the extra dewy-ness. So that's why I bought this. 

And it helped tremendously. By the end of the day I still have oil on my nose, just not as much as I would have had I not used this product. Is that worth thirty bucks? Not really. I'm sure there are cheaper things out there that will work.

The foundation I use now-which is the Revlon Nearly Naked-wears off too quickly. Does this the extend the wear? Yes, but not by much. 

It does claim to reduce pores and fine lines but I can't really comment on that as I don't have fine lines or any noticeable pore issues.

The texture of it is silicone like. It's really easy to smooth in and it does make my skin just a teeny bit smoother which does make makeup apply a little smoother. But honestly, my skin felt a lot smoother with the Revlon Beyond Natural primer I had before. 

It does seem to help the way my skin reflects light in a picture.

I find one of the best uses for this is to smooth a little bit over an already shiny nose. It helps reduce oil instantly and matte it a little bit. Of course, powder does the same thing.

You get 1 ounce of product, which is identical to the amount you get for most foundations. I use about a dime size amount of product. It should last a good while since you aren't really using much.

So overall, it's OK. I like it. I probably wouldn't purchase again unless I had problems with a foundation going on too oily. But then again, I'm sure I could find something cheaper. I may try the Monistat chafing gel one day, just for comparisons sake.

Have you tried it? What did you think?