Battle of the Primers – High End Vs. High Street

Primer is only something I added to my make up wardrobe in the past 12 months.  I can’t quite remember where I first heard about it, but now I can’t do without it.  If I want my make up to stay in place all day, then I need a good base.  As extensive as my skincare routine is, primer just makes my make up look even better.  But there are tonnes out there, ranging in price from really rather expensive to really rather cheap.  I picked two of my collection to put against each other in a battle to the death.  High end – Too Faced Hangover Primer vs. high street – cult favourite Nivea Post Shave Balm.  Which one came out on top?

High End – Too Faced Hangover Primer

I got this primer when I went to Sephora in New York – check out my haul post here.  I was immediately attracted by its gorgeous coconutty smell and the promise of making my skin look and feel more hydrated.  Particularly as my beautician recently said she thought my skin was quit dehydrated.

It is not cheap – £27 from Debenhams – is it worth the money?

First up, the pros:

• Smells DELICIOUS
• Easy to apply
• A little goes a long way
• Packed full of skincare saviours (probiotics / skin revivers)

In terms of cons, it’s hard to list them out specifically.  This is a great primer, BUT I’m not entirely convinced it’s worth the big bucks.  Yes it does make my make  up last longer, but it certainly doesn’t seem to smooth out my skin or make it look plumper.  I am finding myself reaching for it for every day use rather than special occasions.

I guess there’s nothing really wrong with it, it’s just not got the wow factor I would expect for the price.

High Street – Nivea Post Shave Balm

Okay, okay, so this isn’t technically an official primer, but trust me, it’s one you want to try.  I am not 100% sure who discovered this bad boy was a bargain alternative to a primer but can I take this moment to say THANK YOU.

This primer is usually £5.35 in Boots but is currently on offer for a mere £3.50.  (If you haven’t just clicked that link to buy then I don’t know what you’re doing.  And it’s not even an affiliate link!)

The pros:

• CHEAP
• Loads of product in the bottle so it lasts ages
• A little bit goes a long way
• It’s packed full of glycerin, which is super hydrating

In terms of cons, then there is the fact that it hasn’t been designed to be a primer.  So it’s not got a handy pump and you can easily end up with too much on your hand, plus there’s the manly smell.  BUT, that aside, this product is actually great.

I’ve found it works best if you pour a little onto your hand, then pat onto your skin and leave for a minute or so to dry.  Once it dries, the manly smell disappears and it leaves your skin feeling gloriously tacky.  That might sound like a bad thing, but you can practically feel it holding your make up in place.

I find myself reaching for it more and more often because I feel like it’s really doing the job.  And for that price, who can resist?

The Verdict – Which Primer Wins?

It’s a close call – both primers have their pros and cons.  But for the sheer brilliance for the price, I’ve got to hand this one to the Nivea Post Shave Balm.  I can see me re-buying this one, whereas I can’t really justify getting so spendy on the Too Faced number.

Have you tried either of these primers?  What did you think?

♥ JH

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