Product Review: Sephora Professional Perfection Makeup Base

Ok, I'm over being depressed. What am I, Aleksandra Wojda or something?

Oh but before I review, can I tell you a story? I was in the lab yesterday, testing this girl. Miss "Let's sign up for the 6pm testing slot, because I KNOW you have to be back in Toronto by 8 to watch your precious TV show"* comes in, and she's got a serious case of racoon eyes. Mascara smudge all under her lower lids, and flakes on the top lid. Now, normally, I wouldn't care -- whatever man, they're her eyes. But we were using an eye tracker on her, which is basically a helmet-looking thing with 2 cameras attached that record where your eyes are looking. Through some kinda infra-red voodoo technology, it tracks your pupils. Apparently, it also tracks mascara flakes.

It was impossible to set up the damn cameras on this girl. Worse, her eye shows up in super giant size on the computer monitor, so she gets to stare at me staring at the GINORMOUS BLOBS OF MASCARA on and around her lashes while I'm trying to calibrate the cameras. It was pretty awkward. And what I wanted to do? Was grab her by the shoulders and tell her about "New Lash Exact mascara from Cover Girl! With amazing new wireless brush technology, created through the patent-pending Moldtrusion system! And the best part? No clumps!! It's like, sooooo great!" (No I didn't have to look any part of that schpiel up.) What's that word again? Where your frivolous blog-life starts to leak into your 'scientific' research? Yeah, that.

So hey, another primer review! This little ditty's from Sephora, and is about three quarters the price of the Smashbox Blend primer, for twice as much product. If you do the math, you'll find that it's... um, a lot cheaper.




The Professional Perfection Makeup Base, in its functional and hygenic minimalist tube, is quite a different animal than the Smashbox-type primers. For one thing, it's more of a cream than a gel. It looks off-white when you squeeze it out of the tube, but upon spreading, takes on this iridescent pink sheen. Rest assured though, that once on your face, it looks neither pink nor pearly. Rather, it gives a subtle "soft-focus" effect with just a touch of illumination. It is scented with a light powdery scent that I find quite pleasant, and the smell doesn't stick around for long after you apply it.

The Sephora primer spreads on easily and sinks in quickly, but I feel that I have to wait just a little bit before applying makeup, unlike the instantaneous "set" feeling I got with the Smashbox. Whereas Smashbox left my skin smooth, this primer made my face feel soft. Does that even make sense??? I guess it's sort of like the difference between a hard wax (e.g., the outside of a tapered candle) and a soft wax (e.g., the surface of parrafin). Poor analogies aside, the Sephora primer felt very nice and comfortable on -- not masky or heavy at all.

I was a bit worried about the apparent shimmer in this product. It's going to be a hot & humid summer, and I don't need to be adding any shine to my forehead. Fortunately, this primer really doesn't add any gleam, and it does a decent job at oil stoppage. My Almay Smart Shade lasts all day long when I wear it over the primer, and only requires one blot throughout the day to stay fresh.

I think that those with dry skin or those wishing to add a bit of vibrance to their complexions would find this product very helpful. It really seems to blur imperfections a bit, and it won't cling to dry spots. It doesn't minimize pores as well as the Smashbox, and I'd imagine it won't do all that much for filling in your fine lines. But it'll be great for those horrid winter days when your skin needs a boost, or for a pretty glowing summer look. An all-around fantastic option for those looking for a bargain primer! (Yes, $16 CAD counts as bargain in the world of primers!)


* Actually, she had the patience of a saint while I fumbled around near her eyes for way too many minutes. God knows that tracker starts to feel like a vise after you wear it for a while.