The cooler temperatures are rolling in. My kitchen is being filled with the scents of apples, pumpkin and, of course, nachos. I’ve already baked an apple spice cake, pumpkin cheesecake and banana bread. I’m in autumn spices heaven. Will I overdose on pumpkin spice? Yes. Yes I will. And I will do it with a big ‘ol smile on my face.
As I was baking the other day, an e-mail popped into my inbox that also gave me a smile. No, it was not a message from a Nigerian prince telling me that I won 3 million dollars. It was an e-mail from Influenster notifying me that they were sending me Becca’s new primer to try out. If you’re wondering what the heck Influenster is, let me give you the low down.
Influenster is a program that allows people to discover new products while providing access to over 11 million reviews. They utilize social media platforms to analyze product performance and consumers’ opinions. Members can ask questions on products and get answers from other Influensters, access exclusive coupons, submit reviews, enter giveaways and, most importantly, get free swag.
How does this all work? Well, first of all, it’s free. Companies partner with Influenster by periodically sending products out for free to consumers. You submit reviews and participate in surveys. I am one of those weirdos that loves writing reviews. Why? Because I rely so heavily on user reviews before I purchase pretty much anything. The more reviews you do and the more surveys you complete will increase your chances of receiving some free swag. These freebies come in the form of VoxBoxes and Virtual VoxBoxes. VoxBoxes are products that are sent to your home to test out. Virtual VoxBoxes are coupon codes online that you can use to snag a discount on a featured product. If you are a lucky duck and receive a VoxBox, you’ll be asked to post your honest opinions on some of your social media accounts.
If you want to check out Influenster, check it out here.
Now! Getting to the VoxBox that I was fortunate enough to receive. I received the BECCA Velvet Blurring Primer Perfecting Base. Becca is a brand that is known for creating products that make you glow. Earlier this year, Becca was purchased by Estée Lauder. Although Estée Lauder is not a cruelty-free brand, part of the agreement with the sale was that Becca would remain cruelty-free and would not sell in China.
I’ve previously tried a Becca powder highlighter. Their products are pricey and a powder highlighter will set you back almost forty bucks. If I’m spending that much on a highlighter, it better be pretty darn fabulous. And in my experience, it wasn’t. In fact, that lil’ compact ended up being returned to Sephora. When I tried their Shimmering Skin Perfector, it had a chalky texture that ended up emphasizing fine lines and my pores. The strange thing was that the sheen was very subtle so I didn’t get the payoff of a pretty glow yet my skin looked worse. Overall, it just didn’t work for me.
So when I saw that I would be receiving a free Becca primer to try out, I felt I had nothing to lose by giving it a whirl.
The Velvet Blurring Primer is a “A liquid-to-powder blurring primer that instantly diminishes the appearance of pores, fine lines, and imperfections to leave skin porcelain smooth with an airbrushed finish”. It’s oil-free and absorbs excess oil yet promises to be hydrating. That was a bit of a red flag for me. In past experiences, often when I try oil-absorbing products, they tend to be very drying on my already dry skin. But you wouldn’t lie to me, would you, Becca? I try to forget the past and give it a chance.
The primer is free from parabens, sulfates and phthalates. It also “is infused with sodium hyaluronate to help keep skin hydrated, antioxidant rich vitamin C and E, and soft-focus blurring powders to help absorb the appearance of excess oil. It works on all skin tones and skin types”. So that’s a good sign, right? It shouldn’t make my dry skin turn into the Sahara Desert, right? Let’s find out.
The pump dispenses a small amount of product at a time. I’ve seen some reviewers post that they were not a fan of how the pump works. It feels like you’re doing a half pump as compared to a lot of other brands. But I don’t mind it. It helps to not overly dispense and waste too much product.
The formula is much thinner than other “blurring” primers. It almost has a bit of a watery consistency. Make sure you shake the product before dispensing to properly mix the ingredients. It has an apricot tint but I didn’t notice any difference in color on my face once I applied the product.
As I applied the primer to my face, my face felt drier very quickly. The texture didn’t feel quite powdery, it felt more like my skin needed to be slathered with a bottle of moisturizer. My initial inclination was to remove the primer. I really focus on my skin looking and feeling hydrated and this primer was doing anything but that. But I was hoping that after I applied my makeup that it would alleviate some of that feeling. Nope. Not even close. This primer zapped all moisture from my skin. As I mentioned in a previous post, I love Pixi Beauty’s Glow sprays. They are super hydrating and leave my skin looking and feeling dewy. Not even my beloved Pixi could save my from feeling like I needed 24 hours of IV of fluids. My makeup did last all day but that’s probably because it was so dry that there wasn’t any oil breaking it down. If you have dry patches, you may find the primer clinging to them.
I also didn’t notice any difference with my pores or changes in the appearance of my skin’s texture. I’ve used The Porefessional by Benefit Cosmetics in the past and that does an excellent job at filling in pores. But for a cruelty-free option, NYX Cosmetics also has a good blurring primer called Pore Filler. Both of those primers have more of a balm consistency that actually helps to fill in your pores.
This primer would probably work better on a person with an oily skin type. But on my dry skin, this was definitely a never again for me. To give the product a fair chance, I tried this for three days. After three days, my skin felt drier and I just had to discontinue using it. I’m just thankful that I didn’t spend the $38 myself.
A big merci beaucoup to Influenster for sending the Becca primer to me for free for testing purposes. Hopefully my review will help out another poor soul with dry skin. Have you tried out Becca’s new primer? If yes, did you fall in love on first application or did you end up feeling like you needed to stick your face under the shower for an hour?
Lipstick and Nachos 