Oh well well well. Where do I begin.
I've had this issue with oily forehead, chin, nose and eye lids for years- pretty much like 80% of the people out there. I have been going through primers for ages- some of them have been good, some, not-so-good, and others, a complete disaster.
I don't own the famous Urban Decay Primer Potion (or the Too Faced Shadow Insurance) because I have been living in Sweden for the past ...number of years and the brands are not available with their entire ranges. Therefore, I had to settle with something else- and boy was it an adventure.
This is going to be a short post about one particular product I deem indispensable for me, which has proven to be my best friend over the years (last two) and has saved me from many, many makeup emergencies.
It is the Shiseido Anti-shine Refreshner for men (Their 'men's grooming' range works wonderfully on my skin as well).
What it does: claims to minimize the appearance of pores and excess surface oil for fresh-looking, shine-free skin. Has Thiotaurine, a substance meant for helping the skin out with excessive sebum secretions and claims to improve the texture of the complexion upon application. Shiseido also says this product contains oil-absorbing reflecting powder to help minimize the aspect of the pores.
What I know: ...that when Shiseido says something, Shiseido means it. I trust absolutely all of their products, I am a huge fan of their makeup (mascaras and foundations) and this is the first skincare product I am trying. And I am impressed.
The packaging is sleek, really elegant, a silver tube that's very easy to carry around since it's quite slender. It has this thin nozzle and a cute screw-on cap as well (I find it much better than the 'pop' ones that can easily break or open when you least expect it).
How cool is that?
The gel isn't all jelly-gel-ish but rather creamy; it is a bit scented but just a tiny tiny bit, it's non comedogenic and dermatologically tested. Calculated for men's heavily oily skins (or noses, chins and even bald spots, who knows!), this product is the most effective anti-shine I have ever used, and also, the best primer to combat oiliness. No kidding.
The cream just absorbs oil like a sponge, leaving your skin smooth and radiant; perhaps you need to exaggerate or apply it around delicate areas (eyes, mouth, etc) to have it feel dry or pulling your skin. It works wonderfully- everywhere I apply it- especially on the forehead.
Now there's a trick with this product- you only need the tiniest bit. If you use more than a matchstick head-like quantity (and I mean it) you'll probably have to wait around 10 minutes to have it absorbed completely just to make sure. Because you need to apply it after your moisturizer, and just a tiny bit, so it wouldn't affect the consistency of your foundation and suck all the oils out of it, making it practically unblendable or rather difficult to work with.
You need to gently pat the product on (after you've blended it between your fingers) and continue with the patting motion until it has been completely absorbed into the skin. You'll instantly feel fresh and ready to face the world, whether it's super cold outside or scorching sun and humidity.
My favorite thing about this primer is that I can easily use it as an eyeshadow primer and love the results. I couldn't say it emphasizes the pigment in my eyeshadows, making the color pop like I've heard about famous primers, but it does create a fine, perfectly smooth, oil-free canvas that stays on and on for about 24 hours. I am not kidding.
I applied this in the morning (last time I used it, which was several days ago- last time I wore makeup this week), put my makeup on, went out, ran my errands, met some friends in the afternoon, went to dinner, went clubbing, came back at dawn, slept with my eye makeup on (I know, I know...but i cleaned my face- nothing left there) and woke up the next day with it intact. My eyes looked exactly the same as they did before I went to bed. Amazing.
I feel like it hasn't dried out my skin, especially the delicate area of the eyelids, and it hasn't done it at all. It allowed for a perfect application of the eyeshadow, with blending and everything, and I really liked that for the first time in years, I didn't have to use foundation or concealers as primers. I just wanted something fast, light, easy to apply and I got it.
I have been using Maybelline's Superstay 24 Hour concealer as an eyeshadow primer, which was good as well; but I feel like nothing compares to this one. Especially when it comes to how it acts on the skin (its original purpose, after all).
If you have severely oily skin, if you just want your face to stop getting shiny, if you want something easy to carry around for touch-ups and prefer choosing a skincare item rather than (yet) another makeup product, then I strongly suggest you try this little fellow. It is quite expensive, $33 for 30 ml/ 1 oz., so I guess the smartest thing would be to ask for samples before you decide to purchase it.
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