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No matter what your skin type or texture is, your makeup won’t last as long as you want it to unless you have a solid base. As someone who has combination/oily skin with creases around my eyes, my makeup needs a primer to prevent it from sliding all over my face.
In my opinion, a good primer should give your skin enough moisture to keep dryness at bay (nobody wants to see flaky patches peeking through their foundation!) without being so moisturizing that it makes your face look oily. It also has to give your base something to stick to, so your makeup stays where you apply it.
I’ve been wearing makeup for over 15 years, and I’ve tried my fair share of primers. Sure, there have been some good ones, but none of them compare to the e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer. It’s seriously changed the way makeup sits on my skin and keeps everything looking flawless until I bust out my cleanser at the end of the day.
The e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer has been a staple in my makeup routine for about a year now, meaning I’ve been able to test it through all kinds of weather and activities. It holds onto my concealer and foundation on the coldest of winter days, as well as the balmy summer ones, and through nights of dancing, too.
I find that it performs best when I apply it a few minutes after my skincare, giving it some time to settle on my skin and get tacky before I put any makeup on top of it. It makes my skin look and feel slightly bouncier (that’s the hyaluronic acid doing its thing), and once my makeup is on and I’ve lived in it for a few hours, I find that it does keep my skin moisturized underneath — no dry patches here!
I know what you’re thinking, it must feel sticky and heavy on the skin. Oftentimes primers can feel like a layer of silicone sitting on top of your skin, but this non-comedogenic formula will blend right in and keep your pores clog-free. While it does have a tacky texture as it dries down, I can’t feel it at all after I’ve applied my base products.
I also love that the pump allows you to get every last drop out of the tube, so none of it will go to waste. If you want to infuse even more skincare into your primer, there’s a version that’s formulated with niacinamide, which will help to improve skin texture and even tone over time.
Aside from going mega-viral on TikTok, the e.l.f. Cosmetics Power Grip Primer has almost 26,000 5-star reviews on Amazon alone. Many reviewers call it a “forever product” in their makeup bag, while others say how surprised they are that such a good-quality primer is so affordable.
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