Battle Of The Primers - Benefit Porefessional Primer vs Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

Battle Of The Primers

When it comes to primers there are tons to choose from, most brands have their own, but these are two of the most popular primers than I have found online. These cult classics have wormed their way into most make up collections and I want to see which one offers the longest wear and nicest feel on the skin. Both of these primers are oil-free, help to reduce the sights of pores and can be worn with or without foundation. The Benefit Porefessional it tinted unlike the Smashbox Photo Finish and feel different on the skin with the Porefessional laying more heavy on the skin than the Photo Finish. I love both of these primers with them both being oil-free and doesn't give me break outs like some other primers I have used before.

 I am going to start with the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer as this is the one that I use the less out of the two. You only need around a pea size of the primer as a little goes a long way with this one, it almost feels like silk when you rub it in with your fingers leaving a satin finish to the skin. It gives you a slight glow which looks natural and I'm not sure if it is because of the Vitamins inside the formula or the fact my pores looked almost blurred smaller than usual. It was strange putting foundation on over because of how nice my skin felt just wearing the primer on its own, normally I can't wait to put on my foundation on but with this I could happily just wear it knowing my skin has a natural glow and you can't see any of the pores you can normally see. The first time I wore it was New Years Eve and all of my foundation stayed put the whole night, even my eye shadow didn't budge when I put some on my lids before doing it. If you want an all purpose primer which makes your skin feel baby soft then this is defiantly for you! The travel size is only $12.50 but you can get a larger tube of it for $32.00 on their website now. 

I can safely say that I use the Benefit Porefessional every day, it is tinted and a lot thicker than the Smashbox Photo Finish primer but for every day use it is amazing. I only use this on my t-zone and my chin instead of everywhere like the Photo Finish as it took a few days for my skin to get used to how thick this primer is. It covers dark circles under the eye really well as the tint to it seems to mask the purple and make them seem less big. I do occasionally use this as a base for my eye shadow if I have a few veins showing that day and it works well for keeping the eye shadow in place unlike concealer which sometimes lets it smudge. I do like Benefit and have always wanted to try this primer as I've heard and seen such good things about it but the more I use it the more I am slightly disappointed. It does require a lot of blending unlike the Smashbox where you gently rub into the face. The weight of it sometimes makes me want to exfoliated half way through the day even underneath light weight BB Cream or light weight foundation. This only comes in  one size for $24.50 on their website.

Over all both of the primers do their job and keep foundation in place all day and night without requiring a top up and look good if you just want to wear them on your own. If you have darker skin then I wouldn't recommend the Benefit Porefessional as it is a tinted primer and it is quite light, anything past Olive I think would be too dark for this primer. The prices are mostly the same, but Smashbox do offer a travel size one (for cheaper) so you can have a chance to try it out without having to spend the full amount for the larger tube. If you do not like heavier make up then I must say the Benefit one wouldn't be for you and personally I would save my money for the Smashbox. They are both amazing primers, made by amazing companies and I can see why they are cult classics now.

https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/uk/en-gb/product/the-porefessional-face-primer

http://www.smashbox.co.uk/product/6038/42523/face/primer/travel-size-photo-finish-foundation-primer-classic/travel-size/index.tmpl