I hate face primers. There, I said it. Enter Hourglass’ Veil and its weird powers. Follow me on a journey of a primer-phobe towards the – light? in this Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer review.
Maybe, though, hate is too strong for those feelings: primers usually exist on the periphery of my makeup life. It’s not that my foundation always sits magically even and smooth on my skin – hah! – or that it stays without fading 12+ hours: no. Not at all. I just don’t rely on primers to make that happen.
My skin isn’t that oily that I need an oil-reducing primer, nor do I use those ‘glowy’ ones: I usually choose foundations that look as skin-like as possible. And prolonged wear-time? Allow me to laugh (politely): why should I need a foundation with 12+ hours wear when all I do. Is. Stay. At. Home?!??!! (Sorry, I think the pandemic broke something.) (Maybe me.)
I also haven’t met a primer yet that was worth the additional LAYER on my skin: I don’t mind necessarily the extra step, but the layer that bulks up everything that I’m already having on my face (serums, moisturiser, sunscreen, foundation, powder…).
Promise
Elevate your foundation to unprecedented performance with this state-of-the-art primer that extends the wear of foundation for a perfect complexion that lasts. (…), this oil free primer not only creates a smooth, even canvas for makeup, but also conceals redness, minimizes the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles, and provides broad spectrum SPF 15 protection, all in a supremely airy, silky, cloud-like texture.
(Hourglass)
Ingredients
As with nearly every face primer out there, the bulk of the ingredients is made of silicones. On top of that we’ll get Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide that provide a SPF15 (non-nano). To get it quickly out of the way: you won’t use this for its sunscreen properties, because you’ll never use enough product to actually reap the benefits of sun protection. Use appropriate sunscreen in an appropriate amount underneath it. (Because its mineral filters, it’ll play well with other filters you’re using.)
Application
I actually don’t find it easy to apply Hourglass’ Mineral Primer. Silicone-based formulas can wreak havoc with water- or oil-based formulas you’re using underneath. Indeed, this one has to be babied to work for me. As always, I use a Hyaluronic Serum under my moisturiser, which is famous for making following layers pill and ball up. I also use a sunscreen with chemical filters before I use the primer, and fully recognise that this is a lot of layers.
When I add about a pump of primer, I’ve to spread it very gently and very quickly and avoid ‘working it in’. The key is letting as much time pass between your skincare routine and primer application. The texture feels like a silicone-y, lightweight lotion and goes on with a white-purple cast. Strangely, Hourglass never mentions it as ‘brightening’, which it does. This is due to the SPF they’re using and utilising that way. It’s very notable, especially on bare skin without any foundation covering it. (It fades over time.)
Experience
I tested it in four different ways: without any foundation but a powder, a cushion foundation, Catrice’s HD Liquid Coverage foundation (Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation dupe), and Niod’s Survival 30.
The more coverage, the more pointless the primer became. I always tested it on one half of my face, and couldn’t detect ANY difference with a full coverage foundation like Catrice’s or Fenty’s. None. With the light to medium coverage cushion, I could see minimal reduced redness/ appearances of pores and fine lines. The difference was greatest when I just used a powder compact over the primer: I definitely saw smoother skin with reduced imperfections.
With Niod’s Survival 30, a tinted sunscreen, my experience veered towards the worst case scenario for a primer. It seemed to emphasise texture, maybe because of the amount of product (Niod) I used. (I mean, it IS a sunscreen.) There weren’t any benefits in using a primer underneath at all BUT for one striking one: it prevented Survival 30 from oxidising. (Which it does heavily on me.) At the same time it removed one of Survival 30’s selling points: it prohibited it from fully absorbing.
Worth it?!
Not really. The primer is exorbitantly pricey, but the effect is too little for me. I also don’t like that I’ve to wear an extra layer of product on my face.
I’d say that this isn’t for you if you’re wearing full coverage foundation regularly. If you’re regularly wearing next to nothing on your face, you might like Hourglass’ product for the brightening and diffusing properties it has.
The travel size starts at €21 for 8.9ml/0.3 oz at Hourglass’ site.
Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
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