Smashbox Photo Finish Pore-Vanishing Shine Control Primer

Most Helpful Positive Review

Really great primer for everyday use!

I received this product in exchange for my honest review. Smashbox is a makeup brand that I grew up loving, and I remember their primers being well-loved and talked about in the online beauty spaces. Now that I've finally gotten to test one out, I understand the hype. This primer fills and smooths... pores, for a flawless finish under foundation. It works especially well on-camera, but I find that the effect is nearly as good in-person. This primer is an amazing addition to my foundation routine when I want my makeup to look almost airbrushed in real life. This primer works incredibly well with all of the foundations in my collection, it doesn't cause any of them to pill or break up throughout the day. This is rare for a primer, as I have found that most primers I have tried don't play well with every single foundation in my collection. The Smashbox Photo Finish Primer is a rare exception, it is the goldilocks of pore-filling primers. I often find that pore-filling primers make my foundation break up throughout the day, or otherwise negatively impact the wear time of my makeup; however, Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer doesn't have those issues. It makes my skin look smoother and more blurred, even in real life, without having any adverse affect on the wear time of my makeup. That being said, I don't find that this primer greatly extends the wear time of my makeup, or at least it doesn't do so any more than other primers in my collection. I do find that this keeps my skin looking matte throughout the day, so I do think it would be a good option for hotter climates or for people with oily skin who have breakthrough shine throughout the day. The primer has almost no noticeable scent, and has a velvety-smooth, almost silicone-like feel that most pore filling primers do. It is not sticky or tacky, even after application. The primer applies to the skin completely clear, which I really love because it means that it will work for all skin tones. Once applied to the skin,