One surprising side effect of having cataract surgery in my right eye is that when I first looked in the mirror, I saw what I really look like. Kind of a shock, to be honest. The white gauzy scrim that I had been looking through for quite a while made me think my skin was way more wrinkle-free than it actually is! Oh well, I guess you can only hold back the hands of time for so long. Nevertheless, I will soldier on with my skincare routine.
A couple of weeks earlier, I picked up a travel size jar of Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer,
a thick pale pink cream that acts like spackle.
While we were browsing at Sephora, my friend Miriam recommended a primer from Clarins – Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch – that appears to be very similar to the Tarte primer, and the price for an equivalent full size jar was the same as well. But when I went to Ulta the following day, a helpful SA told me that Tarte had a travel size jar for $19. She suggested that I try that first rather than spend $39 on the full size jars.
Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer is a multi-tasker: skincare and makeup in one. The formula is antioxidant-rich (vitamins C & E) and also contains peptides and hydrating ingredients. Here’s how Tarte describes the benefits of the key ingredients:
- Vitamin E: natural preservative that also acts as an anti-inflammatory emollient & antioxidant
- Vitamin C: antioxidant that fights free radical damage & premature signs of aging while brightening skin
- Green bean extract: known for anti-wrinkle & pore minimizing properties
- Mineral pigments: soothe & soften skin
It is designed to fill wrinkles to create a smoother canvas and help blur the look of lines and pores. I’m not expecting miracles, and so far there hasn’t been a miraculous result. Dimethicones are the second and third ingredients in the list, so that’s primarily how Tarte Smoothing Primer works. It fills wrinkles and creates that silky smooth skinfeel that I actually love.
The directions say to apply it as you would any primer: after moisturizer and before foundation. To be honest, it doesn’t make my lines and wrinkles disappear, unless I don’t move any muscles in my face, lol. I have also tried applying it after I apply my foundation as a blur, and I think it does provide some blurring especially when applied to key wrinkle areas. It can also be applied on its own after moisturizer on days when I don’t wear foundation, and my skin looks a little smoother.
Is this a must-have primer? Probably not. So many primers, especially those targeted to those of us with mature skin, have lots of dimethicone in them, so I’m not sure that this is so different. It reminds me of my old favorite primer, DHC Velvet Skin Coat, that’s basically dimethicone in a tube. Nevertheless, I’m glad I tried it, and I will definitely use it up and then decide if it’s worth repurchasing.
FYI, I looked at the reviews for both the Tarte and the Clarins blur primers and they are overwhelmingly positive. Many of the reviewers talk about its smooth feel and its effect on pores. Neither source gave the reviewers ages. But it’s worth it to read some of the reviews if you’re considering trying it.
The pretty pale pink cream is described by the Tarte website as having a light powder scent. It is just short of unscented. I don’t smell it at all on my skin.
As I mentioned above, the travel size jar (0.25 fl. oz./7.5 ml) is priced at $19, and the full size jar (0.5 fl. oz./15 ml) is $38. Tarte is sold at Ulta, Sephora, on the Tarte website, and elsewhere where Tarte is sold. It is a cruelty-free brand.
Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Mica, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Ppg-25-Laureth-25, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Silica, Water/Aqua/Eau, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum/Fragrance, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Rutin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phaseolus Lunatus (Green Bean) Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Carmine (CI 75470).
I don’t often use a primer, but I have to be careful with the heavily silicone-laden varieties because my skin can become reactive to silicone-based products. I will be interested to see if you end up repurchasing this one, Allison.
I know that many women have an adverse reaction to silicone. My post today is for a silicone-free alternative!
Tarte has so many sales on their website that a full one could probably be bought for less. I think I prefer a more lotion like primer than this one, it seems like it would take more time to apply the Tarte.
MarciaF recently posted…Explore the November IPSY Bag Plus and enter the giveaway
I recently tried Benefit’s PoreFessional Primer. I’m sure it has silicone in it but it does a great job on blurring pores.
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I’ll have to remember that you’re a fan of Porefessional Primer next time I get one in my Ipsy box, and send it to you!