Tried and tested: Primers, conditioners and water cleansers
Hydrating primers are a useful moisturiser alternative for those who wish to temporarily plump out fine lines and create a smooth canvas for foundation.
The best contain a range of proven antioxidants, as well as enough emollients to condition without encouraging makeup to slip.
HangoverRx is a fine example: One of the major ingredients is lactobacillus ferment, an antioxidant probiotic that counteracts inflammation.
This primer’s long list of additional anti-ageing extracts and lightweight water-binders suits all skin types but is especially useful for eczema or psoriasis-prone skin.
The ‘retexturizing’ promise of the title had me ready to dislike this one.
Makeup that looks mask-like is too ‘reality television star’ for my taste, and seeing my skin’s natural tone is important.
I am very pleased the title seems to refer to the primer’s impact over time.
This product has one of the longest lists of antioxidant ingredients I’ve come across in a non-serum.
It is also irritant-free and safe for sensitive skin, though the number of emollients may make it a little rich for the acne-prone.
‘Good Morning’ plumps and brightens skin so beautifully that you may wish to forgo make-up until the evening.
Nobody cares how make-up primer smells, so I am a bit disappointed at the amount of perfume in ’Skin Equalizer’.
I wouldn’t recommend this primer for sensitive skin.
That said, it has a silky texture and does create a very smooth, non-greasy base for makeup.
The word ‘spackle’ implies an extra-thick, pore-filling texture that this primer does not have.
It is actually lightweight and a little tacky after it sets.
The formula contains a lot of light-reflecting pigment, so makes skin look temporarily brighter with or without make-up applied on top.
There’s some natural fragrance in the mix, which may irritate sensitive skin.
Spackle does not have enough skincare ingredients to merit the price tag or convince me to ditch a decent moisturiser in its favour.
LEAVE-IN CONDITIONERS
Even if I leave an expensive treatment on for double the recommended time, I’m conscious of washing a lot of pricey extracts away within the hour.
I would rather spend less time and the same money on a good leave-in product.
If you think your locks are too fine to bear leave-in moisturisers while retaining body, try ‘Day of Grace’.
The Aussie hair-experts at Evo loaded the formula with lightweight oils and shine-inducing silicones.
It feels like a non-sticky spray serum but works to improve condition between washes.
This is strong stuff: a protein and emollient-rich lotion for very thick, dry lengths.
I feel it is an important one to flag up, as many of products I looked at for this hair type contained more fragrance and preservative than extracts that help coarse ends feel soft.
Proteins like creatine and wheat are great water-binders and full-haired females really can’t go wrong with such a plant oil-heavy, minimally-fragranced treatment.
It is expensive but a little goes a long way.
This is my favourite Aveda haircare product, having edged ahead of the brand’s Rosemary Mint Shampoo after I stopped wearing extensions.
Natural haircare ingredients are not necessarily superior to synthetics, but nature is Aveda’s thing and this conditioner does have a lot of good soy fat to help smooth and soften normal-to-dry ends without making them look greasy.
Wheat and quinoa proteins act as water binders. It also smells like the first day of school holidays, somehow. All ylang ylang and orange-y.
L’Oréal positions this fuchsia-packaged line of its Pro Fiber range as reviving, but fibers like hydroxyethylcellulose cannot physically repair your (very dead) hair.
That doesn’t mean this is not a perfectly good pre-blowdry product.
Fiber-rich haircare can help temporarily conceal thinning ends and counteract the dull look of porous coloured-hairs by film-forming around them and reflecting light.
Fibers bulk up strands and make your hair look fuller but can also weigh it down, so apply this serum with a light hand.
The formula has a thin texture best suited to fine or medium hair in normal or slightly-damaged condition. It provides mild hydration and smells nicely of lemon and honey.
MICELLAR WATER CLEANSERS
By now you’ve surely encountered Bioderma’s Sensible H20, the internationally-beloved, pink-topped queen of micellar waters.
Her sister Hydrabio H20 is good but not superior, even if you have dry skin. It does remove non-waterproof make-up effectively.
The formula contains skin repairing niacin, which is wasted as your face is exposed to it for mere seconds.
It can also leave a slight residue which must be removed with water or toner, robbing it of micellar’s quick-cleanse appeal.
Well good for you, Garnier! This cleanser is a real gem. The fragrance-free formula suits all skin-types and effectively removes make-up that is not long-wearing.
It does not dry the skin or leave any residue. This isn’t flush with soothing extracts but doesn’t really need to be, considering how little time it will spend on your face.
The base is castor oil-rich, which is okay for removing make-up for dry skin but not ideal for those who typically use micellar water. There is a lot of fragrance in the formula too.
This is just as good a micellar water as the Garnier SkinActive but there is less in the bottle. The formula is fragrance-free, non-drying, and extremely soothing.
It won’t remove waterproof or long-wearing ingredients easily but this is true of most micellar waters.
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