*post contains a press sample from Matis and affiliate links where possible
Skincare first is always my motto when it comes to the beauty world but once you’ve got that down to a fine art, the next stage is to look at your makeup- what you’re using and how you’re using it. So many people ask me how to make their foundation last longer or they’ll complain that their foundation isn’t sitting well on their skin. Providing they are following a great skincare routine with cleansing, toning, moisturising morning and night and exfoliating one to two times per week, as a starting point, then I’d say that they then need to look at a primer to go underneath their foundation. This will make everything apply more smoothly, evenly and it’ll help your makeup to last longer because its creating a barrier between your skin and the foundation you’re using.
There are a number of different primers available to suit your skin type and concerns be it hydration, glow, visible pores or excess oil and they’re available at different price points as well as being easily accessible; the vast majority of brands on the highstreet and on most beauty counters will do a primer.
The primer that I have been using most recently is the Matis Hyalu Liss Primer which I received from the Matis team as a press sample around the same time as I had my intradermal nevus removal procedure at the fabulous New Look Laser Treatment in South Shields. As such, I couldn’t try it out straight away as my skin was still healing but once the scabs were off, I was able to give it a try and I love it, even more so than their previous primer.
The Matis Hyalu Liss Primer uses hyaluronic acid spheres to fill fine lines and smooth over the surface of the skin, enlarged pores, blemishes, uneven patches and hyperpigmentation to give you a smooth base upon which to apply your makeup. It has the most incredible blurring effect of the skin which diminishes the appearence of ageing and imperfections. If you’re having a makeup free day, as I do on many occasions, you can still use it on its own, on top of your makeup as it gives the most perfecting blur to the skin. I’ve been using it on its own and underneath makeup now for the last couple of weeks and I’m really impressed with the effect it has on my skin. I like to think of it as makeup with skincare benefits thanks to the hyaluronic acid which typically helps to bind moisture to the skin.
I took the Matis Hyalu Liss Primer away with me to Mexico and wore it on the few occasions that I did wear makeup while I was away and I also used it alone with the By Terry Tea To Tan on underneath. Using it both ways, I was impressed with the results and have continued to apply it underneath my foundation every time that I have worn makeup since I got home from my holiday. It is really easy to use; simply scoop a bit out and smooth it onto the skin. I like to use it all over but you could use it in a specific area if you wanted to target something in particular.
The performance and feel of this primer is similar to the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer but it does feel a little lighter and less heavy duty while still performing just as effectively, in fact, even better. You can read my full review of Clarins Instant Smooth and the tinted, self tanning version here.
Like with any primer, I’d suggest to really push it into your skin as you apply it, particularly around the nose, before putting on your foundation. This is because it will help your makeup to last longer when it has filled all of those nooks and crannies rather than just sitting on top of your skin. By really working it into the skin, you’re ensuring it wont slide around your face when you start applying your foundation and everything will apply to the skin evenly.
I have tried using the Matis Hyalu Liss Primer with a few different foundations now, namely the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation, new Revlon Candid and Clarins Skin Illusion and they all sit beautifully on top of this primer, creating a really flawless application.
While no one has perfect skin, we can all give it a helping hand to make it look as good as it can with a thorough skincare routine, smoothing primer and a great foundation, if you want to wear makeup and your skin is important to you. Everyone has different priorities and concerns in life and what is important to one person may not be important to the next and that’s absolutely ok. For me, I love taking care of my skin and using makeup to enhance beauty, rather than to completely change me into someone new!
For more information on the new Matis primer, head to their website where you’ll find details on where to buy.
My recommendation would be to buy it from Fresh Faced By Jude who is based in South Shields as she is a stockist in Matis products & uses them in her results driven treatments. I had one of her facials and it was AMAZING! At the time of writing, she is offering 15% off this primer for those who quote my Instagram handle WhatLauraLoves, so that could be a great opportunity for you to bag a deal!
What Matis products have you tried? What primer do you currently use?
