Smashbox • PHOTO FINISH HYDRATING FOUNDATION PRIMER • Primer/ Corrector

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Mistical83 on 6/13/2013 9:56:00 PM more reviews by Mistical83

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I have very sensitive, dry, acne-prone skin and this primer works well under my foundation. Usually my foundation cakes up and other primers just dry up my skin and flake off. This hydrating primer keeps my makeup looking fresher longer and it doesn't cake.

It feels smooth upon application, it doesn't minimize my pores like other primers do but it definitely does what it says and keeps my skin hydrated and my makeup in place even if I sleep with it on. For me this is a must have product to apply after moisturizer and before foundation. Usually my skin is dry and flaking towards the end of the day, but using this primer it's more hydrated and smooth.

This did not break me out and I break out or get rashes from most facial products. The only con is that it's so expensive for a little bottle of it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* snowshoe73 on 6/10/2013 12:52:00 PM more reviews by snowshoe73

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

It's a very good primer. It goes on smoothly, makes my skin look and feel silky, and helps my foundation last for hours. However, it's not as hydrating as they claim: it didn't dry out my skin like some primers do, but neither did it completely address the dry areas. So I guess it's a good choice for those with drier skins, but this primer will not replace a good moisturizer.

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laylaperdomo on 3/31/2013 10:32:00 PM more reviews by laylaperdomo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

First, I must admit I am extremely picky with primers and that is because nearly all of the ones I have tried have broken me out or made me feel like I am wearing a mask.

This primer is best suited for dry skin IMO and I believe does not hold any oil controlling properties.

I love it because my skin feels like it can breathe.
It feels like I am not wearing a primer at all!

The lasting and anti-crease power is good. It even works as a primer for my under-eye concealer.
I notice that when I do not wear this, my laugh lines, pores and under eye creases are way more prominent.

As with all primers, this one allows foundation to glide on very smoothly. It does not ball up and gather like the silicone based primers.

When I wear this I do notice that my makeup wears well through my nearly 12 hour work day.

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luckypenny68 on 2/28/2013 9:25:00 PM more reviews by luckypenny68

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Olive, Cool   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Smashbox Photo-Finish Hydrating foundation primer is yet another primer that delivers very little for the price. At $42 for 1 oz. it should do more than it actually does.
It’s no big secret that to hydrate the body (inside and out) is essential for healthier looking skin, hence why we ladies moisturize at least twice a day, every day, with or without makeup. Smashbox hydrating primer feels like it is in fact cooling and hydrating the skin – just what it claims to do – when applied, but it doesn’t provide a good base for foundation makeup.
When I look for primers I want something that will improve the look of my skin when worn under foundation, powder, or alone. For hydration I reach for my moisturizer, and that is plenty to do the job.
I expect more bang for my buck when it comes to primers, and this one just doesn’t cut it. It’s an ordinary product for an extraordinary price.
I will not repurchase this product nor recommend it to anyone.
Thank you for reading my reviews and have fun with makeup :)

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*TOP REVIEWER* slc on 1/14/2013 11:17:00 AM more reviews by slc

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This is probably good for people with normal or combo skin, but I have dry skin and this is just totally unnecessary for me. A rep at Sephora told me that I should always wear this under foundation, so I took home a sample and spent a day with half of my face primed, and the other half not. The primed side actually looked and felt a little dryer than the other side.

Since I have dry skin, my makeup stays put. It never slides off, and if I use a good moisturizer it will go on smooth, so this is one step I can save time on.

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bella418 on 1/6/2013 2:57:00 PM more reviews by bella418

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This primer is a must have for me in the winter time. My skin gets ridiculously flaky and when I wear this over my olay regenerist serum my liquid foundation looks and wears wonderfully through the day. I have dehydrated oily skin with somewhat large, clogprone pores. This product doesn't give me any reaction and feels so refreshing when it goes on. I tried to wear this without any moisturizer/serum and it didn't keep the flakies away for me, but like I said my skin is ridiculously flaky... yet i cant normally use regulas moisturizers since my skin cant tollerate anything too heavy. The primer is $42 so its more expensive than the origional smashbox primer... but it makes such a significant difference for the look and feel of my makeup that I just might have to over look that

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*TOP REVIEWER* ivanabacowboy on 1/1/2013 8:29:00 AM more reviews by ivanabacowboy

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I did not care for this product. I have mostly dry skin, and this product did absolutely nothing for me as far as either skin finish, makeup application or makeup wear time. It was not drying-I will give it that much, but I am not sure I would qualify it as "hydrating" either.


This primer is very rubbery siliconey feeling. Not the product for me. If you prefer that type of primer, you may very well like this product.


My preferred primers are Hourglass No. 28 Serum Primer and Guerlain Meteorites Perles Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer. Signficantly more spendy than Smashbox, but sometimes you do get what you pay for.

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Gina6661 on 12/19/2012 7:22:00 PM more reviews by Gina6661

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

The best primer I have ever used, hands down. The worst part about it is the ridiculous price. I go 2 sample sizes for $12 and unfortunately, I'm hooked! It gives your face a nice clean canvas to work on and applies well.

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KarlieSA on 11/8/2012 12:31:00 PM more reviews by KarlieSA

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

I really like this primer. I recently purchased it and it has changed the look and feel of my foundation. I have very dry flaky skin and I need something that is going to hydrate my skin. I found that this primer does just that. It is soft and smooth and feels so nice on the skin. A little goes a long way with this product so I will have the bottle for some time! My cons are the staying power, for me it only lasts about 6 hours, the price I paid $50 for a bottle and it has a different smell that I don't care for.

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wildingellie on 10/25/2012 2:50:00 PM more reviews by wildingellie

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I bought the smaller size and it was tiny considering I paid £12.50 for it. But .... this primer is amazing. I have dry skin and the texture of it is silky and not too thick so it doesn't clog up my pores at all. An excellent primer, will definitely buy again but as a full size bottle.

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alanna725 on 10/6/2012 11:47:00 PM more reviews by alanna725

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is a great primer, especially for winter months when your skin is drying out. It hydrates your skin in a completely non-greasy way, is super lightweight, and has this cooling, refreshing effect that feels nice on your face. Even though it's a "hydrating" primer, I've found this not only helps hydrate my skin where I need it, it balances my skin out and controls oil in my t-zone where I tend to get a little bit shiny. It doesn't smooth out my pores quite as good as a silicone based primer does, but it does still create a nice canvas for my foundation and keeps my makeup in place all day. The only con is the price at $42, but I will continue to repurchase this because I really like it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* kupo_baby on 9/17/2012 1:00:00 PM more reviews by kupo_baby

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I got a sample of this in the VIB clutch. Before I tried this I rarely ever used primers but once I tried this I got a bit hooked. lol.
This gives me the most beautiful glow once all my makeup is applied. The first time I walked by a mirror that morning I actually stopped & had to do a double-take. I had always avoided glowy products before because they were too shiny/glittery for me. But this changed my mind. Now when I don't use it, I feel a bit disappointed in the way my overall makeup looks.

Big downside is that this product is $42. The regular Smashbox primer is $36, which was already a bit high. Despite my positive review, I won't be purchasing this. Mostly because I also needed a setting powder so the cost of both items ended up being more than Guerlain Meteorites which would give me the glow & the setting.
But if you need a primer, like glowy skin & don't mind the price, go for it!

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Keikara on 7/8/2012 10:51:00 PM more reviews by Keikara

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Sensitive, Medium Brown, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

This is definitely on my list of HG products. I bought it at my local Sephora because the blue colour caught my eye, and I'm glad I did.

Not only did this primer smooth my pores, but it was almost like a second moisturizer. It gave my skin an angelic glow underneath my foundation, especially when used in combination with Estee Lauder Double Wear. I have absolutely TERRIBLE skin. I have tons of acne, as well as tons of acne scarring all over my cheeks. But whenever I wear this primer, I find myself getting many compliments on how my skin glows despite the matte finish of my foundation. I'm very happy with this product, will be repurchasing.

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spfxchic on 7/3/2012 9:52:00 PM more reviews by spfxchic

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

HG product! I have extremely dry and sensitive skin. I have tried many a primer...everything from mineral to powder to silicone, etc. I even tried several of the other Smashbox Photo Finish primers without much luck. I received a sample of this when it first debuted, and was pretty skeptical. I was not a fan of their other primers, as it felt like I was wearing a mask under my foundation. However, this one almost sinks into the skin and feels like there is nothing there. Plus, it really does help my foundation stay all day, and I've even noticed that my powder doesn't dry/cake up by the end of the work day.

Pricey, yes, but sooooooo worth it.

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Nishy96 on 4/19/2012 9:52:00 AM more reviews by Nishy96

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Dark, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Black    

My HG foundation (estee lauder doublewear) is matte/semi matte and I love that look for winter but NOT for summer. I had a dewy foundation for summer but it had minimal staying power and the colour match was better with the doublewear. So I decided to go on a hunt for a primer that could be used to make my matte foundation more dewy. Popped into the local Mecca Maxima (Australia's version of Sephora I assume) and had a chat to the SA there and she recommended this. I am notorious for impulse buying so I bought it without a second thought. I absolutely LOVE it! It does exactly what I was hoping it would do, leaving my foundation looking gorgeous and dewy and keeping my face looking hydrated throughout the day. Best of all it's OIL-FREE! It feels lovely and refreshingly cooling when you put it on and a little goes a long way. You would only need a pea sized amount for your whole face, I wouldn't recommend putting on more because I initially did and it broke me out the tiniest amount. I stopped using it for a week then started again, using less this time I've had no issues since, and I've been using it for at least 4 months. It does have a scent, but I quite like it. It looks blue but naturally comes on clear. The packaging is cute and convenient, a squeeze bottle so you don't have to worry about making a mess. I would definitely buy again.

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*TOP REVIEWER* SavvyChic on 4/4/2012 6:58:00 PM more reviews by SavvyChic

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I got this as a sample size tube and saw that it was blue my first thought was I wish I had received another sample. I decided to try it since I often feel like I should have added more moisturizer once my primer is already on. I tried it and didn't have that feeling so I liked it some, but I find the original that I have less visible pores so I prefer that. Also this has a strong chemical smell and seems to absorb into the skin rather than a barrier on top. I prefer the performance of the original much better.

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