Smashbox • Photo Finish Light • Primer/ Corrector

Where To Buy?

fuudandbits on 1/28/2012 2:00:00 PM more reviews by fuudandbits

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I've gone through two or three tubes of the 60ml version of this primer, definitely and my HG. I did however switch it up to the Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating primer this winter as my skin has been acting up with dry patches.

I do however love this primer in the Spring and Summer months, worked amazingly well with Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation (I've since switched my make up routine).The MU did mention there were customers that said it didn't work with MAC Studio Fix Fluid.

I did try a sample size of the original Photo Finish which had more a of a silicon feel which i found to be too oily on my combination skin. Definitely worth a shot if you've got combination / more oily types of skin.

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sweevey on 1/14/2012 4:29:00 PM more reviews by sweevey

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I found this primer to be a nice surprise after I used the regular Smashbox Photo Finish, which didn't do anything for my skin. After I cleanse and moisturise I apply Photo Finish Light to my t-zone, then I apply my foundation. It definitely makes my base last longer throughout the day, I would say after 5-6 hours my base starts to fade. I do get oily after 3-4 hours, so I blot and powder but I don't think this is a big deal.

I wouldn't repurchase as I'm keen to try Smashbox Anti-shine. This is a nice product and definitely better than the original, however I feel I could still find something a little more tailored to my oily skin. It prolongs my foundation wear but doesn't do a major job on keeping me shine free for a great length of time.

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rachelrainbow on 1/5/2012 2:39:00 PM more reviews by rachelrainbow

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I have very oily skin so bought this hoping it would control the oil as promised, however it didn't seem to help whatsoever. Otherwise it is a very good primer in that my foundation applys very easily over it and it keeps my makeup from sliding off. Also when I first started using it, it caused a few painful spots but this calmed down after a few weeks. I've put yes for would I buy it again, but I'm undecided, I'm now using Mac prep and prime spf 50 which controls my oily skin much better however isn't as good for keeping my makeup on, so once this runs out I'll probably try a few different primers but may eventually come back to Smashbox.

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ssoopphhi on 12/26/2011 5:22:00 AM more reviews by ssoopphhi

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

A MUST HAVE PRODUCT FOR TEENS WITH OILY SKIN LOOKING TO CONTROL SHINE!

This primer is an amazing product available for a price that is expensive but worth it. Mine cost around $60 AU (I had to buy mine off eBay as its not available for purchase in AU), so im sure it costs a fraction of the price at retailing stores. I am a teen with very oil skin and quite a few pimples and I love this product. Its non greasy, it doesn't feel overly chemically, the texture is perfectly creamy and it leaves my skin feeling matte but refreshed/nourished, it truely does create the perfect canvas! Teamed with the perfect light weight, non pore clogging foundation this primer will truely shine and give you gorgeous radiant but non greasy skin! I will definitely be buying this product again and if your unsure you can pick up a sample for Sephora (at least I hear anyway)! Give this product a go, I promise you, you will adore it! xxx

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LadyxBec on 12/18/2011 6:25:00 PM more reviews by LadyxBec

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I quite like this - I have tried maybe 3-4 other primers, and this is by far my favourite so far. I did find at first that it did nothing for me, however a little trial and error and I worked out how to apply it correctly and we get along much better :)

The GOOD: leaves my skin feeling lovely and matt, doesn't break me out, the packaging is great, lasts a long time. It does prolong the life of my foundation, and make it go on more smoothly and easily.

The BAD: difficult to find & super expensive in Australia :(. Doesn't control oil as well as I'd like - by lunchtime my T-zone is oily and shiny.

Overall I would re-buy, as it's the best I've tried so far, but I am also looking around for something that better controls oil thoughout the day.

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jwannano on 12/3/2011 12:02:00 PM more reviews by jwannano

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I have this product for about a year.. so I'm almost done with mine (I only use it as eye primer). I hate the packaging.. the cap doesn't help prevent air in. So, I have to take out the dry tip everytime before using the product... what a waste of primer. The product itself isn't the best, I prefer my urban decay primer potion. Overall, not going to repurchase this.

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judibean on 11/20/2011 9:30:00 AM more reviews by judibean

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I am one of those unfortunate souls with large pores on my nose that need to be covered up every day. I bought this with high hopes, but alas, it was not meant to be. It does not cover up (or rather, fill in) the pores at all. When I use it and then put foundation on it, the foundation sinks into the pores, leaving that not-so-hot orange peel dimpled look. It works better on my cheeks, but that is not what I bought it for. I wish I had tried a sample first before buying a whole bottle. I will be trying next the Monistat chafing gel that everyone is raving about.

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redcloud75 on 11/12/2011 8:37:00 AM more reviews by redcloud75

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I wanted to love this. I had heard great things about it from many friends who are happy with it, but this was dreadful for me. I found the texture to be just vile, like sticky velvet, and the product was difficult to distribute on my skin. My face did feel smooth and matte I have to admit but it felt as though -- and I guess I was -- wearing a mask that was floating on top of my skin. A very odd sensation. My skin did not feel comfortable and fresh but rather shellacked, which I guess is the point. Basically, if I were ever in a situation where my skin had to look absolutely flawless regardless of how creepy and uncomfortable it felt, I would endure this. On an average day in my life, however, why bother?

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

glitzypink on 10/7/2011 6:10:00 PM more reviews by glitzypink

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

When I went in search of a primer I wanted it to give a smooth canvas for foundation, not feel heavy, control oil, and last all day. This primer does it all. It is expensive, which is it's only downfall... but for what it does, it's worth it. I have tried other smashbox primers and they didn't control oil, although they definitely give a smooth finish. I also have tried Urban Decay's primer "de-slick" I think it's called, and I was not impressed. The Smashbox Photo Finish Light primer is a definite must have for me. I'm so happy I found it because I'm doing my own makeup for my wedding coming up and this definitely gives me more confidence knowing my makeup will look great and last all night!

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Olom on 9/20/2011 8:17:00 PM more reviews by Olom

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I was looking for an silicone-free primer at Sephora and a salesgirl recommended this (even though it's not silicone-free but it's supposedly good for oily skin) and I got a sample to try. I love the velvety texture it leaves on my face but I don't find that it keeps my foundation on my face any longer and my T-zone still gets really oily throughout the day.

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marciap81 on 9/10/2011 2:38:00 PM more reviews by marciap81

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This primer is a MUST HAVE for combination oily skin. The ingredients are different from the regular clear primer that Smashbox has and I have found that this one does not break me out. It provides a matte finish after you apply your moisturizer and keeps makeup at bay throughout the day. The makeup doesn't seep into skin because the primer is like a barrier so makeup lasts longer. It does what it says and is great... expensive but it works!

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cuyugang0322 on 8/30/2011 12:02:00 AM more reviews by cuyugang0322

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I purchased this as an impulse buy on my way to the Sephora register. The $17 sample size was perfect to try and make a decent judgment. I have been using this product for 2 months and can confidently say that it has made a permanent step in my foundation routine. I still have plenty of product left over even though the sample size is just 0.5 fluid oz. I found that it only takes a small amount to cover the areas that I can be oily (forehead, nose, and chin).
My routine is as follows: proactiv repairing treatment on my chin and forehead, then proactiv oil-free moisturizer, then SMASHBOX Photo Finish Light Primer (oil-free). Then i stipple my Mac Pro longwear foundation over. The primer allows for a much smoother application of the foundation. It does aid in controlling my oilies as well. It provides a smooth canvas for my foundation.

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Lindz27 on 8/15/2011 12:27:00 AM more reviews by Lindz27

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Brown    

My skintype: OILY and Acne-prone.
Pros:
-DOESNT cause breakouts!
-CONTROLS oily skin
-a little goes a long way
-light and non-greasy feeling
Cons:
-PRICEY

This primer does wonders for my very oily acne prone skin. It's worth the money!

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illume on 8/4/2011 9:05:00 PM more reviews by illume

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I really love this primer for my skin. My only beef with it is that it takes me two pumps to cover my small face rather than one that the regular primer covers. It feels so fresh on my skin and makes an incredible difference in pore size, makeup wear and oilyness. It has a cult following for a reason!

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kellabella94 on 8/1/2011 11:02:00 PM more reviews by kellabella94

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Fine   Eyes: Other    

This is the only product that I would buy over and over again. I've bought it three times the past year. It really makes my face a clean slate, and makes my skin balanced and velvety. It's expensive, yet I recommend it. I usually just buy the small ones that come in tubes and then refill my bottle.

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emmamcgrath on 7/31/2011 8:53:00 PM more reviews by emmamcgrath

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this product! It makes my foundation go on super smoothly. I used the regular photo finish but didn't like it. The only problem that I have with this is how expensive it is! I don't think you get enough product for your money :(

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BluegrassGal on 7/21/2011 2:58:00 PM more reviews by BluegrassGal

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

I have only used this a handful of times because my skin is extremely temperamental and I don't like taking risks... but I LOVE the way my skin looks/ fells when I use it!! I only use it when I know I have a long day ahead of me and I want my make up to stick in place. I haven' t experienced any breakouts from using it but I usually only use it once or twice a week. (some of the other reviews for this product made me paranoid!!) Overall it is an excellent product and delivers a smooth canvas for makeup application!! I LOVE the packaging, its so easy to use and is neat and clean. I'll repurchase when I run out, but that probably won't be for awhile!! =)

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dnjslWkd on 7/11/2011 12:44:00 AM more reviews by dnjslWkd

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Since I'm on my third bottle of this Photo Finish Light Primer, then I guess I can say that this is my HG item! :) I was very unexpected to see such low rating here on MUA. I absolutely LOVE this product and really, the only bad thing I can say about it is the price. It is expensive but it really really is worth it (I believe it's somewhere between 50-55 CDN). I've used a couple of primers from Benefit (Porefessional and Dr. FeelGood) and Lancome's La Pro Base Primer, and NONE of those come close to this primer. It excels in oil control, keeps my face smooth, doesn't break me out and I love the light, lotion-like texture (I personally hate the heavyness silicon based primers feel on my skin). I don't think I'll ever purchase another primer. I highly higly highly recommend this :)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

LameAssCatLady on 7/7/2011 12:32:00 AM more reviews by LameAssCatLady

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I picked this up after not being satisfied with Urban Decay's primer. I used this product for two days and broke out with deep, large, painful acne. Not just a few spots...a dozen at least.

I do have acne prone skin, but the outcome of this product was complete ridiculousness. I'm better off using my murad acne complex lotion as a primer instead.

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melina87 on 7/7/2011 12:24:00 AM more reviews by melina87

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I started using this product about a month ago, I decided to buy this product after I saw the recommendation on google search,sephora and makeupalley.com.
I dont know if its the same product, but mine is in a tube and says oil free.
I was quiet shocked at the price at first as its small but you dont need much so I think one will last a very very long time, for me it will probably last me something between 8-12months for a small tube.
I chose the tube one instead of buying the cute pump type as I have read a lot of people's review saying that the the pump breaks easily,and tube will give the exact amount you need. (also the packaging is smaller)

It works fine, but it will still make my skin oily after 5-6hours.
I dont think there are any products out there that will keep my face matt allday though. So overall its a pretty good product that works!
I use MAC's mineral powder foundation with it.
A lot of people has said that it makes the foundation not sit properly, made your skin break out, makes the skin flaky after few mins. those will only happen if you put on too much, you only need a little bit of it. I only use about 2-3mm every morning.

I also have the MAC prep+primer, I dont think this one is as good as the MAC one when it comes to coverage..but this one doesnt have glitter in it..it will give you a matt clear finish. I use this one more often daytime.

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