Were do I describe my interest in makeup primers, it would hover between mild to semi-interested. Traditional primers? Not so much since I limit my makeup use to an occasional tinted moisturizer application when I’m in a rush or as an emergency intervention. A good eye cream under my Tom Ford Highlighting Illuminating Pen is all I need to avoid the midday crease.
REN Clean Skincare has recently made a new look at their Clean Makeup Primer. The product now comes in recyclable glass bottle that you can put in your recycling bin once you are done. I love when companies find ways of reducing waste and REN has really made it simple. The REN Skincare Clean Makeup Primer is made to minimize pores and help to keep makeup stay put all day long. Find out more about this below and if it worked out for me.
Over the last few years, however, I’ve come to see that the recently launched formulas make for intriguing skincare hybrids. The Silk Canvas from TATCHA, for example, fills in my crater-like pores flawlessly and the compact jar lasts forever. So when REN announced the re-launch of Perfect Canvas, their pore minimizing claims got me. I know it isn’t possible to change the size of a pore but if I combine deep cleansing efforts with a formula that helps to refine their appearance, who am I to argue?
At first glance, the Perfect Canvas bottle with dropper dispenser looks just like any daily hydrating serum. The liquid solution has a slightly viscous texture but doesn’t feel sticky or slippery. Since the formula is silicone free, it doesn’t have the spackle-like slip that I forever associate with the original Smash box primer. It doesn’t feel oily and isn’t heavily fragranced. True to the name, it’s perfect in its simplicity.
SO WHAT DOES IT DO AND WHY DO I LIKE IT?
The REN Clean Skincare Perfect Canvas Clean Primer ($45) is Silicone-free, Pore-minimizing, and makeup-gripping. A little bit of this product goes a long way so you only need about 2-3 drops. It works best when you pat it into the skin and then proceed with your makeup routine. It does have a matte finish making this the perfect primer for those with oily skin. Even though it’s matte, I still found the primer to work great on my skin which is on the dry/combination side. It helps to even out my skin and makes it smoother for my makeup to glide with ease. This is a primer that I can see working for everyone, but especially for those with oily skin. You will love this product because it locks makeup down for hours and you can recycle it when you’re done.
I use it as the last step in my skincare routine and it delivers a surprisingly tightening effect. Think super thin layer of latex hugging your skin but not in a creepy American Horror Story kind of way. It’s not quite Spanx for your face but it instantly firms and adds a real life filter effect.
Whether I choose to wear makeup (and when I do, it’s Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer) or not, Perfect Canvas serves as an impressive pore-refining and line-blurring veil. The glass-like smoothness results in a glow that makes me look like I do eat super-greens. In addition to its makeup extending benefits, the formula boasts alpha-glucans, agave, and probiotic extracts. It’s really a makeup primer with treatment serum benefits.
Do I use Perfect Canvas everyday? No. But I when I want to juice up and tighten my complexion before a tinted moisturizer prior to going out, it’s my go to application. It prolongs the longevity of the tint as well. If you’re not a fan of silicone-based makeup primers, the new and improved REN formula is the perfect choice.
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