Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer... a Dupe for MAC MSF????

I am always looking for good dupes in drugstore lines for products, so when I heard that Hard Candy's So Baked Bronzer was a dupe for MSF's I had to give it a try! If you remember Revlon launched a line of Colorstay products last year that were supposed to dupe MAC MSF's as well. (click here to read my thoughts on that product!)

I bought this one a couple of months back and I must say this time I think I really found a winner. When lightly applied this product can be used all over the skin to give a luminous yet natural look! Apply a more intense layer to parts of the face you really want a luminosity and you have a great glowy highlighted look!

This product comes in four shades, so there is something to be found for everyone. Even my pale skin can take the lightest shade (Tiki) without my face looking too dark or muddy! The marbleized product (again much like MSF) also means you can take colour from different area's to achieve different looks.

I really think for the price point you really can't go wrong with Hard Candy's So Baked Bronzer!!

Annabelle's Zebra Bronzer in Haute Gold

Yet again I am lucky enough to try an Annabelle product! This time it a bronzer, and the only one that I think I didn't already own from the Annabelle line! The Zebra bronzer  was a limited edition product but is becoming a part of the permanent collection, which is great news for the bronzer collector!

This bronzer is a blending of several colours that create a subtle bonze with a luminous glow. On my pale skin it is a great bronze without being harsh and the glow is nice for the dewy looks that are popular for the season. If you have a darker skin tone I can see it being worn all over to create an amazing luminous look for the skin!

The powder blends onto the skin so nicely that it almost melts into the skin. I always am impressed with annabelle powders and how finely milled they are for a drugstore brand! This means that the glow is just that and not a glittery type mess as I often see from other drugstore brands!

If you like a really deep intense bronzer this one isn't for you, but if you like a subtle look then at $11 this one is definitely worth checking out!

Cargo blu_ray Hi Definition Cosmetics

I was so lucky to have the opportunity to try several items from Cargo's blu_ray collection and I have been testing them for several weeks now. I have been using The blu_ray High Definition Mattifier, blu_ray Blush/Highlighter and blu_ray Bronzer.

The first product that I started using was the Mattifier. I jumped at the chance to try this product as according to Cargo is a  'Pore refining, line minimizing and mattifying, this product can be used over make-up or underneath as a primer for a camera-ready complexion.' I have fine lines and I am extremely oily so I it really seemed like the perfect product for me. I can honestly say I don't know what I did without this product! My makeup lasts  hours longer without touch up then it ever has before, and unlike other mattifiers also works as the perfect primer as well creating a smooth surface for makeup application.

The blu_ray Blush was the next thing that I tried. This product comes in two shades and I was given the peach tone to try. I really like this blush and think that it does gives a smooth appearance to the skin giving a glow without a real shimmery effect.

My final product to try was the blu_ray Bronzer. I really liked this matte bronzer which comes in one universal shade. It does on so smoothly and really does give a smooth look to the skin that differs from most bronzers on the market. I have used this product on many clients as well and this bronzer looks great on everyone!

I really loved all the products in the line that I have had a chance to try and they have become staples in my makeup routine. I am planning on picking up the other products offered in the line so that I can complete my collection! If you haven't tried Cargo I think blu_ray is a great line to start with!!

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Finishing Powder... A Review

A while back i did a post when I first saw the Mineral Finishing Powder in store. It caught my attention as to me it really seemed as if Revlon was trying to dupe Mac MSF's. After talking with some of my fellow beauty junkies and bloggers I decided I really needed to give these a try.

I purchased Brighten and Suntan Matte (which by the way isn't at all matte) simply because I couldn't decide which one I should get. Revlon says it a 'Soft, all-over lift of color that diffuses flaws and minimizes shine'. I bought mine for $13 each, which is pretty on par for other Revlon products. as always though look out for great sales on products like this.

So here are my thoughts, I will start with Brighten! This product I could never get away with as an all over face powder, it simply has too much shimmer. However I really liked this as a highlighter for my face. It provided a nice luminosity without too much shimmer and sparkle. A little went a long way for me so I think I will have this powder for a long time! It didn't have a crumbly texture like I thought it would either which was a big plus for me.

Suntan Matte was the next shade. I was hoping that I could use this as an all over powder, but it is too dark for my skin. You deeper skinned ladies will have better luck using it this way, you lucky gals! I really do love this as a bronzer as it goes on some what sheer but allows you to build the colour. This product isn't matte, but it has much less shimmer then the Brighten!

I love that both have the colorstay qualities, holding true for hours even on my oily skin! At the end of the day they were still where I had applied them and also helped my foundation to hold true as well! I hope that they expand the line in the future so we can all have shades to use as all over powders!

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation

There has been so much discussion about Revlon's Photo Ready foundation that I just had to pick it up and give it a try! Reviews are so mixed that I really had no idea what to expect. At approx. $16 CAD this is a high price tag for a drugstore foundation but I am a sucker for a Revlon foundation so I just had to give this one a shot.

I bought this one is Vanilla as the shades are still limited at this point and the next shade down just seemed too dark for my skin.  The Vanilla is a little on the light side for me, but once my bronzer etc has been added it is fine.  If this foundation does well I am certain you will see the shade range increase over time.

I love that this bottle has a pump! I miss the days when my beloved Colorstay had a pump saving many messes! At 30 mL this foundation is on par with most when it comes to amount given for you money.

Now on to the important stuff!!! This foundation I would classify as a medium coverage, it can be built up, but does not give the immediate coverage of a Colorstay. I have oily skin for the most part and I found that this product did want to move during the course of the day. Any redness in my skin did begin to show by the end of the day due to this movement.

This foundation does have a sparkle to it. Reviews range from claiming not to see the sparkle to being overwhelmed my the amount of sparkle on the skin. I did notice the sparkle on my hands, but once on the face and set with powders etc I really didn't see any sparkle at that point. That being said the underlying sparkle may not work well with flash photography, as it will show any type of sheen to the skin! Another note is that although the SPF of 20 is great, it as well is not good for photography. Those two factors for me make this not a 'photo ready' foundation.

If you want a medium coverage and do not have oily skin, this one may be ok for you. For me though it just wasn't a good fit, and to me it just doesn't fit it's claims!

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Giveaway!!!! CLOSED

Yesterday I told you all about Skin MD Natural's Shielding Lotion! This product forms a protective barrier on the skin and keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better. I have been using this product for several weeks now and I really love what it is doing for my skin.

I was so exited when Skin MD Natural said that they would allow me to offer my readers a chance at winning some Shielding Lotion to try for themselves. Subscribers have a chance to win a 4oz bottle of Shielding Lotion, as well as some samples of the SPF Shielding Lotion as well! This giveaway is open internationally so you all have a chance of winning!

The rules are simple

1. You must be a follower( subscriber) to this blog.
2. You must be 18 years or older to enter.
3. Must leave a comment and include required answer from the question below as well as an email address where I can reach the winner.

Here is what you need to do to enter. Visit Skin MD Naturals website and leave a comment below listing 2 ingredients in the Shielding Lotion that were NOT mentioned in my original review. 

Want to earn an EXTRA chance at winning?? 

Tweet "@nancypowermua is giving away a bottle of SkinMD Shielding Lotion at http://nancypowermakeupartist.blogspot.com/ enter today!" 

Let me know that you have done so by including "I tweeted" along with your twitter ID in the comment section! (Only applicable if you answer contest question first!)

You have until February 17th at midnight EST to enter.

Besame Cosmetics... I think I am in love!!!

I was so lucky when Besame Cosmetics  said they would send me a lippie to try! I can't even tell you how amazed I was when I opened the package to find one of the Voluptuous Lip Colour sets as well as 5 of the Classic Enchanting Lipsticks to try. I have been wanting to try these products ever since I saw them reviewed by Lisa Freemont Street on youtube! By the way if you are a vintage fan you MUST to subscribe to her!!

I have been trying a lot of products lately and only the best are making their way onto you so I am very exited to write this post as I am loving the line of products! Let me start with how I love this line on simply appearance alone. The lipsticks are some of the most beautiful things I have seen in a long time, no longer to you want to go to the powder room to touch up. These products make you want to re apply your lipstick at the table simply so people can see the elegance of the products. I'll include pics as a description just won't cut it in this case!

Next I want to talk about the product in general. First I was surprised to find these lip colours had a pleasant scent, almost floral and very subtle. So often lipsticks can have unpleasant scents so I was nicely surprised when I first applied the lipstick to find this scent (scent does not stay once on the lips, just noticeable when applying). Texture is rich, but is not sticky or heavy. These lipsticks are very pigmented, and a little goes a long, long way!

As for my favorite colour... I'm not sure I can pick one. The shades I was sent are all so diverse that they all serve different purposes! I think as vintage inspired products go I will choose Cherry Red, as it is such a wonderful red shade, this is followed closely by Noir Red as it is so deep and rich, reminding me of a classic movie starlet! Please check out Besame's website for a complete listing of colours!

A little info about the differences in the two products I was sent. The Voluptuous Lip Colour set includes a bullet style lipstick, lip liner and the cutest lip brush that I have ever seen all in one kit. The Classic Enchanting Lipstick is a petite lipstick with a modified bullet shape that allows you to use the lipstick as a liner as well. This lipstick is a smaller size (smaller then your pinkie finger) but is so pigmented that a little really does go along way!


Besame has just launched Cashmere Powder, which is beyond beautiful and I simply can't wait to try! This product is a luxury item that will just make you feel elegant to carry! There are refills which help to make this product more affordable overall as well as better environmentally.

Shades I tried Noir Red, Cherry Red, Gold Lame, Wild Orchid, Exotic Pink. In the Voluptuous line I was sent Rapture Rose.

If You Are Getting Married Please Read.... And Even If You Are Not!

Have you been caring for your skin in preparation for your big day? When you are wanting to look flawless for your big day skin care is one of the biggest aspects. So often when working on clients I am finding that with all they have to do they forget their skin. Dehydrated or non-exfoliated skin will not properly receive makeup therefore not giving the flawless appearance every bride ( or anyone for that matter) wants. 

No matter how skilled your makeup artist is skin that has not been cared for is very difficult to give a flawless appearance too. Any dryness that isn't seen without makeup becomes magnified when makeup comes into play, even with the best primers etc. Take the time to properly hydrate and exfoliate your skin before your big day so that your skin is at peak condition for your makeup artist to work with. 

Remember to drink lots of water as well as dehydrated skin is also a big problem. Pre wedding stresses often lead to more caffeine etc, which takes moisture from the skin. Drinking lots of water will make your skin even better for your wedding day.

A final note is about eyebrow waxing before your wedding. Foundation does not adhere properly to freshly waxed skin. The reason is that the wax removes the top layers of skin as well as the hair leaving it a different texture then the rest of the skin on the face. This baby soft area around they eye will now not accept product while the rest of the face will. This leaves a blotchy look to the skin which then is difficult to compensate for with makeup. Have those brows waxed as far in advance as your re-growth will allow you. I always suggest a week or so and then have any hairs plucked on the big day.

Well those are my tips when it comes to skin. Creating the best canvas you can will only make you look more polished for your big day, leaving you feeling confident and gorgeous!!

Pure Anada Mineral Makeup

I have been using Pure Anada for over a year now and love several products that I wanted to share with you. Pure Anada is a Canadian makeup company who sell mostly though distributors as well as online.  Their blushes along with several eyeshadow shades and mineral veil have become staples in my kit through out the past year.

At first I wasn't sure about the veil as it seemed very dark compared to my skin; however it soon became one of my favorite bronzer shades for the winter. It's golden hue and wonderful luminescence gave me a wonderful glow during the winter months. They do carry bronzers but I find the veil just perfect for my skin tone when I am not tanned!

Their blushes come in a wide variety of shades but my favorites from the ones I have tried are Raspberry Parfait and Spring. Spring is a great brown peach tone that goes on so smoothly and gives a hint of colour perfect for paler skin tones! Raspberry Parfait is a great deep pink shade that still looks like a natural glow. It is great for deeper skin tones but still can be used the lighter skin toned gals with out looking too dark!

For the eye's have one shade that stand out from all the one's that I have tried and that is Gold Dust! It is the perfect shade in my opinion for the brow bone. It gives a great highlight and shimmer that finishes off any look that you are wearing. I use it almost everyday and love how it lifts the eye and accentuates the shape of the brow as well.

So there you have it my favorite products from this line! I know they have come out with new shades and products since my last order so check them out to see what they have to offer!!

Mary Kay Representative's.... Today's Experience

So today while shopping I was approached my a Mary Kay rep who told me her and her group were going a scavenger hunt and asked that if I fell into one of the categories written on a card could I please sign on the space. So trying to be helpful I did just that and signed under a category that best matched me. She then said that because I had helped her she would like to give me a sample of her skin care to try and then asked me questions about my skin. Next she asked if she could call me tomorrow to ask about the skin care. I told her that it wasn't a good time as I am planning for an event and would just not be available. She then grabbed the sample she has just given me and walked away.

Now I have never used Mary Kay products; therefore I have never had to deal with another representative in the past and this encounter has left me with a horrible feeling about the company. I have heard such great things about the products and was actually searching a while ago online to find a rep in the area. Being a makeup artist I have clients who often ask my opinion on skin care etc and I could have been a great resource for this rep. I know not to judge by just one person, but I just had to share this experience as it really did upset me giving this women 5 minutes of my time and I really didn't have time to give only to be given a sample and have it taken from my hands!

I will of course still try to find a rep in my area I can speak with about products I am interested in. Again I have heard some really great things about many products that Mary Kay carries and would love to try some things out. I just wonder how many other women today were left to feel as I did while they shopped but will not give Mary Kay another chance?!

If you use Mary Kay or are a rep yourself please let me know in the comments how you feel about my experience today. Was it rare or something you have experienced yourself?

DIY Spa Exfoliation

So I've seen all the ads and youtube reviews about Clarisonic brush tool and how amazing it is for exfoliation and general skin care. I really wanted to give it a try but wasn't ready for the over $200 price tag that was involved. The other night I was up late watching youtube video's and came across an amazing idea... use an electric toothbrush to aid in exfoliating the skin (disclaimer...I am not an expert on skin care and  advice I give is to be taken with a grain of salt and used with caution).

I tried this my using my normal exfoliator of Cetaphil and making soda then used the toothbrush to aid in those area's I find it hard to exfoliate such as around my nose and lightly all over the face as well. I was amazed with how smooth my face was after, much smoother then with my normal exfoliating techniques. My post treatments seemed to penetrate my skin much better leaving my skin feeling the best it had in quite a while. I have tried it with my normal cleanser as well and was still impressed with the grime that came from my skin! 

If you have used electric cleaning aids for you skin before give this one a try. It worked on my sensitive skin without a hitch! If you have never used something before you may want to get the advice of a skin care professional before starting a new routine.

Sleek Cosmetics...What Do You Think????

To all my UK readers!! I'm getting some Sleek cosmetics sent to me to try! I am very exited because I have read some great things and love what all the UK youtube guru's have to say about this line!! I can't order from Canada so I am having a great friend of mine send me some so I can try it out.

Please let me know your experiences with this line of products! I want to know what you think about this line so I know what to expect when I get a chance to try it!

I love getting to try new things, especially when it is something I would normally not get a chance to. I'm hoping it lives up to all the rave reviews that I have seen.

Expect some new tutorials featuring this line when I get them!!!!

Gosh Cosmetics Giant Sun Powder Review

So this week I did a little shopping (hint, hint more reviews to come) and I bought a lot of new goodies! One of these goodies was Gosh cosmetics new Giant Sun Powder. This is a huge bronzing compact that has a very luminescent quality to it. I would say it is trying to be a more subtle version of Illamasqua's Liquid Metal bronzer, this is the closest comparison I can think of... now on to the review.

This bronzer is one of the largest I have seen, the picture just does not do it justice. It has a price tag of $25 which is bad for all the product you get in this powder. I wouldn't use this one as an all over face bronzer at least not for the daytime, it's luminescence is just a little too much. As a gold highlight for the face (tutorial coming soon on great places to use this product) as well as for the body this product is amazing. There is no oranginess to this one, only a wonderful gold colour that is just beautiful even on pale skin tones such as mine.

I think this is a great product and I am so glad that I gave this one a try. There may not be much sun so far the summer but at least it looks like I have a healthy glow!

Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer

I just purchased Kat Von D's tattoo concealer at Sephora after reading some online reviews. This is the second product I have tried from the Kat Von D line, I purchased a set of lip glosses a few months back to give them a try. I may do a review on those later but for now on to the concealer review!

This product comes in a squeeze but which I absolutely love for ease of use and as well for hygienic reasons! It's size is about that of most concealers on the market so price wise this makes it a little easier to compare as for price etc.

The price of this concealer $35 CAD after taxes which makes it very much comparable to the other luxury brands on the market when it comes to pricing. It wasn't extravagantly priced, especially when you consider how much product you need per use. A little goes along way with this one which is what I will tell you about next.

This product as the name states is meant to among other things be able to cover tattoo's so I was expecting exceptional coverage and I wasn't disappointed. When it comes to facial skin imperfections this one is tops! It covers all discoloration using minimal product so that it maintained a natural skin finish. When it comes to covering tattoo's it does a wonderful job with coloured parts of tattoo's, I did find however what with black portions of tattoo's it did not want to give flawless coverage, especially when you want to maintain a natural skin look. Black portions are left much lighter but with a gray cast, unless you want to cover a large portion so as to be able to blend it out properly. This would work great for smaller coloured tattoo's though in my opinion.

The consistency of the product is quite heavy compared to other concealers but I was impressed the how smoothly it went on and without being greasy. The colour selection is a bit limited however with only 3 shades to choose from. When taking into account that in normal circumstances you want your concealer to be a shade or two lighter then your skin tone Kat Von D's offering is quite dark in it's available shades. Again this is because the marketing is intended for tattoo covering so the shades were formulated to match the skin on the body much more like foundation shades.

Overall I really liked this product. When you need maximum coverage this one is a great idea as long as your skin tone is not too light on the scale. Make sure you test this one before buying it as many of you mediums could possibly need a light in this particular product!

I look forward to trying some other products in this line in the future!

I Tried at Home Threading for the First Time!

I recently watched a video about threading at home. For those of you who have not yet heard of this, threading is a hair removal technique using a cotton thread that has been twisted and pulled back and forth.

Although I have very little facial hair, I decided to give this technique a try as I have always been very curious about this method of hair removal. Again I must say that seeing that I do not have much unwanted hair I have never had a need for waxing, so my only experience with removal is tweezing and therefore my pain tolerance for hair removal may be different from yours! lol

I first tried removing the blond hairs around my upper lip. I felt this was a wonderful way to remove this hair without redness as well as other side effects from waxing. I must say I wasn't prepared for how uncomfortable this was going to be, I wouldn't do this often only when I would have close up pictures taken as I really didn't enjoy the feeling. I do know that the pain was probably comparable to waxing as many people I know have this done and their experience seems to be similar.

Next I worked on my eyebrows, which are an obsession of mine to say the least. This time I didn't feel as much discomfort, I'm not sure if this was because my brows are numb from years of tweezing, or that I was perfecting my technique a little more after working on my lip. I did feel however this technique was not as precise as I would like for the brow area. I know that people who thread on others professionally can be quite precise and I have seen some wonderful work. This at home technique however seems a little harder to work with on this area. I did like the way it would remove those little blond hairs on the brow area that tweezers often don't like to remove. It also does this quite quickly compared with tweezing techniques.

Overall I really thought that the home threading technique was great. If you are someone who needs to remove facial hair this is a great alternative to waxing and gives the same great results. 

I have added a link to the youtube video below so please check it out. Bubzbeauty has a great selection of video's for you to check out!

Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer Review

So a few days ago I mentioned that I would review my favorite concealer for the face so here it is...Maybelline's Mineral Power natural perfecting concealer. 

I tried this concealer last year when working with Maybelline and this quickly became one of my favorite products. The colour selection is one of the best I have seen even for the palest skin tones but still doesn't leave out those of you with deep tones. There is no greasy quality to this concealer allowing it to blend flawlessly into the skin without getting heavy or cakey. When I am without my Age Rewind concealer (please check out my review if you haven't all ready) it is a great substitute for under the eye as well! Even though the consistency is light it still covers flawlessly covering even the most uneven skin. A little of this product goes a long way so the little tube lasts a long time, making this product even more affordable.

I have tried several mineral products in the past and until now I have always been disappointed, either my pigmentation or consistency issues. Minerals always seemed to exaggerate the look of dry of mature skin which is something non of us want!   

I like the other products in this mineral power line as well, the liquid foundation I use in my kit as it is so gentle on the skin. This is a wonderful thing when you are working with so many skin types everyday. I use the blushes as well; they come in great shades and are so natural on the skin.

Please check out Maybelline's mineral power natural perfecting concealer, and don't forget to try out some of the other products from the line out as well!!!

Maybelline Age Rewind Double Face Perfector Review

Don't let the name of this one fool you, this concealer is not only for people wanting to rewind time. Maybelline's double face perfector  is one of the best drug store brands for those of us who have under eye darkness. 

I like this one because it is two products in one, a liquid concealer on one end and a liquid highlighter on the other. The reason that I feel this is a great idea is that for many women when trying to cover darkness beneath the eye, too much product ends up being used with the result of a cakey look. This only draws attention to the very thing you were trying to hide, those dark circles. Maybelline's perfector allows you to use a little concealer along with the highlighter to reflect light away from the eye differently not casting as many shadows and giving the illusion of no darkness without a lot of product!

This one isn't the best for skin imperfections on the face itself ( I will do that review soon so stay tuned ), but as an under eye product it is a complete winner!!!

If you have always been bothered by those dark circles give Maybelline's Age Rewind Double Face Perfector a try, the only thing you have to loose are those circles!!!

Great Bang for Your Buck...Drugstore Products that Work Like Department Store Brands

I am always asked what drugstore products are comparable to our favorite department store brands such as MAC Makeup Forever etc. well I do have a few favorites that I use in my kit everyday and clients can never tell the difference between these products and my more expensive department store brands. We all love those brands that come out with the shades first but sometimes we become blinded by the name and forget that there are other wonderful brands out there.

Well here is my list of products that I feel drugstore brands do very well;

NYX Shadows-Great colour payoff, great selection of matte and shimmer shades. You can't loose with either their singles or trio's for under $10.

L'Oreal Hip Shadows-These are duo's that come in complimentary shades so even the novice can use them. Colour payoff is really god with these shadows as well. Duo's sell for under $8.

L'Oreal Voluminus Mascara-Great mascara for building volume without looking too heavy. Comes in both waterproof and washable varieties. This one sells at most stores for under $6 but beware the newer formula dries out quicker then it did in the past.

Maybelline Colosal Mascara-This one is m new favorite giving amazing volume with no clumps. They have just added a new waterproof formulation to the lineup. Please see my full review of this one for complete info. Sells for around $6.

NYX Jumbo Pencils-This works as a great base for create intense looks that won't fade of crease over the course of the day. There is an amazing colour selection and this one sells for under $5.

Rimmel Bronzer-My favorite drug store bronzer! This one does not give an orange hue and comes in shades to flatter everyone. Again I have reviewed this product in detail in the past so check out the archives for complete info. This one you can often find for around $5 an amazing deal.

This just scratches the surface of what drugstores have to offer. Comment and tell me what your favorite 'bang for your buck' product is. Don't keep it a secret share it with the world!!

Concentrated Shadow Duos - Forgiving

Blackest Black

Clarins Self Tanner for the Face

I purchased Clarins self tanner for the face before going on vacation because I try to keep my face out of the sun as much as possible but often due to this fact my face appears much lighter then my body. This product comes in 2 shades one for the beginner or paler skin person (that's me) or a darker shade.

I loved this product. The smell was pleasant unlike many self tanners. The formulation left me skin feeling soft and moisturized but not oily, which is great as I have an oily complexion. It is to be applied using a cotton pad which I thought was great as it gave better control and therefore less mess. I used this product and night an when I got up in the morning a wonderful NON ORANGE was on my skin. You can adjust the colour my using every day, every other day etc. This product did not leave lines where maybe I hadn't perfectly applied the product which I thought was amazing.

This self tanner is a little on the expensive side a $32 CAD but I feel it's well worth it or the results as well the bottle is quite large giving you enough product to last you weeks on end.

This is one of my favorite products I have tried this year and m favorite tanning product by far!!

Quo's Total Perfection Face Primer...a Great Buy!

I have always been a big fan of Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer but not so much a fan of the price. I've tried several brands and could never find anything that was comparable in quality and durability. Well I am happy to say that has all changed!!

Quo foundation primer can be found at Shoppers Drug Marts all over Canada and their $20 primer is every bit as good as Smashbox's photo finish! The consistency is a little different but I actually find it to be a little better for my skin then photo finish! The price can't be beat for the quality, I know there are several other primers out there for less cost but I really don't find that they do the job nearly as well.

One pump provides enough product for the face and it really does lengthen the wear time of your foundation quite a bit. As well if you have dry skin or dry patches it prevents your foundation from settling into the accentuating these area's!

I feel like primer is a must as it also helps from makeup settling into and irritating the skin underneath. As a makeup artist I wouldn't be without it in my kit at all times.

I think that Quo's primer is a great way to get quality while still leaving some extra cash in your pocket!!