Primadonna's Picks: Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer

Today's pick:  Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer Travel Size 0.16 oz

I usually start my day with flawless make-up, but within a few hours my combination skin gradually becomes shiny and my foundation begins to oxidize (turn orange). To combat the problem I tried a few drugstore primers, blotting paper, even milk of magnesia!   Many products broke me out or had inconsistent results, and nothing stopped the dreaded shine and oiliness; at some point during the day I turned into an oil slick.   After a couple of failed attempts with various products I decided to fully commit myself to researching solutions. During my search I wandered across several positive reviews for Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer. Sephora's website said it would do the following for skin:

• Minimize Shine
• Create a smooth, uniform canvas for flawless makeup application.
• Keep makeup looking fresh
• Prevents fading. 
• Absorb excess oils
• Minimize the appearance of pores by evenly distributing light to help hide and soften skin imperfections and fine lines.

I am always concerned about breakouts and my skin is sensitive, but the description reassures that it is formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, or phthalates.  To top it off, it's gluten, oil, and fragrance free.  Wow, this sounded like EXACTLY what I was looking for, but I still wasn't sure that I wanted to take a risk and try it when a full size bottle is $52.  I decided to check ebay, where I was able to order a travel size bottle of Mineral Veil for $9.99 with shipping.  I waited anxiously for it to arrive, hoping it would be the answer to my problems.

First Impressions:
It's a tiny bottle for sure; about the size of a lip gloss. Fortunately, a little goes a long way, and it was more than enough for me to try out the product for awhile to see if it worked for me.  The travel size bottle has a wand type applicator that helps to scoop the product from the bottle.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer Travel Size Applicator

Consistency & Application:
The product looks and feels like a light lotion when first removed from the bottle. When applied to the face it feels silky and quickly changes to a more powdery feel. It leaves the face extremely soft, smooth, and matte.  My makeup application was much smoother and I needed less layers of make up to cover areas of hyperpigmentation from acne scarring.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Dry

Hourglass Mineral Veil Consistency

Hourglass Mineral Veil Applied

After using it for one day I was in awe of the difference it made; no oxidation, no shine, no greasy feel at the end of the day!  My makeup looks just as fresh as when I put it on in the morning, and I didn't even have to blot during the day!

Final Thoughts
This product continues to give me good results and I have not seen an increase in breakouts.  I have since purchased a .33 oz bottle which I got for $15.68 on ebay. If you're like me and have issues with your foundation and/or oil and shine you need to try this product immediately!  Also, if $52 for the full size it a bit too steep for your budget, don't let that stop you. I recommend going to ebay and purchasing one of the smaller sizes from a top rated seller.