So in my last haul I mentioned that I purchased (after what seems like ages of searching) Etude House's Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Stick.
I first discovered this product in one of my first visits to an Etude House boutique. I didn't feel the immediate need to buy it so I put it down and vowed to get it later, but to my dismay the next time I went, it was sold out. Apparently, it's a pretty hot item, especially here in the Philippines
I'm not going to lie, my skin isn't as bad as I think it is, but one thing I can't deny is that my pores are horrid, especially towards the end of the day. They're bumpy and totally show up especially when it's humid. I've been trying gel based primers but they only tend to worsen the problem, so when I saw this in stick form, I thought why not?
Claims:
"Soilid stick primer masks pores to subdue sebum and improve makeup coverage"
Basically, it claims that it evens out pores and serves as a carpet canvas to even out your skin while at the same time subduing sebum production so pores don't appear clogged throughout the day, even with makeup on.
It's a solid stick that almost appears waxy, but when you apply it, it almost feels as if there's a thin sheet of translucent powder covering your face. This also works pretty well with fine lines. You'll notice it even when first testing it out on your fingertips. It'll feel as if the grooves of your fingerprints disappear completely and leave but a smooth surface.
Directions:
"Twist to dispense an use stick to apply directly to visible pores."
Simple enough. What I do is I apply a little of the product onto my skin (crayon style) and just spread it out with my ring finger.
It's not the most hygienic of application processes so it's assume you do this step with a freshly cleansed and moisturized face. Using this product without cleansing is an extreme no-no because it covers up pores, so any dirt you may have accumulated gets stuck in there, and you wouldn't want that.
Ingredients:
I think the main ingredients in this are Silicone derivatives, so if you have a history of breakouts in reaction with silicone, this might not be the product for you. Also of note is that this product contains Mango Seed Butter. I know of a few people with allergies to some derivatives of mango so you might want to stay away from this as well if so.
Amount of Product:
You get 4.5 grams or 0.15 oz in the stick. It's actually a pretty good deal since you don't use of it much anyway (only on areas with visible pores), plus a little goes a long way. So while it may look like a small product if compared to amount with stick concealers for example, you use it much less which means you get more than enough product for what you pay for.
Results:
I think before I go into the results, it's worth mentioning what my skin type is, because more often than not, this is a determining factor as to whether or not this product will work for some people.
I have combination skin that is not very sensitive at all. My t-zone and middle face area get the oiliest towards the end of the day, but the rest of my skin is relatively normal. I have no prominent skin allergies or discoloration and rarely breakout.
Now that that's out of the way, onto the results.
On preliminary application, it's pretty obvious how it smoothens out the surface of my skin and fills in gaps in my pores. Obviously because it's a primer it serves as the base of all your makeup. I applied primer on my problem areas (the area between my nose and cheeks, as well as the side of my nose) and it visibly improved the surface of my skin. Also, when I ran my finger over the area it felt much smoother. I also found that my BB Cream and Concealer (not shown) applied more evenly after application.
Click to Enlarge
Yeah, it pretty much works. I wore this makeup for 12 hours straight (not shown), and while usually the area circled would be gross, oily and clogged, after just a few days of use of the primer, I found that the oil production there seemed a little bit suspended. My pores didn't look as clogged and my skin was still relatively smooth.
If the stick version isn't for you however, Etude House also carries an essence variant called Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence that's quite similar to Benefit's POREfessional. You can check out a review and comparison between the Essence and Stick by clicking here.
So overall, in terms of efficacy for my skin type, I think it did its job quite well. Compared to other primers out there, it's also relatively cheap and accessible in Asian countries, but for Europe and the U.S. it might be difficult to get your hands on this (though it might be worth it).
So that's it for my review. Stay tuned for my review on Etude House's Drawing Show Dot Liner!
Please feel free to request reviews from my previous hauls or suggest products for me to review.
Ada, signing out.
