Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Velvet Veil Makeup Primer by Face Time


I got married by the sea, on a hot and humid summer night in 1996. I can't say I remember much of the actual event (people said it was lovely and the photos confirm), but I do know that my makeup could have used some help in the staying-in-place department. No one heard of primers back then, so it was all about using a good powder and hoping for the best.

Velvet Veil is the product I wish existed back then, because it performs amazingly well. I tested it against the elements: wind, pouring rain and a sweaty day. Nothing moved and it kept every foundation I tried fresh, and only required minimal powdering.

This is a silicone primer and the texture is thicker than the famous one from Smashbox. It's also more opaque, though once applied you see nothing. I like it for the way it keeps my face fresh all day, but I have a serious problem with its heaviness. I don't like the way my skin looks after wearing it for days (or the way I felt after 10 days of testing). It looks like my skin couldn't breath underneath the primer, though I'm sure there's a better explanation. Also, while I can't be completely certain the Velvet Veil is the culprit, I experienced some seriously clogged pores and a couple of zits I could have happily lived without. While it doesn't happen when I only use it occasionally, my skin definitely suffers if I make this primer part of my normal routine.

So, bottom line: a fabulous primer, but my skin isn't happy to encounter it on a regular basis. I'm keeping my bottle, but would only use it for special occasions that require heavy duty products with exceptional staying power.

Velvet Veil ($22) and the rest of Face Time products are only available online from the company's web site. That's how I bought my bottle.

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