Skin Prep Reviews: Benefit, Urban Decay, Clinique, Clarins

I totally did save the best for last...

Here are some of my favs of the past few months: 

Clinique Stay Matte Oil Free Makeup 

Neutral, Dry Combination to Oily

I don't normally wear full coverage makeup like most foundations, so when I tried this I kept that in mind. Although it's not something I would personally wear on a daily basis, many could or would, and this would be something I would wear if I wanted a little more coverage than my normal I'm-a-manager-at-a-gym look. It wasn't too thick & blended in nicely. Clinique has actually been one of my favorite brands (normally in skin care) since I was pretty young. If you have sensitive skin or your skin breaks out easily, it's a great brand to turn to.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm SPF 20

Pretty impressed with this! Did have a bit more coverage than I was expecting for a BB cream, but Urban Decay is a strong makeup brand so it makes sense. The SPF is a little low for my preference - I usually aim for 30+ - but I liked it overall. The sample I had was pretty small, but I would definitely like to try it again.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

A little thick for my preference, but does an excellent job of doing what it says. Use alone or as a primer, and be sure to blend in smoothly. If you want to feel secure in your primer lasting all day or night in possibly a warm environment, this is a great choice.

Benefit - The Pore Professional

Really saved the best for last! This is it. Stock up on this by the cases. It's so good, feels so nice on your skin, does such a nice job in the morning, or night, with no makeup, a little makeup, more makeup... I felt like I was in a constant battle of wanting to use it all the time & keep putting more on, but afraid of running out of it before I was ready. This might just be crack for your face.