Cover FX - The Power of Primers

 

Hello, Fireflies!

I am a recent, and enthusiastic convert to the Cover FX brand.  I just love that they are about makeup that is also skincare, and about helping people look and *feel* their best. I was given the opportunity to test and review their stable of primers, and I'd love to share with you what I thought about them!

Because Cover FX is committed to skin care, in addition to keeping makeup in place, each of their primers has an additional purpose.

In order, from left to right, is the Cover FX primer with SPF 30, Anti-Aging, Matte/Anti-Acne, and Anti-Age Eye.  Each photo shows them a little more blended out, but not completely blended.  The first two are a little more dewy, with the Anti-Age primer having a slight yellow cast due to the Co-Q10.  Don't worry, though, that disappears when it's completely blended in.

The Anti-Age Smoothing Eye Primer is a new product to me.  I absolutely love the pump! (Squeeze the tube while pumping for easier dispensing.) Smooth this primer on the eyelid and under the eye to help keep makeup in place, as well as reducing dark circles and puffiness!

I've already done looks with the SPF primer HERE and HERE if you'd like to go back and read the posts.  They were pretty fascinating, if I do say so myself.  Here's the TL;DR:

The SPF 30 Primer is a great one, and if I was spending time outside, I'd definitely reach for it!

For my first experiment, I put matte primer on half my face, and anti-aging on the other half.  The Anti-aging side was just a *touch* dewier, but there was no marked difference between the two sides.  There is, however, a huge difference between the no-makeup and the made up look.  Behold, the power of cheese makeup.

In addition to my Cover FX BB Gel and Setting powder, I'm also wearing Maybelline Color Tattoos in Tenacious Teal and Tough As Taupe, with my Cailyn Gel Eyeliner in Iron, Rimmel Scandal Eyes, Retro Glam, and my coveted sample of Guerlain Meteorites! Ballz!

Here's the difference between what I looked like at the beginning of the night, and after a night of carousing with my friends.  Wow, I'm tired. And maybe a little drunk.  I wish I could remember what blush I had on, because it didn't last the night.  My lipstick didn't either, which is why I just put on something that was in my purse.

I felt like the matte side kept the oil at bay a little better for me and my oily skin.  There is noticeably more shine on the Anti-age side.  My eyeshadow is still mostly there.. and they are cream shadows! On oily lids!  With no creasing! How did I do it?

Well, I got some advice from my friends at Cover FX.  Because, the first time I tried this, these same Tattoos were sliding off my eyes within minutes.  They suggested applying a bit of the matte setting powder over the primer, and then again over the shadow. 

For the next experiment, I mixed the matte and anti-aging primers together.  I felt like a rebel.  I liked the slightly dewy effect, and the benefits from both the Co-Q10 and the salicylic acid.

Major gold shadow alert! And, cream shadows again! ELF cream shadows in Back To Basics, Gotta Glow, and Brownie Points, Jordana Blushed, Rimmel Scandal Eyes Retro Glam mascara, Physicians Formula liquid liner in brown, Too Faced La Creme in Believe, and the Hourglass palette.

Thanks to layering powder and eye shadow primer, my golds are still on at the end of the night.  Wow, even in just a shot of my eyes, you can tell I'm, uh, tired. Thank goodness for that primer that reduces puffiness and dark circles, prime indicators of the hangover!

Finally, I have a brand new product to share with you! The Blemish primer and brush are supposed to be coming out at the end of June, so if they're not already on the Cover FX website, they should be soon. Check out and 'Like' the Cover FX Facebook page for updates.

The brush reminds me a bit of a concealer brush, but the synthetic brush fibers have been treated with an antimicrobial formula to help prevent bacteria getting into the pimple.  The primer is a clear gel, designed to treat the pimples while giving your concealer a smooth surface to adhere to.  Because that crusty, flaky look of concealer on a pimple is no bueno. 

I have no shortage of pimples on which to try this product.  I need a little practice in feathering out the concealer (I don't have the Cover FX concealer; I used Tarte Maracuja concealer here.) but you can see that the concealer is smooth.  I also tried using the primer and just applying CC cream over it, and it really helps the CC cream stay in place and smoothed over the pimple.

It really is unfair that I'm in my 40s and still have pimples.  It's a myth that pimples stop at puberty! There are a lot of us that still have oily and/or acneic skin well past our teenage pimply years.  At least now I can treat and cover at the same time, and hide all the evidence!

I like having primers that have a secondary function - I can choose which primer best suits my complexion and my activities for that particular day!  Do you change your primer routine? Do you like primer to also function as skincare?