Kiko: Matte Face Base - Review

I have been using this primer for a little while since featuring it in my Kiko Haul from Lanzarote, and I've been enjoying it. However I wanted to see whether that was just a placebo effect, or if it really made a difference. So I wore it under one side of my makeup and inspected the results...

First Look

It comes in a matte white tube, with a shiny silver cap. While the packaging does lend itself to getting dirty easily, it does look sleek! 👌🏽


The product itself is clear, which I like (no white cast). When I first swatched this, it looked like the Inglot Mattifying primer, which I don't like the consistency of as it is quite thick and goopy. This, however, spread really easily and actually feels wet until its blended right in.

The Test

I applied it to the my right side of my face (left side when looking at the pictures), under the L'oreal Infallible foundation, and set with Mac Studio Fix powder. This was at 7.30pm before filming a video. I did then finish my makeup.

I took this picture at 9.40pm after filming, so just over 2hours of wear. There is a little more light coming at the right side (looking at the picture) of my face here. However, from the front, I felt like my cheek with the primer on it looked smoother.

I took this picture at 11pm, before removing my makeup. So 3.5hrs of wear. Again I felt like the side with the primer looked smoother and more blurred.

This is the side with primer.

This is the side without.

It was only after turning my head to let the light bounce off, that I could see the primed side did appear more matte. (Taking these pictures is also when I see how uneven I did my brows 😂)

I then cut a blotting sheet in half and pressed them to my cheeks to physically see the oil difference. The sheet on the left is from the primed side, the sheet on the right is the non-primed side. I could see and feel that there was more oil on the non-primed side.

I then used them to blot the rest of my face. With the non-primed side, I felt like I ran out of room on the sheet and had to go over areas I already used. I think you can see this from the large transparent area on that sheet. The other (from the primed side) was also used all over, but the oil appears lighter.

Conclusion

I'm not crazy! This does make a difference!
I would definitely recommend this to fellow oily skinned gals.
I also really feel like it gives a blurring effect so I would recommend it to anyone who needs help with texture smoothing, because while it is mattifying, it's not drying.

You can pick this up for just €9.95 or $16 through kikocosmetics.com.
They also do a Radiant Boost Face Base (to give a sheen) and a Skin Tone Face Base (to reduce redness).

Thank you so much for stopping by!
Let me know if you have any recommendations for other mattifying primers I should try!
Christine
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