I'm sure you're all aware of this somewhat bizarre beauty hype by now. Brought to our attention by Nikkietutorials, many beauty fanatics have been using Nivea for Men's Sensitive Post Shave Balm as a make-up primer. Looking to save a buck (or 100) on ever expensive primers, I jumped on the bandwagon. At the very worst, Jesse earns himself a new post shave balm.
There are no losers in this story. None.
Sob story: I really struggle on the base front. In addition to suffering from dry, sensitive skin - meaning I'm used to having to accept less than perfection when it comes to my foundation, I also struggle on the primer front. I find most formulations to be too light and just sink right into my skin. And then there's the silicone formulas.. Don't get me started on the silicone formulas. This balm, however, has a thicker, yet runnier? consistency without being gluggy or pore clogging, and the ingredient that makes work so well as a primer is glycerine, which is in just about every face primer on the market. It kind of acts as a glue for foundation, creating a somewhat "tacky" (definitely not sticky) base for your make-up to stick to.
As it is formulated for sensitive skin, it is extra gentle and non-irritating. It also alleviates dryness surprisingly well and is 100% alcohol free (unlike most after shave balms) and we all know how drying and overall nasty an effect alcohol can have on skin. But for me, the best thing about this is the fact that even if it doesn't work for you as a primer as such, it's a great balm to even out that skin tone somewhat as it does a fantastic job of removing redness, and rightly so as it's formulated to soothe irritation after shaving.
As it is formulated for sensitive skin, it is extra gentle and non-irritating. It also alleviates dryness surprisingly well and is 100% alcohol free (unlike most after shave balms) and we all know how drying and overall nasty an effect alcohol can have on skin. But for me, the best thing about this is the fact that even if it doesn't work for you as a primer as such, it's a great balm to even out that skin tone somewhat as it does a fantastic job of removing redness, and rightly so as it's formulated to soothe irritation after shaving.
I apply a smaller amount of moisturiser than I usually would (due to the moisturising properties mentioned above), rub a pea-sized amount into my hands until tacky, and slather it on to my face, letting it sink into the skin for a minute. Then I apply concealer and foundation as normal. For reference, I use Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Concealer, Rimmel's Match Perfection/Maybelline's Matte & Poreless Foundation, Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer, and I finish it all off with a dusting of Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder and Urban Decay's Chill Setting Spray. Literally anything (but especially liquid foundation) I apply over the balm glides on smoothly and evenly, adhering to the base and blending absolutely beautifully, leaving me with a flawless, non-cakey finish.
The smell of the balm is 'manly'. Not in a gross, stinky kind of way - I actually like it but I can see how it may be off-putting to others. The scent is short lived, though and completely masked by the layers of foundation, etc. applied on top.
The longevity of my make-up really surprised me. Considering it's not an actual primer, it manages to keep my make-up looking just as fresh and even as when I first applied it throughout my whole 8.5 hour long working day with little to no need for touch-ups no matter how hot and sticky the day is.
All in all, this is the best priming product I have ever used. Ironic considering it's not actually a primer. It's affordable, it didn't irritate, but soothed my sensitive skin, hydrated my dry patches, kept any oiliness at bay, created a smooth canvas, kept my make-up looking fresh, and lasted all day. What else do you want in a primer?!
This was an amazing and effective little beauty hack. Don't you just love when things work out?
As always, this post has not been sponsored in any way, meaning that none of the items mentioned have been sent to me, endorsed or paid for by anyone other than me, myself and I, nor does this post contain any affiliate links. I will always disclose such information using an asterisk (*) for full disclosure to my readers.
