When I saw the $8 price tag on the ELF putty primers I clicked, “add to cart,” IMMEDIATELY. Now, ya’ll are getting an ELF Putty Primer review!
I tried a putty primer once in the past: Tatcha Luminous Silk. I received a deluxe sample in a Sephora Play box (R.I.P. to that subscription service), and I was super excited to try it because of all the hype around it! However, for me, it just wasn’t IT.
I decided to give putty primers another go since the ELF putty primers are affordable. I am a fan of ELF’s quality for its price point. The putty primers come in three varieties. I chose the matte and poreless options.
Both of the ELF putty primers have a slight tint to them when applied, but it doesn’t impact the color of other products. You may not notice the tint if you have a lighter complexion.
I had some trouble with the poreless primer. While I did feel as though it slightly minimized the appearance of the pores near my nose, it did not play well with my concealer. I compared the ingredients to my favorite primer, Cover FX Mattifying Primer, and I noticed the first ingredient in the ELF primer is water while the first ingredient in Cover FX is a silicone. I suspect that may be why I don’t have as much of an issue with creasing when I use the Cover FX primer.
The matte primer is OK. It’s not horrible, it’s not fantastic, it’s just OK… and that’s okay! Every product isn’t going to be a superstar. The primer didn’t make me completely matte, but it served as a nice base for my Fenty foundation. After several hours of wear, some of my oils crept through, but it could easily be blotted away.
Have you tried a putty primer? Which one is your favorite??
