The March Beauty Box introduced me to this wee primer, which came in a deluxe sample size as a bonus with this box.
So firstly, my skin is combination/dry which tends to get an oily t-zone, and drier patches on my cheeks (especially on the colder months).
This primer is not silicone based at all, which i love because i find the silicon based primers tend to highlight my dry patches-not ideal, especially in winter. This primer seems to feel more like a moisturizer so that's good, and is a thick consistency, like a moisturizer.
This primer surprisingly provides quite a good base for foundation and other makeup products, but i wouldn't say it gives my skin an incredible glow. However, it does give my skin a dewy finish which i love, and is a look i go for, but since most my foundations give me this finish anyway, it defeats the point of using this primer for the glowing purpose.
Surprisingly, although the sample was quite small (maybe 5ml or 10ml) the product actually lasted a long time. So although $65.00 may seem a lot from a primer, i would say it would last a decent time which would almost make it worthwhile.
If you have combination/dry skin like mine this primer is good. Mostly because it doesn't make oily t zones extra oily, is anything it evens the out, and its doesn't highlight dry patches. Perfect. As for the glow, its more of a dewy finish, which is great if you don't already get this from your foundation, but because i do, this aspect of the primer did not impress me.
Overall, i wouldn't repurchase this primer, because the things i like about it i can find in other primers without the price tag.
I received a 10ml sample sized tube of this primer in the last BR Beauty Box, of which I got about 8 applications out of. This is the first and only product I've tried from Shiseido, knowing nothing about the brand.
The packaging of this product is quite enticing, the shiney silver tube with it's black cap makes it look like a high-end quality kind of product, and I guess it's supposed to be product given the lofty price tag.
The consistency is that of a lotion, it applies very smoothly creating a very light layer on the skin surace and delivers a noticeable dewy glow. It has a soft soapy scent to it and also smells almost very faintly of suncreen, I find it reasonably pleasant.
The surface of my skin looks smoother after applying this primer, and it somewhat assists in the smoothness of foundation application and provides a luminous dewy finish. However as the day wears on, and in a stuffy environment the luminous glow may become a sweaty looking sheen, so it pays to carry with you a powder for touch-ups.
If it's a dewy glow you're ater and you don't mind having to touch-up with a bit of powder during the day (or fork out $65 for primer) then this might the primer for you. If you prefer a matte finish then you're probably not going to like it at all.