Could someone please explain why all of these chill-inducing skin care products are launching in the middle of winter? First Kate Somerville’s Cryogenic thingamabob, and now this — Origins Original Skin Pore-Prefecting Cooling Primer With Willowherb? Both of them feel freezing when you put them on your face, and that’s the last thing I need help with right now. Mother nature is taking care of that all by herself, thank you very much. (Side note: I’m wearing the thickest, most unsexy socks right now…but they’re so warm!)
I will say, though… This primer is kinda cool, both literally and figuratively. It’s a tinted, airy, mousse-y foam makeup primer, and like the Jelly Cleanser it just launched with, it has willowherb extract to help with hyper-pigmentation.
It does feel cool to the touch when it first comes out of the can — not painfully freezing cold or tingly or anything, but it is chilly enough to get your attention. I find it refreshing, like holding a chilled washcloth to your face, and the effect wears off in about 10-15 seconds.
You work a little on bare skin after washing your face and applying your skin care for the day, but before applying your makeup, and it helps everything you apply afterward (foundation, concealer, powder, etc.) look smoother and last longer.
On my 40-something combo skin, it works as a moderately potent smoothing primer (I can definitely see a difference in pore size when I use it), similar to BECCA Backlight (but without the shimmer), Hourglass Veil or MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance, but not as intensely smoothing as a silicone-heavy primer like Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer or Urban Decay Urban Defense, both of which fill pores like painter’s putty for your skin.
INGREDIENTS
Water, Dimethyl Ether, Dimethicone, Silica, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil*, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil*, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil*, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil*, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil*, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil*, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil*, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil*, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil*, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol, Citral, Epilobium Angustifolium FlowerLeafStem Extract, Cistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris (Bamboo) Extract, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Caffeine, Castanea Sativa (Chestnut) Seed Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Arginine, Salicylic Acid, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sucrose**, Phospholipids, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, BeeswaxCera AlbaCire D’abeille, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica Silylate, Galactoarabinan, Tromethamine, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glucosamine Hcl, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492). *Essential Oil. **Organic Brown Sugar.
Overall, I think it works well. My skin looks smoother, my makeup lasts longer, and the tint doesn’t interfere with color products. I’ve tried it with a bunch of different foundation/concealer combos, too, and it layers well with everything. It also feels light.
What I’m not crazy about, however, is how quickly I’m using it up. I dunno… I feel like I end up putting a lot of it on my face, and it’s hard to tell how much is left in the ($32) can. Judging by the weight, I’m guessing it’ll last me one or two months at the most.
The 1.8-oz. can is $32, which, yeah, is less than a bottle of BECCA Backlight (which is $38 for 1 ounce), but a bottle of Backlight takes me 6-8 months to finish, and that’s with daily use.
I’d say go for it if you’re curious, but a can probably won’t last long. You can find it now at Origins counters and stores, Sephora and online.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
