There are plenty of crappy and harmful skincare hacks to avoid, but there are also those that help solve skin issues and save money. This is one that actually works to reduce shine on oily skin and below are tips on how to choose the right primer and foundation combination to reduce pilling. We all want makeup to go on smoothly and STAY, right?
After reading countless blogs and watching YouTube videos that compare the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer and Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel, I finally went ahead to get the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel as a face primer. I've tried the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer at our local Sephora before and I didn't really like that it ended up slightly flakey on my skin. I thought I might as well give the Monistat one a try since it's much cheaper. I'm really glad I did!
I didn’t even bother looking around for it in Singapore because well, at this point in time of blogging, not a lot of US makeup brands are readily available to us. If not for Sephora planting its biggest Southeast Asia’s store in Singapore, I’d never even have the chance to try out US products.
Important note: This is NOT the Monistat yeast infection product. The Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel was developed to complement the brand's medical products. Please make sure you get the right Monistat product, don't go applying yeast infection gel on your face, yo! O.o
Here are 5 reasons you need the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel as a face primer:
1. Cheap
Incredibly small price to pay for something similar to (or even better than) the mainstream Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, which costs U$37.00 (1 oz). Having found this, I shall never throw money at expensive face primer brands again.
2. Easy to apply
It comes out of the tube in gel form but turns into a silky smooth consistency the moment you apply it on your face. It glides on really well so that makeup can glide on and stay on. To makeup last the entire day, a face primer is extremely important. Also, a little goes a long way. Read: How to apply face primer quickly.
3. Dimethicone = Awesome oil mattifier
The Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel contains a form of nontoxic silicone - Dimethicone, just like in Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Everything Smashbox has, Monistat also has (okie, except for pretty packaging~), but for a tiny fraction of the price. HOORAY for Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel!!
If you've ever used The Ordinary Azelaic Acid, you'll find that the texture is similar to the Monistat's because Dimethicone is third on the ingredient list. Azelaic Acid, like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, is one of the best ingredients for sensitive skin.
Upon application, because it dries to a powder finish, the resulting matte finish does not leave a greasy residue on my face nor fingers. The great thing about Dimethicone in a face primer is that it prevents secreted oil from surfacing, while also preventing your makeup from getting into your skin. It acts as a barrier between your skin and cosmetics products, thereby protecting it.
While it keeps my face from being overly shiny, it only keeps it matte for about till late afternoon. WHICH IS AWESOME ENOUGH! Nothing can suppress my incredibly active oil glands in this sunny side of the world and to be able to be remain shine-free till late afternoon is quite an achievement. I need only use a blotting paper to lightly get rid of the shine without having my makeup fall apart.
My favorite blotting paper for years is the Gatsby Powdered Blotting Sheets. It does a fantastic job of absorbing oil, does not tear, and does not turn greasy like those plasticky-film kind. I have it in every bag!
4. Fantastic foundation base
It makes my skin look smoother and makeup last longer. Foundation and concealer doesn’t sink into my pores nor does it cause any irritation to the skin.
Tip: If you ever experience any itching or allergic reaction to a skincare product, here are some useful tips to calm down irritated skin.
It even works for my Bare Escentuals mineral foundation, which otherwise would cake and melt into my skin and magnify my pores without a primer or with a lotion primer. The Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel smooths out my large pores, uneven skintone, softens fine lines. And it is gentle on the skin enough to be used every day! I haven't experienced any breakouts ever since I started using this as a face primer.
Contrary to popular belief, silicone does not cause acne (source). More often than not, acne is linked to health and having pimples on different parts of your face could be a sign of different ailments.
5. Colorless and odorless
It is colorless, so it won't stain if you accidentally get it on your collar. Odor-wise, it has a very faint kerosene-like smell which will disappear once you apply it on your face. Then again, scent is subjective and everyone's interpretation of it is different.
It doesn’t bother me that the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel really is a remedy for ‘prevention and relief from chafing and irritation in intimate, delicate areas like the inner thigh, bikini area, and under arms and breasts’. No big deal, really. If it works, it works.
Update 2020: The Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel has had an update in packaging.
Why is my makeup pilling?
What is pilling? Firstly, pilling is not peeling hahaha! I was so embarrassed when I realized that pilling is actually a thing, and not a misspelling of peeling. 😅
You know those little balls of eraser shavings that rub off your skin when you layer something over another? Like a moisturizer over a serum, or more commonly, foundation over sunscreen? That's pilling, and it can be due to several reasons like:
- Dead skin
- Incompatible moisturizer, primer, sunscreen
- Using too much product
- Not waiting for product to be absorbed
There are mainly three types of primers - water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based.
Since the Monistat Chafing Relief Gel is a silicone-based product, I'm going to focus on silicone-based face primers.
The Monistat gel contains:
- Active Ingredients: Dimethicone (Skin Protectant)
- Inactive Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisiloxane
In general, to prevent foundation pilling, you want to use silicone-based primers with silicone-based foundations.
Mixing different bases can potentially cause pilling. When you apply a water-based foundation over a silicone-based primer, the silicone repels water, causing water from the foundation to not be properly absorbed into the skin. This inability to evenly absorb the water into the skin causes pilling.
One sure way to tell if your foundation is silicone or water-based is to read the ingredients list. Don't be swayed by fancy product descriptions. Something like "a beautifully formulated foundation composed of mineralized water that offers hydration and elasticity" can mislead consumers into thinking it's a water-based foundation, but the ingredients will tell you exactly what it is.
Recommended silicone-based primers
Benefit The POREfessional Primer is the OG of silicone-based primers! You can even wear it without makeup! You don't need too much of it to get a smoother, more refined complexion. In fact, what I learnt from personal experience is that if I get greedy and apply too much, it kind of backfires. Letting it sit a bit to set before applying makeup helps to increase the longevity of your foundation. It comes out from the tube in a light peach, but doesn't actually offer coverage.
If you love the Benefit Porefessional but cannot justify the cost for daily use (or if your skin breaks out from it), a good dupe is the NYX Pore Filler. It's not a 100% replacement because there is obviously a difference in texture, but for this price, I would call it 'second best'. Remember to shake the tube before each use, otherwise dry clumps might shoot out everywhere except on your finger. This applies smoothly, dries powder-like, and hides pores really well.
Funnily, Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer is a much better contender at controlling shine than Make Up For Ever Shine Control Primer. I needed something to reduce the amount of shine on my skin and judging from its name, thought the Shine Control Primer would do the job. But it didn't quite cut it. It was, instead, the Smoothing Primer that turned out great for my oily-combination skin, evening out my skin texture, blurring the appearance of enlarged pores, and helped stop my makeup from sliding off my greasy skin.
The Ordinary High-Spreadability Fluid Primer is silicone-based, but unlike the heaviness one might feel from other silicone-based primers, you can barely tell there's silicone in this one. This feels more like a serum due to how lightweight and spreadable it is on the skin. Like all The Ordinary skincare products, this primer is fragrance free, oil-free, alcohol free, silicon-free, vegan and very affordable. The only downside is that the product is in a dropper form, which can make dispensing the right amount a little difficult. Beware of fake The Ordinary products! Only buy from trusted sources.
So far I've never broken out from silicone-based primers even though I have sensitive skin. But as always, everyone's skin is different, so I would always recommend patch testing for any skincare irritation or reaction you might have to a new skincare product, you might want to do a patch test on your neck or jawline first.
Remember to apply your necessary facial moisturizer and sunblock and allow those a couple of minutes to set in first before applying the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel or any primer. Then get ready for a day of makeup that won’t budge!
Bun Bun says of the Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel as a face primer for oily skin:
Are you going to join the Monistat cult anytime soon? XD
