Many primers promise to blur, sop up shine and deliver a silky-soft finish—and as someone with oily skin and pronounced pores, I’ve tried them all. But none have delivered on their claims quite like the Shiseido Synchro Skin Soft Blurring Primer ($36).
My Skin Type:
Combination, but leaning towards oily, with pronounced pores. My T-zone tends to get extra slick midday and my cheeks stay pretty dry-to-normal.
The Benefits:
Unlike the silicone-filled texture many pore-blurring primers offer, this lightweight, cream-to-powder formula is water-based, meaning it won’t clog pores or feel heavy or tacky on the skin. The primer is formulated with snowflake powder for radiance, plumping and mattifying peptides, and a “sebum catch powder” to absorb oil throughout the day.
How to Use It:
Apply a pea-sized amount of the primer to the face, beginning from the center of the face and T-zone, working outward. Because it’s featherlight and non-cakey, you can also spot treat the face, applying only to the T-zone or problem areas if you wish without worry of disrupting your makeup.
The Bottom Line:
Most blurring primers come with a tacky, heavy texture that do nothing more than “fill” pores for a smoother look, and leave us with bigger problems in the long-run. The Synchro Skin Soft Blurring Primer won’t clog pores and treats the skin instead of covering it for smoother, healthier skin with and without makeup.
*You can also try it (full-size) in this year’s Luxury Review Box, along with 37 other products!
