Don't forget to check the beauty sale pages at Macy's here and
Nordstrom here for new beauty deals plus free shipping!


Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Review: L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base

Note: I have discovered that this product might just be a dupe of a VERY expensive skincare product so keep reading for the big reveal...

Let me start out by telling you that I got one heck of a deal on this product. L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base retails for $12.95 at Rite Aid. When I purchased it a few weeks ago, L'Oreal products were on sale at Rite Aid for 40% off. This brought my cost down to $7.77. But I also had a $2 off coupon from Red Plum, which brought my total cost down to just $5.77. So if you want to try this product, I highly suggest waiting for a good sale, and check your Red Plum insert, Sunday paper inserts, etc. for a coupon. You'll really save a bundle.

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base (retail: around $12.95, 0.5 oz)

I think most of us are always on the hunt for an affordable primer that actually extends the life of our foundation. Especially those of us with oily skin--there's nothing worse than having our makeup disappear or feel like it's sliding off midway through the workday. So when I purchased this product, I had really high hopes that it would keep my makeup in place longer and, at the very least, eliminate the need for a lunchtime touch-up.

But then, I read this:


HELLO! Nowhere on this package does L'Oreal actually say that this will keep your makeup from fading, eliminate the need for touch-ups, or extend the life of your foundation! According to the application instructions above, this product is only going to "help makeup go on smoother."

Wow. I feel dumb! I mean, whenever I hear the word "base", I think of primer, which makes me think that the product is going to help keep my foundation in place longer. Am I the only one who thought this was actually going to be a foundation primer?

So with this new knowledge, I can't deduct any points from the performance of this product if it does NOT extend the life of my foundation. I can only judge this on how smoothly it makes my makeup application.

Let's take a look at the ingredients:


Here's something interesting! A while ago I did a compare/contrast of Hard Candy Sheer Envy Foundation Primer (retail: $8, 1.6 oz) and Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (click here if you missed that). Let me show you the ingredients lists of those two primers:

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer:



Smashbox Studio Finish Foundation Primer:



Interesting, right? All three products have, as their first ingredient, a multi-syllabic word beginning with "cyclo" and ending with "xane" (which leads me to believe they're similar ingredients). And all three products list dimethicone and dimethicone crosspolymer as their second and third ingredients. And lastly, all three products contain silica as their fourth or fifth ingredient.

I'm not trying to claim that all three products are essentially the same, but I just want to point out they share a lot of common ingredients. So in other words, it doesn't seem that L'Oreal is reinventing the wheel with Magic Perfecting Base.

Let's take a look at the actual product:


As you can see, this product comes in a little jar (about the same size as most standard eye creams--in other words, it's small) and the texture of the product has sort of a whipped quality to it. You really don't need much to cover your entire face, but if you're a germaphobe, I don't think you'll like the fact that you have to dip your finger in it to use it (of course you could use a little spatula, spoon, etc. to get the product out of the jar if you wanted to).

I opted for the finger method and I have to say that, due to the small size of the jar, it bugged me that I kept getting product underneath my nail. If you have nails that extend even just a tiny bit from your nail bed, be warned. It's almost impossible to prevent product from getting under your nail when you scoop this out. My solution? Scoop in an upward motion, instead of in a downward motion. In other words, if you scoop up, the product will be on your actual fingernail, as opposed to being on your fingertip.

When applying this product to my clean and moisturized face, I found that it applied pretty smoothly and I didn't experience any balling up (something I have heard several people complain about). I think less is more with this product and you definitely don't want to overdo it.

How did my face look and feel after application? Freaking amazing! Wow! My monster pores (near my nose and cheeks) seemed a little more airbrushed, and everything just looked more smooth and supple. In fact, when I first used this, I was INSTANTLY reminded of one particular product: Estee Lauder Idealist (retail: $46.00, 1 oz). Several years ago, when Idealist first came out, a co-worker and I went freaking NUTS over it. It was truly revolutionary for its time. I mean, my face had just never felt so smooth and supple before and I was absolutely addicted to it for many years (until, of course, the price went sky-high and I simply couldn't afford it anymore). So after using this product for a few weeks now, I'm going to go out on a limb and call Magic Perfecting Base an EL Idealist dupe. And here's why:

In my experience, Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base gives my skin essentially the same smooth, supple, airbrushed quality that Estee Lauder Idealist gives it. It just makes every inch of my skin look and feel dreamy. Yes, there are big differences (Idealist is classified as a serum and is applied before your moisturizer. It also claims to have skin-resurfacing benefits, while Magic Perfecting Base is not a serum and should be applied after your moisturizer). But in my limited experience, I have to say that the instant (not long-term) results are quite similar: my face feels instantly smoother, more supple and more polished.

So if you're looking for a more economical way to get the feeling of Estee Lauder Idealist on your skin, I say give Magic Perfecting Base a shot!

But if you're looking for a product that can help you keep your foundation in place longer, neither Magic Perfecting Base nor Idealist will probably be the product for you. It's just not the purpose of either product (but congrats to those of you who did experience this result though--I know some of you have!). I can't say I was disappointed that Magic Perfecting Base didn't keep my makeup from melting off during the most recent hot day here in San Diego. Why? Because I didn't expect it to. And it's not supposed to. For the record, on most days, my makeup stayed in place for about the exact same amount of time as it would had I not used Magic Perfecting Base at all.

The good news? Magic Perfecting Base did exactly what it said it was going to do: it truly helped my "makeup go on smoother" as promised. But you know what? That's what the Hard Candy primer does too, and Hard Candy Sheer Envy primer retails for $8 and you get triple the amount. So if you're looking for a primer that makes your makeup go on smoother AND helps extend the life of your foundation a bit, I say give Hard Candy a shot.

So exactly who might benefit from Magic Perfecting Base? I would say that it's ideal for those of you who don't wear foundation at all. You are really going to benefit from a product like this, because it really instantly improved both the look and texture of my bare skin. But if you do wear foundation and you are in desperate need of a product that's going to smooth things out before you apply your foundation, this might be a great match for you as well. If you're like me, and you want not only to smooth your skin before foundation application, but also extend the life of your foundation, I'd say Hard Candy Sheer Envy might be a better option.

I hope you're not thoroughly confused by this review. I tried my best to give you the pros and cons and, heck, I even threw in a dupe for good measure. Either way, I just want you to be informed before you make a purchase, and I hope this helps a bit.

As always, I'd love to hear from you--whether you'd tried Magic Perfecting Base or not!
SHARE:

24 comments

  1. Thanks! I was wondering if I should even get this but know that Hard Candy would be better. :D Walmart trip here I come. lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. i have had a smiliar result so far.

    after testing it on different areas that are prone to creasing, bumps, and the like, i have concluded that it makes the most difference on my nose. not only does it keep the oilies at bay for hours beyond my usual blotting time, but it makes my larger, uneven nose pores look completely flawless.

    it's also kinda great on the smile lines that go from nose to mouth corners (i'm young but i laugh a lot so the lines are there).

    i will be doing a Wally's run soon so might get the HC one to compare, as I agree- even with my score price for the L'Oreal, i'm probably going to blast through this rather quickly, even though i use it only on my nose area and in tiny amounts.

    thanks for reviewing with honesty, as always!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for posting this review! I've seen ads in magazines and wondered how it held up. If the price is right here in Canada I might have to try it out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I found myself saying "MEEEE TOO!" so much during this review! I also wanted it ot extend the life of my foundation, because I am super oily. I was really annoyed at getting such an expensive (for the amount you get) product under my nails also! I agree that it made my gigantic pores on my cheeks look airbrushed, but sadly it doesn't last. I really have to pick up some of that Hard Candy primer you mentioned though.
    Thanks for a great review! (btw, I also bought it when it was 40% off and with a $2 off coupon, lol)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you so much for the review...I am stalking you for the big reveal...:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great review! I keep seeing the ads for it and I have been so tempted! But so far, it just sounds like something I already have :) Saved me the money to try it. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ok great review dear. I saw numerous post on this product, read it and thought ok it's just another hype. So I saw it on sale at CVS last week and got it with a coupon from L'Oreal for $7. All I gotta say is it shouldn't be underestimated, it is awesome. I use it everyday from the day I bought it right after moisturizing. It makes me oil free and definitely leaves my skin smooth. I dnt use f/d everyday and using it just leaves my skin looking radiant. Love it that I had to purchase a 2nd one before the sale was over.

    ReplyDelete
  8. How funny, I JUST reviewed this too! It was my first review actually =). Hmm I never thought it was an Idealist dupe...but you know I loooooved Idealist for making my skin so smooth =)

    ReplyDelete
  9. not trying to be a geek, but I just learned about this in chemistry class. The difference between cyclopentane and cyclohexane is that cyclohexane has one more carbon molecule than cyclopentane. Hex- means six, and pent- means five. Both are rings of carbon and hydrogen molecules.

    ReplyDelete
  10. IB: You are so welcome! If you can get this on sale it might be worth a try, but I think you might like the HC primer. :)

    beautifulmonday: I am so happy this seems to be working great for you! I really, really wish it kept my oilies at bay, but it just didn't seem to do much for that at all. :( I can't wait to see what you think of the HC!

    Arezu: Oooh, please do a review if you end up getting it, ok? I really hope it works for you! :)

    nattyd16: Thank you SO much for that! It feels so great to know I am not alone in my opinions and observations!! :D

    resham: Oops! I think you need to read the entire review because I definitely revealed the dupe in this post. Just re-read it and you will see it. :)

    Joyce: I am thrilled that I could help you save some cash! If you already have something that does what this product does, then definitely don't spend the money. :)

    kimmy: I am thrilled that this works so well for you! I wish I could say the same thing, but it just didn't keep my makeup looking any fresher than the days when I didn't use it. It sounds like you have found your holy grail product though! Yay!!

    L: How funny!! I'll have to check out your review! So you didn't think this made your skin feel smoother just like Idealist? That's about the only thing this DID do for me! lol. :)

    Melissa: Thanks for the scientific data! You rock! And I guess I was right after all that the ingredients are quite similar? Or does the + or - carbon molecule drastically change the ingredient?

    ReplyDelete
  11. OMG! Thanks for reviewing this---it was on my list of stuff to pick up at CVS today after work. I think I'll just wait til I hit WalMart and give Hard candy a shot.

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG I feel so dumb I thought this was supposed to help foundation stay on, especially since it has the tell tale ingredients that most primers have!

    ReplyDelete
  13. ahh yep, i was expecting it to make my foundation last longer. it honestly didn't do anything for me. my skin felt smoother after it finally dried, but thats about it. still had big pores and dry skin, and of course my makeup still faded 3 hours later. well hard candy, here i come!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm confused, maybe some of you can clarify for me. If this stuff makes your skin smoother and appear to have fewer or smaller pores, what's the point of foundation? I mean, don't they both more or less do the same thing--even out skin tone and make your skin just look all-around better? Why do you need both? Please help me understand!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks so much for this detailed review - very helpful. After reading it I think my curiousity about trying this has been satisfied and it's probably not for me--so once again you've saved me time and money - you're the best! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. The CVS coupon machine is spitting out $3 off coupons for the L'oreal Eye studio products right now. This is included.

    ReplyDelete
  17. dangerkitty: You are so welcome! I'd loooove to know what you think of the HC primer if you get it, honey! :)

    PCS: I am right there with you! We can both feel dumb together! lol! ;)

    Giselle: Awww, I'm sorry that you didn't have a good experience with this one, but I would of course love to know how the HC primer works for you. Keep me posted? :)

    jane: I think I can help you. Foundation evens out the COLOR of your skin (but, yes, certain foundations can also make it appear smoother, etc.). So it's got a distinctly different purpose than bases/primers/serums which basically help even out the skin's TEXTURE, but do very little to help immediately even out COLOR. Does that make sense? I'm thinking that if you're asking this, you are probably blessed with flawless, even, skin because people like me (who need lots of help with evening out color) could never go even one day without foundation and know its exact purpose quite intimately! lol! So consider yourself VERY, VERY lucky, honey! :D

    Susan: You are so welcome! I'm thrilled that my (confusing) review could help you better determine whether or not this product might be worth your while. Thanks so much for that! :D

    discount diva: Wow, so they are considering this part of the Eye Studio collection? Interesting!! Thanks for the heads-up! :D

    ReplyDelete
  18. OMG, you know I love and use this product but I never really took it in that it doesn't claim to be a primer and my brain completely went in that direction automatically. You have some extremely good points about it affecting foundation longevity. I still really like it as a "primer" LOL, but it is the BOMB at smoothing the texture of the skin (optically, not physically of course). Okay, so which one of us is the left brain and which one is the right because apparently we function best as a pair!

    xo
    Amber

    ReplyDelete
  19. Amber: OMG, you are so not alone! I immediately thought it was a true "primer" too, and I think A LOT of us did! lol! And hum...I think you might be left and I might be right? Or maybe the other way around? Oh geeze, sometimes I think we're the same half of somebody else's brain altogether! LOL!! xo

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks for this review. Nope, not confusing to me. :) I 'counter-tested' this just today. I was surprised that the texture was like a soft, whipped cream.

    Have you tried Avon's Magix? It is a sunscreen primer. And it does glide on but will to that balling up like you mentioned some primers tend to do.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Kimberly: I'm glad this review wasn't confusing to you! :D And no, I haven't tried the Magix primer, but I have tried the Magix mousse foundation (I reviewed it here a little while back) and I really liked it. I'm sorry that the primer balls up for you. I hate that. :(

    ReplyDelete
  22. I agree! I dont wear foundations or primers, so my bare skin looks even better! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  23. What is the best product for pores that you have ever used? Cheap or highend
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  24. I like your review on the product. I came across your blog in my search of the ingredients for this particular product-- now that I see the ingredients, I wonder how safe they are! Thank you for your post

    ReplyDelete

I love and encourage comments here at Nouveau Cheap, and I do not censor comments unless they violate my comment policy, which you can view here.

Please refrain from comments that contain:
• Links to your own blog or website
• Advertisements or referral links

Thanks very much for your help in keeping this a spam-free zone.

© 2009- Nouveau Cheap. All rights reserved.
BLOGGER TEMPLATE MADE BY pipdig