Elemis Pro-Collagen Insta-Smooth Primer

Do you have long days (or evenings) coming up, when you need your make-up to go the distance? Does your make-up tends to fade faster, now that the central heating's (at least intermittently) on?

Then this needs, um, INSTANTLY to be introduced into your make-up kit: a completely brilliant primer from Elemis's very excellent Pro-Collagen collection which, first off, really does smooth instantly, like prepping an artist's canvas, with lines and wrinkles less visible. (According to Elemis, this is down to natural marine extracts which create 'long-lasting, smoothing and tightening effects'. There is also a tangible hydration boost, straight away.

What happens next is indefinable, though. First time we used it, we applied make-up as usual, then glanced in a mirror later that morning and thought, 'Gosh, you're looking really OK today!' Didn't put two and two together. Second time, happened again. And without quite being able to explain this, that's the effect, every time: a sort of 'glow' (even though, unlike many primers, this doesn't have any light-reflecting 'radiant' particles, simply leaving skin dewy, not gleaming). Like it somehow dials up the power of your make-up, just a tad.

Beyond that, it really does make a difference to staying power, so that your make-up doesn't simply fade away by teatime, which is a problem for lots of us, especially as skin's becoming drier with the season.

Call it love at first swipe.

£58 for 50ml – buy here

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