Urban Decay Beauty Balm and Primer

A little while ago (okay, ages ago), I promised you another Urban Decay review. Well, here it is! We have two products, one I adore and one that really didn’t work for me at all.

Let’s get the not so good news over with: Naked Skin Illuminating Beauty Balm. Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? On first impressions, I was sold; relaxed but pretty packaging for a relaxed but pretty product type, the beauty balm. Designed to give moisture with a light, natural coverage, beauty balms are now a staple product in most beauty cabinets, and this one would look super pretty sitting atop your dressing table. Alas – as we were constantly told growing up – don’t judge a book by its cover; the Naked Skin Illuminating Beauty Balm was, sadly, not a dream to apply. The product didn’t sit pretty at all; it seemed to move around on the skin, clumping in areas and leaving nasty patches in areas such as the eyebrows. Paired with its particularly pink hue, I looked like a 12 year old experimenting with cheap products (I mean 12 year olds from ten years ago; nowadays, their make up is flawless!). Aside from the packaging, the only thing I liked about this product were the illuminating particles, which (if the product had settled well) would have looked super youthful. Overall? 1/5.

The good news is that the Urban Decay Brightening & Tightening Complexion Primer Potion really IS a dream. The purple packaging is fun, and really easy to use; it’s basically a tube with a tiny nozzle on the end. I use only a pea sized amount to cover my cheeks and forehead, which are left feeling smooth without being oily – perfect for applying your foundation or BB cream. My foundation (not even the same brand) glides over my face easily and is absorbed really well, which avoids the risk of my full coverage foundation looking too heavy. Thanks to the primer, you need even less of your base make up as it’s distributed so well on the skin. What’s more, when I’ve got a bit of sun, I’d happily wear just the Primer Potion with some concealer, because it does seem to lift and brighten the skin instantly – I think a re-application later in the day would be enough to maintain the look, perhaps with a touch of bronzer or blush. It’s a brilliant product that seems kind to skin, and actually does what it says on the tin. 5/5.