The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer Review

Hello lovely ladies,

I was planning to review an eyeshadow palette next, but I was getting queries for this primer from the Ordinary on my Insta, so I thought let’s discuss this first! Apart from an extensive skincare line, The Ordinary has also introduced their range of makeup products – including foundations and primers. Today’s review is on one of the primers that they have on offer – the High Adherence Silicone Primer. Let’s find out how this one performs.

Product Description:
This formula uses advanced adaptive silicones to act as a matte, hydrating, blurring primer for makeup that looks higher in definition and adheres for longer. The formula can also be used alone as a non-greasy hydrator that reduces the looks of pores and of imperfections.
Directions To Use:
Use as the last step in skincare regimen either on its own or as a makeup primer.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Hexamethyldisiloxane, Isoceteth-20, Polysilicone-11, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 60, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
Price:
USD 7.90 for 30 ml.

My Experience with The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer:

My standard skin type information – I have oily to combination skin which gets dull and dehydrated very easily – due to my lousy eating habits, my horrid sleeping patterns and my age!!Also, I deal with periodic acne, and with the scars left over from previous ones!

Let us quickly talk about primers in general to get our expectation right. Primer is the bridge between makeup and skincare. It is the last step of skincare and the first step of makeup. There are about 26748273924928349820429 different primers available in the market today, but each one caters to a different need – mattifying, pore filling, sun protection providing, radiance enhancing, blurring, etc, etc, etc. The one thing that they all need to do is – provide a smooth canvas for application of the makeup and for extending the wear of the makeup which goes on over the primer. So, while all primers will not do everything – they all are predominantly supposed to increase the wear time of your base. Okay, so let us discuss the product in hand:

Packaging: The product comes packaged in a metallic plastic tube with a flip cap. The product can be dispensed easily and there is enough control to manage the amount of product being dispensed. The tube comes packaged in a white cardboard box which has all the details about the product mentioned on top. I do appreciate the fact that the tube has a foil tamper proof seal on the tube.

Texture: The texture of the product is creamy but yet lightweight. What I find unique about this primer, versus other silicone-based primers is that it does not have a mousse-like texture. I was worried that it may pile, but it doesn’t.

Application: Application is simple enough, you squeeze out a pea-sized amount and spread it all over your face. It spreads easily and gets absorbed – giving you a smooth canvas to work on. It doesn’t feel tacky to the touch. Rather the skin surface feels smoother.

Efficacy: Before we talk about efficacy of this primer, let us quickly check what the brand has claimed regarding its performance – “matte, hydrating, blurring primer for makeup that looks higher in definition and adheres for longer.”

That is a lot of claims – let us see if they all stand true. As I had mentioned earlier, the primer absorbs easily and gives a smooth base to the skin. I do not feel as if it is sitting on the skin or even piling on my skin. Despite being silicon based, I really like how the primer feels hydrating – instead of drying – and yet mattifies the skin. This aspect makes it really unique because most of the mattifying primers (and even foundations) can make the skin look really dry, which is not going to enhance the look of dehydrated, older skin like mine. However, do note that if you stay in extremely humid weather or have extremely oily skin, there is only so much a topical product will be able to do, in terms mattification.

The primer does create a blurring effect on the skin; however, it will not fill your pores like other primers – namely Smashbox Poreless Primer, Benefit Porefessional, L’Oreal Magic Blur. So, if you expect that your pores will disappear, they won’t. It will create a more diffused look though.

Considering that the feel of the primer isn’t tacky, it still provides “high-adherence” as the name suggests and improves the wear time of your base. I have tried it with a handful of foundations and a couple of BB creams. Each time, the wear seemed better by a couple of hours.

It has been suggested by the brand that the primer can be used on its own – even without a base on top – “to create non-greasy hydrator that reduces the looks of pores and of imperfections.” In my experience with the product, I totally agree that it is a non-greasy hydrator with “some” blurring effect. However, it doesn’t really reduce the look of pores and imperfections, especially when those imperfections might be – sun damage, acne spots, rosacea, uneven skin tone, etc.

Pros of The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer:

Silicone-based primer – hydrating and mattifying at the same time.
Provides a smooth base for the foundation/BB cream to go on.
Extends the wear time time of the base by a couple of hours.
Creates a slight blurring effect.
Did not break me out.
Does not pile on my skin.
Cruelty free.
Vegan.
Free from unnecessary additives like colour and fragrance.
Packaging is easy to use or travel with.

Cons of The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer:

Doesn’t do much for the diminishing the look of the pores.
The blurring effect is fairly subtle.

IMBB Rating:
4/5

Overall, I feel that while it may not do much for the pores – and very few products actually do much for them anyway – it is a really good product at a fantastic price point. For someone who has been thinking of introducing a primer into their regime, I feel this is a good price point. More importantly, I feel this one has a unique texture since it is hydrating as well as mattifying. For females over 30 – who have oily, dehydrated skin, this could be boon.

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