Essence Skin Lovin’ Sensitive primer review

I was so surprised I hadn’t reviewed this yet, but for the past few weeks I have been using this primer! This is the Essence Skin Lovin’ Sensitive primer. I already reviewed the concealer and powder from this line, so by now I have reviewed all the products that are available from this mini collection. So far both the powder and the concealer have been successful purchases for me. Do I like the primer as much?

Review: Essence Skin Lovin’ Sensitive primer Moisturizing & Nourishing non-comedogenic + aloe vera

We all know Essence is an affordable brand and that is part of the reason why I like trying their products. Even if it doesn’t work, it won’t set me back a whole lot of money. That being said, their products can also be quite hit n miss, but in recent years I have been able to find more and more products from their line that work for me. This primer retails for a mere €3.89, which is an absolute steal when it comes to primer. I have tried many primer that retail for much more than this, and I don’t always like them as much. You get 30 mls of product in a tube, which is standard for this type of product.

What does this primer have to offer?

The Essence Skin Lovin’ Sensitive primer is a hydrating primer that feels like a lotion and contains no fragrance, alcohol, silicones, parabens or mineral oil. In short, it is free of anything that might potentially cause skin irritations. Now, I myself haven’t had a bad experience with a primer before (just some pilling where they don’t stay put), but an allergic reaction? Or a skin irritation? Not so much. However, I do have sensitive, reactive skin that can be a bit picky and finicky with what I put on it, so whenever I see products formulated for sensitive skin I want to try and see if it still works. Because in my experience, since products formulated for sensitive skin are free of so many things, I feel they often do not work like other products.

What is the product like?

This primer feels lotiony and almost like an actual moisturizer when you apply it to the skin. I would say this is exactly the same product as the Essence Hydrating primer I used last winter, but then without the fragrance. The textures of the products are very comparable as both have this lotion like texture, sink into the skin quickly and are white when you first apply it. This goes on well over skincare and works well under makeup. I don’t think this primer is the best for making your makeup stay on all day, but it definitely helps. I just like using primer as a first step to get some more wear time out of my makeup, but I feel it doesn’t necessarily add much and it is a product I can easily do without.

How does this primer apply to the skin?

So what does this primer looks like on the skin? Like nothing. As you can see here in the before (left) and after (right), this primer is barely detectable once it has settled down. The only difference between these two pictures is the fact that my skin looks redder from rubbing the product into my skin rather than that you really see the product doing anything. This isn’t a glowy primer that will give you that glass like dewy look, nor is it a mattifying primer that fills in pores and blurs fine lines. In short, this primer is about as basic as it gets, but it gets the job done. It is sitting under my makeup anyway.

My final thoughts

The Essence Skin Lovin’ Sensitive primer is one that I think is great if you are sensitive to fragrance. It is a good primer that is basic and does what it needs to do, but don’t expect this to make your makeup look or feel any differently from what you normally experience. I like this as an extra layer just to get a few more hours of wear out of my makeup and since it is lotion like and nicely hydrating, I like that extra layer of something before apply foundation. Is this a must have though? No it is not, but it good to see a product like this at such an affordable price point.

Would I recommend the Essence Skin Lovin’ Sensitive primer?

I would if you are looking for a primer and have sensitive skin which especially reacts to fragrance. I think if fragrance doesn’t bother you, you could also go for the normal hydrating one that Essence also offers which is about as much. However, both of these primers are just standard primers that don’t do a whole lot of extra. So whether I would recommend this product, also depends on what you are looking for in a primer. These aren’t the most hydrating primers I have ever tried, nor are they the glowiest or the most mattifying. I would therefore only recommend this to those people who want to try primer for the first time and don’t have too many demands just yet.

What is your favorite primer?