Primer Wars: Laura Mercier vs. Julep

I've fallen in love with primers. They act like a base, helping your makeup last longer, and usually also help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and to minimize pores. I've recently been testing two-- one that makes my skin dewy, and the other mattifying in an effort to determine which one I like better, and frankly, I'm torn.

This weekend I tested them both out, leaving the rest of my makeup unchanged, so you can see the difference.

On the left, is Julep's Blank Canvas Mattifying Face Primer. Sulphate and paraben-free, this primer goes on matte, as advertised. It left my face feeling very silky- my makeup went on smooth, and stayed on all night. (I also slept in it-- bad beauty habits (ack!!!)-- and it was still there in the morning.)

On the right, is Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer. I can't tell if this is sulphate-free, but the ingredients list proplyparaben and methylparaben, so its safe to say, it definitely includes parabens. While this one is also very silky, it definitely goes on looking a little dewy. In fact, it almost looks like its not completely absorbed, even though it is. As you can see, it leaves your skin with a glow-- my coworkers even commented on how my skin looked luminous.

Neither Julep nor Laura Mercier test their products on animals, nor do they contract third-parties to test on animals.

Overall, this is a tough call, simply because I like both the matte and dewy looks, depending on the day. I guess it depends not only on which look you prefer, and how much you care about parabens in your skin products. I'm not sure how I feel about parabens-- on one hand, I'm not sure if it is harmful, and on the other, I question if its worth the risk, especially if its easy to find products that exclude them. In the mean time, I will continue to use both, and try and look for a paraben-free dewy alternative!

Do you use primers, and if so, which ones are your favorites?