About.com Rating
If you’re concerned with the use of silicone in cosmetics and are looking for a silicon-free makeup primer, this primer might be the one for you.
What It Is
SheaMoisture Primer is an oil-free and silicon-free, for oily, sensitive and acne-prone skin, to prime the skin for a long-lasting makeup application. It’s formulated with high concentrations of vitamins A, E and C to help reduce signs of aging and shea butter to soften and reduce inflammation.
Description
Key Ingredients
- Castor Seed Oil
- Glycerin
- Shea Butter
Manufacturer: SheaMoisture
Price: $15.99, 1.7 fl oz
Pros
- Silicon-Free
- Free of parabens, fragrance and other problematic ingredients
- Great for dry and sensitive skin types
Cons
- Doesn’t provide as smooth a canvas as regular primers
- Might not be suitable for some oily skin types
Review
The SheaMoisture Primer has very little ingredients that would probably irritate sensitive skin, though castor oil has been known to cause rashes in some people. One might also think that the inclusion of castor oil would be bad for acne-prone skin, but while castor oil is a great emollient for dry skin (it stimulates collagen and elastin production which softens and hydrates the skin), it actually acts as a disinfectant. Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, which kills off acne-causing bacteria. It’s also known to help fade scars and improve pigmentation problems.
Though some users have found that the primer helps cover pores to provide a smooth canvas and improve the look of makeup; it feels more like a facial moisturizer than a primer.
It’s not, just a moisturizer, however. It does contain natural waxes (rhus verniciflua peel cera/rhus succedanea fruit cera) and isohexadecane (an occlusive emollient used to give skin a silky feel) to provide a barrier between the skin and foundation as a primer is expected to do. Since it is silicon-free, it doesn’t give the velvet smooth feel to the skin as those synthetic ingredients do. Two serums that I used to use Kate Somerville Quench Hydrating Face Serum (too expensive) and ReVitalistic Re-Start Serum (not currently available) contained the silicones cyclotetrasiloxane and dimethicone that gave the skin a satin-smooth surface and velvety feel and made foundation look fantastic. The fact that the SheaMoisture Primer is silicon-free may be a plus, as dimethicone is believed to be a questionable ingredient by some, although that hasn’t been scientifically proven for cosmetic grade silicones.
If they do use chemicals, such as preservatives, they are the safest that can be used. They’re also Cruelty Free (see more about the meaning of this label and others) and since silicones are considered to be bioaccumulative (cyclopentasiloxane into the atmosphere and dimethicone accumulating in soil.) This hasn’t been scientifically proven yet, at least not from the use in cosmetics. That being said, the ingredients in the SheaMoisture Primer are less likely to have a negative impact on the environment (or your skin.)
Another issue, although it is described as having a matte formula, the Primer gave my face a bit of a shiny look, which makes me wonder how it would work on oily skin. Oily skin types will probably need to use a translucent powder after applying foundation.
While the primer made my skin soft, I didn’t see that it makes the skin or foundation look any better than it normally looks when I apply regular facial moisturizer. If you’re looking for the effect provided by silicon-based primers, you’ll probably be disappointed, but it might work for you if you’re looking for a product with safer and more eco-friendly ingredients, and don’t really have a lot of imperfections to hide.