It's Pore O' Clock | Benefit's Porefessional Primer & Powder

Every girl in the entire blogging universe must have heard of Benefit's Porefessional Primer (if not, I think you need to get yourself out from under that rock pretty sharpishly...) It's won its fair share of awards and holds 'holy grail' status in many a makeup bag across the globe - and with good reason too. Just recently, things got even more interesting as Benefit announced the launch of their new Porefessional Powder.  Never one to resist a duo of any kind, it's safe to say I could feel my intrigue rising - a primer and matching powder?! Ohh my bloggery hands were almost shaking with anticipation. So, when the lovely ladies at Benefit HQ kindly sent me their new arrival along with their ever famous Porefessional Primer to try - I put them both to the test straight away... So what did I reckon?

Benefit PoreFessional Powder | £23.50* | Link

First up is the Porefessional powder. This product is all about controlling shine and minimising the appearance of pores, as well as providing that much needed invisible, flawless finish.   Firstly, it goes without saying that Benefit always get their packaging spot on the mark - the typical 'ice cream parlour colours' and quirky designs never fail to catch the eye and this one is no exception.  The packaging is all very neat and compact and ideal for travelling - something which is quite handy when it comes to powder.  It's lightweight, comes with a little fluffy brush and the powder is dispensed via a simple 'twist and tip' mechanism (no danger of over-spillage!) The powder itself is finely milled, easy to blend and feels very smooth and light on the skin, whilst mattifying its appearance in an instant - it knocks out shine with ease.  Personally, I don't have particularly oily skin and don't struggle an awful lot with shine - I tend to use powder for purely setting my foundation and for makeup staying power benefits - so I found this powder a little too mattifying for me. I'm one for a dewy, natural finish and it just made me feel a little bit too powdery for my liking - you have to be wary of over-applying as it can settle into fine lines.

It does seem to help even-out skintone which is a nice plus point - so for those of you who like to add powder for a little bit of extra coverage you might find this is a winner for you.  All this being said, I do like the concept of the Porefessional Powder and it does do what it says on the tin - it mattifys in an instant and my pores look undeniably reduced and smoothed over.  It manages to achieve that flawless finish and works well at keeping foundation in place. It also is perfect for throwing in your handbag as there is no need for carrying a powder brush or sponge.  Would I spend £23.50 on it though? I hate to say it but no - at the moment, I don't think I would.  It's a nice powder don't get me wrong, but I just get on with my trusty Mac MSF much better and I think there are similar powders on the market you could pick up for less money.  I still enjoy using it when on the go - but it just didn't blow me away.  Those of you with oily skin might find this a perfect companion - it's worth looking in to if you do prefer a full-on matte look. I reckon it might rack up more admiration from me in summer when I do need a slightly more mattifying powder. You never know - it could be appearing in my favourites as soon as the warmer weather rolls around later in the year but for now it's just a 'yeh - I like it' as opposed to a full on product rave... 

Benefit PoreFessional Primer | £24.50* | Link

Ok. So the powder didn't blow me away but I'm no stranger to the Porefessional Primer and I am fully aware of its benefits.  I adore this product - I can really see why it gets so much praise and why it's the UK's best selling primer.  I've only ever bought travel sizes to take abroad with me before but I've never been disappointed.  Now I have the full size, I've been using it daily and really have fallen head over heels in love with the stuff.  It really does do a smashing job of keeping makeup in place as well as creating an amazingly smooth, flawless base.  I find it works particularly well underneath my eyes and around the sides of my nose - usually places I find I have to top up occasionally but wear-time of my foundation/concealer is impressively increased whenever I use this.  The oil-free, balmy formula feels so silky and soft to apply - it smooths across the skin with ease and feels so lightweight - it instantly makes your skin feel velevety soft and smooth to the touch, as well as reducing the size of pores and creating an even skintone ready to apply your base.

I don't fall in love with primers easily so it really is saying something that I enjoy using this one.  It even smells lovely. As well as prepping skin for makeup, it works well at minimising shine and reducing any redness or open pores - meaning that it can be worn alone if you're having one of those 'bare skin days'.  In my opinion, a primer's main purpose should be to keep your foundation in place for longer during the day, and this has been fabulous at doing just that - if you're struggling to get your base to stay put - I'd really recommend trying this! Would I purchase this once it runs out? Yes indeedly - I would. A little goes a very long way so your investment in the product is fully justified - you only need a tiny blob to cover your entire t-zone. It does what it says on the tin and keeps my makeup looking flawless for longer, and for that, it gets a massive thumbs up from me. 

Overall, I have to say that Benefit have really impressed me with their Porefessional products - despite my little gripes with the powder.  They have certainly solved the problem of an 'on the go' powder application and for those of you with oily skin - it might work a treat.  It goes without saying that the winner for me in this instance has to be the primer - it's had bloggers singing its praises from rooftops for ages now (in fact, I'm off to go and join them...) and it's easy to see why it's the UK's best seller.  If you're going to part with the cash for either one - the old favourite - Porefessional Primer - wins every time.  

Have you tried any of these Benefit products? What were your thoughts?