The Surprising Primer

I’ve always wondered if there were any hidden gems hidden in the men’s grooming aisles. When Nikkie Tutorials mentioned that the Nivea Post-Shave Balm made an amazing primer I headed to the men’s grooming aisles straight away.

I stood next to my boyfriend surveying the products, ‘So why are you putting aftershave balm on your face?’ he says. An awkward moment followed where I explained someone on the internet recommended it.

Glycerine is the ingredient that makes this product work well as a primer. It adds an ever so slightly tacky layer which foundation can really adhere to. I’m not a huge lover of silicone based primers, as I feel it’s too slippy and my foundation just sits on top and doesn’t mesh to the primer and skin. This is an excellent alternative to silicone. It’s intended to be a soothing moisturiser for after shaving, so it’s very liquidy and a little goes a long way. I find the best way to apply this is to rub in with your fingers until it becomes slightly tacky on the skin.

I’ve tried it with a variety of foundations and all of them have had an extended wear time and have looked practically flawless on application.

The downsides of the Nivea Post Shave Balm is the scent, it has a very heavy masculine fragrance, that won’t be for everyone. I think it would also be easier to use if it has a pump as they product itself is so runny.

Putting the small negatives to one side, I’m really impressed with the product as a primer. It’s cheap, easy to get hold of, good value for money and will last ages. Now I know that Glycerine is the ingredient which works the hardest to adhere foundations to your skin, I’ll be looking at primer bottles to see if they contain it too.

Have you tried the Nivea Post Shave Balm as a primer?