A Comparison: Illuminating Primers

I know what "they" say, "they" being the experts...

I have oily combo skin, large pores, fine lines, aging (gasp!  I said it!) skin...  Shimmer accentuates all of those things I want to hide.  Shimmer is not supposed to be for me.

Hogwash I say!  I need a glow, a lit from within brightness.  The matte look doesn't do anything for me or for most people and dewy skin is young skin! 

I have found three products which gives me dewy younger looking skin.  From left to right:  Missha  BB Boomer, Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow Primer, and L'OREAL Magic Lumi.

Let me start out by saying and I think I have said it quite recently, I love my winter skin.  It is quite "normal" and I can wear many things now that would literally melt off in 2 minutes during the summer heat.  Now is the time that I can use primers and shimmers and not have to worry about my oil slick appearing only minutes after I am done applying my face.

Out of the 3, Missha BB Boomer is the most moisturizing as it says on the front.  The first time I used this I was a shiny oily mess in less than an hour.  But I put my regular skin prep on, serum, lotion, primer...  I have since played around with it and my face needs no further moisture when using this product. In the winter, I can use this over a light serum, in place of a moisturizer and it lasts beautifully for a few hours.  It stays tacky and if used under a BB cream it will also stay tacky so it absolutely needs to be set with powder.  If you have dry dull skin, this would be perfect for you!

Tarina Tarantino is second in the moisturizing department.  I can use this up until the early summer with no problems.  I like to add it to my foundation/BB cream to thin them out a bit and make them less cakey in the finish.  I have used this as a primer and it does work, but I tend to get oily sooner than if I mix it with a foundation.  It doesn't provide "slip" as a silicone primer would.  However it mixes nicely with a foundation to give it a more dewy appearance.

L'OREAL Magic Lumi is a more recent addition to my collection.  It is lighter in consistency, as in less creamy, and it dries completely, no sticky/tackiness.  I've worn it as a primer, mixed in with my foundations/BB creams and smoothed it on as a cheekbone highlight.

Here they are swatched out from left to right:   Missha BB Boomer, L'OREAL Magic Lumi, Tarino Tarantino

This is heavy swatching and lightly blending so that you can see the color in them.  From left to right again, Missha BB Boomer, L'OREAL Magic Lumi and Tarino Tarantino Pearl Glow.   Totally blended in, they all 3 of them give a subtle glow/dewiness to the skin.  None of them have chunky glitter or an obnoxious shimmer like let's say Revlon PhotoReady.  The shimmer doesn't settle into pores or fine lines.

I like them all but I lean more towards Tarina Taratino as it is the one I most reach for, probably because I have had it the longest and used to grabbing it and mixing it in my foundation.  Missha BB boomer is just a tad too sticky for me and I probably won't repurchase it unless my skin changes and I lean more to the dry end of the oil producing spectrum. 

The L'OREAL Magic Lumi is easily accessible and least expensive option and I think since it dries completely, I might be able to wear it in the summer.

What is your go to illuminating product?  Do you like a dewy or matte finish?