Benefit have launched a new product within its hugely successful Porefessional line. The Porefessional Pearl Primer ($57 for 22ml) is described by Benefit Cosmetics as.

A soft-radiance face primer [which] instantly minimises the look of pores, locks on makeup and helps skin look bright, boosted and awake.

 

Upon hearing about this new product my thoughts turned to some sort of hybrid of two of my favourite Benefit products; The OG The Porefessional primer (part of every beauty aficionado’s kit) and Girl Meets Pearl, which is a product that I had been adding to my matte foundations years BEFORE using illuminating drops became a thing! However the base colour of Porefessional Pearl seems to be the only thing the two have in common.

                                                                   Images Benefit Cosmetics

I picked up a sample size of the Porefessional Pearl Primer (which has just launched online at Myer) with the hopes of becoming the  simultaneously smooth and luminous creature of my dreams.

The texture and formula of the new primer very much resembles that of the original primer and after using it for a few days I can say that it certainly performs similarly to the original product. The product is  a soft pink colour, as opposed to the creamy beige shade of the original but has the same dimethicone base which helps to blur the appearance of fine lines, texture and of course pores!

Porefessional Pearl compared to the original formula.

The product definitely deserves to belong in the Porefessional family because of its texture. However, I expected the product to be a lot more brightening than it turned out to be.

While the light pink colour adds the smallest amount of lightening or brightening to the skin, I wouldnt say that the formula adds any luminosity or radiance. I feel like the claims made about the product are a little hard to achieve in the one product;  radiant products (particularly associated with a  pearl finish) are generally light reflective however Pore minimising products are generally mattifying.

Of course if this product was being labelled and sold as simply an alternative pore minimising product then this would be a glowing review (pun intended) however Porefessional Pearl is marketed as a “soft matte radiant” product. It just sort of doesnt make sense in the same way as last years release of Benefits Shy Beam.

Porefessional Pearl rubbed into the skin.

Over the next few days i will be experimenting with the Porefessional Pearl along with another Benefit staple; High Beam (which totally fits the description of supermodel in a bottle) a soft pink liquid highlighter which gives amazing icy luminosity to the skin.

If youre after a general pore minimising primer (which can be used through out the day to touch up) then the Porefessional Pearl is as good as any blurring primer on the market. However if you are looking for something brightening I would look for a seperate, more specialised product.

SEE MY BENEFIT FAVOURITES HERE

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