The Part Time Beauty Hall of Fame: Hourlgass Veil Mineral Primer

Once again, it has been a woefully long time since I added anything into the Part Time Beauty Hall of Fame. But it’s a new school year (kind of), and a new chapter of my life is beginning (more on that later), and so instead of giving you a plethora of lousy excuses I'm just going to give you the goods upfront: the latest addition to the Part Time Beauty Hall of Fame is Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. I'm sure you've probably heard of or used it already but, if not, be sure to keep reading. This really is an outstanding product.

If you're a regular reader, you'll know that the last product I inducted into the Part Time Beauty Hall of Fame was Chanel's Vitalumière Aqua. What you probably don't know — unless, of course, you've had me under 24-hour surveillance for the last year or so — is that I never apply Vitalumière Aqua without first applying Veil Mineral Primer. I've experimented with other formulas on occasion, but it never seems to end well. I've come to accept that Veil Mineral Primer is now a non-negotiable step in my daily routine.

Before I get into what I believe is so good about this product, here are a few things to bear in mind: if you’re not already a 'primer person’, chances are a formula at this price point isn't going to convert you; if you're dry as sticks, chances are a good moisturiser is more a friend to you than any primer, and finally, although I'm only going off what I've heard here, this product may leave a white cast on darker skin tones. But if you're anything like me and you've used a primer every day without fail since 2007, and if you're in any way oily or prone to pores that look like they're about to take over the world, then save yourself the trial and error and grab a bottle of Veil Mineral Primer stat.

As it is oil-free, Veil Mineral Primer is especially ideal for acne-prone, combination and oily skin types, but unlike a lot of 'mattifying' primers on the market (including those from Becca, By Terry, Dior, Lancôme…I could go on) it won't cause your foundation to pill or 'roll' over the top of it. What I like most about it is that it keeps my face shine-free but still luminous, and any other oily-skinned brothers and sisters out there will know that this is no mean feat. Furthermore, I find that it keeps my foundation in place all day, even if that foundation isn't necessarily touted as being long-wearing. It also seems to minimise any redness in my face even before I've applied any other products.

Hopefully I've made a good enough case for why I've chosen to usher Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer into the Part Time Beauty Hall of Fame, but if you're still unconvinced, there are scores of other superlative reviews out there, and it also appears on a significant number of 'best of' lists from reliable sources. It is a silicone-based primer, however it certainly doesn't behave like one, and even if you're usually averse to such formulas I would still recommend giving it a try.

So, does Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer get your vote? Let us know in the comments, or via our Instagram page. :)

This piece was originally published on Part Time Beauty in 2019.