No one has ever told me I have huge pores. Still, I feel like I can see each and every one of them every time I look in the mirror. I know that's impossible, but the ones I do notice are distracting.
Fortunately, I recently found a product on Amazon that promised to erase them. At just $5, Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser seemed too affordable not to try. Did it work? Let's just say it's the new MVP in my makeup bag.
Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser
Technically it's a primer
I love the idea of making my pores go away completely, but my skin actually needs them to breathe and to filter out impurities. So the fact that Maybelline's Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is technically a primer and not an "eraser" is a good thing.
I had never purchased a primer before, but I was convinced by the 4.4-star average rating and the fact that it could be worn with or without makeup. Of course, the $5 price tag was also a key selling point.
Post-moisturizer, pre-foundation
First, I apply my moisturizer. Then I apply a pea-sized amount of this primer gel over the bridge of my nose. I like that the gel is clear, so I don't look like I'm wearing more makeup. It just feels like another lightweight serum.
Finally, I apply my foundation on top of the silky smooth primer. However, after a few weeks of using this gel, I'm realizing I might not need foundation after all.
Maybe it's not her
It's definitely not me — it's Maybelline. Basically, this gel fills in my pores and fine lines with a matte finish that makes my skin look the smoothest I've ever seen it. I think the word Maybelline uses is "flawless," and I don't disagree. In a matter of seconds, my 30-year-old nose goes from looking like it doubles as a pin cushion to looking like a baby's near-perfect blank canvas of a nose.
It's like a real-life photo filter
Since they're so tiny (except when we're looking at ourselves in the mirror), capturing pores on camera is tricky. For that reason, I think the best way to describe how "the after" differs from "the before" is to think of how your photo looks in "portrait mode" on your phone. After using this primer, I look like I applied the always flattering "contour" photo filter in real life. My face doesn't feel any different, but my pores all but disappear. The lines on my face look a little less harsh, too.
Even if I'd never tried this gel, I could probably make it through life without anyone telling me I have huge pores. But now that I have this in my makeup bag, I know no one ever will.
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