Face primers are one of the hardest beauty products to review, in my opinion. After trying a plethora of them, I know what my favorite one is (I’ll get to that later), and yet the lure of trying another one is just so strong. Primers often promise a) longer wear for makeup, b) oil-control and mattification, and c) magical pore disappearance.

The BECCA Resurfacing Primer “smooths skin to create the perfect complexion.” It is a “velvety matte lotion that helps control unwanted shine and reduce the appearance of pores.” The lotion itself is opaque white, similar to Hourglass Veil Mineral, but the BECCA Resurfacing Primer has a lot less slip and is a bit thicker/harder to work into the skin.

Here it is, under the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector (Opal) and the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Ethereal Light), in natural light (left) and indoor light (right):

It’s a mattifying primer minimizes the appearance of lines and pores. Because I used a super luminous base, though, I think it defeated the purpose. (Sorry about that!) I mean, look at how glow-y it looks in near-direct sunlight!

So, I used it under a foundation that I recently tested out. I have photos of the same foundation while I used it over another primer, my holy grail, the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.

Comparing the BECCA Resurfacing Primer to another primer that I love made it easier for me to determine which I prefer and why. While I like the BECCA Resurfacing Primer enough, Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer still takes the cake. The feel of it is better and the wear of whatever base I am using seems to be longer. My skin feels smoother with HVMP, and the foundation seems to play better with it. In terms of filling in pores and stuff like that, Hourglass pulls ahead as well.

Although I like BRP a lot and will continue to use it, I will opt to repurchase the Hourglass in the event that I do run out of a face primer. I think it really depends on your skin type and personal preference, when it comes to primer.

Hourglass and BECCA are both cruelty-free.