the Hannah Hardy

I’ve had both of these primers on my “To Try” list and thanks to @BeautyDealsBFF, I got both half off. I am all about any product that claims to smooth and blur. they are similar in price, product amount, and claims, but I wanted to see how they compared in performance.

About the brand :: cruelty fee, founded in 2015, known for their “GLOW-giving” products

I used the same base products with each primer
—Foundation: MAC Studio Radiance Serum Powered (reviewed here)
—Powder: Huda Beauty Easy Bake in Sugar Cookie
—Setting Spray: MAC Fix+ Stay Over

Iconic London Underglow Blurring Subtle Glow Primer
–Claims :: Skincare makeup hybrid; demi-matte finish; subtle luminosity; creates perfect canvas for makeup; makeup applies like a dream & lasts all day; primes, preps, minimizes the appearance of pores, and helps blur imperfections
–Price :: $30 at Ulta, Sephora, & Nordstrom for 0.91 oz
–Pros :: Cruelty free; formulated with Vitamin C; subtle glow; absorbs quickly; vegan; luxe packaging; smoothing; lightweight
–Cons :: Availability; packaging; price; didn’t blur my pores
–Final Thoughts :: Creates a smooth base for foundation application; online only at Ulta; luxe, heavy packaging is nice, but I’m not a fan of dropper style packaging; agree with most claims–didn’t really blur my pores, but my pores are ginormous and most products don’t blur them; pricey, but worth it as there aren’t a lot of glowy, smoothing primers on the market; perfect base for makeup, highly recommend!

Iconic London Velvet Smooth Pore-Refining
–Claims :: Whipped, balmy texture; subtly mattifying; can apply over or under makeup; refines pores; skin looks smooth & perfected; light-as-air; minimizes makeup transfer
–Price :: $29 at Ulta, Sephora, Nordstrom for 1.01 oz
–Pros :: Cruelty free; love the whipped texture; lightweight; agree with all claims; non-comedogenic; smoothing; some blurring
–Cons :: Availability; price
–Final Thoughts :: My pores are huge, but I did notice some blurring; online only at Ulta; very similar effect as NY X Marshmellow which is cheaper (reviewed here); will peel if you use too much; works better in concentrated areas rather than all over; creates a smooth canvas for foundation application

I like using these two together–the Velvet Smooth in my T-Zone and the Underglow primer all over. They’re both great, but if I had to reccommend one, go with the Underglow.