Korean brands are always superbly generous with product samples, so I got a sample of the Classic version of banila co.’s primer, along with my purchase of the Hydrating one.

Product description

A translucent gel-textured primer that minimizes the appearances of pores and helps your makeup stay fresh all day long. This primer is a Korean favorite for being a silky, lightweight formula that not only provides you a smooth canvas for makeup application, but hydrates as well.

Recommended for normal to dry skin types.

Official Retail Price in Singapore: SGD 25 (from Althea)

Get $7 off your first order from Althea here!

I had high hopes for this because of how good the hydrating version has been for me, so hopefully, I don’t have too much of a bias in writing this.

The first difference I noticed was the texture. The hydrating primer is more gel-like and feels extremely comfortable when you apply it on your skin. The classic one feels a lot oilier and greasier on my skin, which I didn’t really like as much because my face tends to get really oily as the day progresses.

There’s also a tinge of fragrance in it, much like the hydrating primer, but nothing too overwhelming.

I tried to control the oil by applying my Innisfree No Sebum powder (which I love and strongly, strongly recommend! will write more about this next time). My makeup did last the whole day (through hot & humid weather), which is pretty amazing, but I could feel that my skin was considerably oilier than when I used the hydrating primer. I also found this out the hard way when I started having a few fresh pimples pop up the next morning, so…

Final Verdict

This product does work well as a primer, but I highly doubt it works on all skin types. If your skin tends to get really oily, this is definitely not the one for you. I guess that’s why the product description says that it’s for normal to dry skin types. I suppose if your skin is on the drier side or you’re using this in a dry climate, this would work pretty well. However, if you’re like me (skin tends to secrete oil to remedy dryness, pretty strange I know), this is a big no-no.

I honestly won’t recommend this for hot and humid climates. I still think the hydrating one is much better, although I’m hoping to try the other products in the range (especially Blur and Purity!)

Rating

Ease of use: ?????
Effectiveness: ????
Value for money: ???