CT Hearts Beauty: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

Maybelline's Baby Skin Pore Eraser is a transparent gel intended to diminish the look of pores and create a smooth base for applying foundation. The ad above is a bit deceiving as it claims a matte finish yet it gives foundation and BB creams a "DEWY LOOK!" When used alone, it had a satiny finish on my skin but definitely not matte. When used with my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation, it didn't give a "dewy" finish, but rather a more radiant look.

As for the texture of the product, it has a smooth gel texture, very similar to the Smashbox Photo Finish and Lancome La Base Pro primers. This is due to one of the main ingredients dimethicone. The interesting thing about the Baby Skin Pore Eraser was that it didn't dry down to powder-like, matte finish like primers I've used before. Instead, it dried down to almost a tacky or sticky feel.

This product can be worn alone or under foundation. I was amazed at how well it held up to the claim of blurring your pore and fine lines. This would work great for a lazy day makeup look because it really does make your skin look better with minimal effort. As a base for foundation, it made my liquid foundation go on effortlessly.

As for the wear, it didn't hold up on my very oil skin, unfortunately. While it does a great job at making your skin look smooth, it does very little to control oil production or extending the wear of foundation (but then again, neither of these are claims made by the product). My foundation started to degrade about six hours into the day (typical for me without the primer). It also didn't do much moisturize the dry areas of my face, since the lady doing my brows complained that I had very dry skin and was flaking. The weirdest thing, though, was even after I washed my face, my skin still felt smooth and soft. I think that's a good thing?

Overall, I think the Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser holds up to most of its claims - it minimizes pores, refines skin's appearance, and provides a smooth base for foundation. It does not, however, work well with oily skin or even very dry skin. It's definitely worth a try, but don't expect it to be a miracle-worker.