The Korean primer that Sephora can’t keep on the shelves it’s so good

By Aisling Keenan
04th Mar 2019

The Korean primer that Sephora can’t keep on the shelves it’s so good

I bought it in mini format first, and went back for more only to find it sold out. This Korean skincare gem was my fave Sephora buy (but you don’t have to take a trans-Atlantic flight to get it anymore!)

Beauty pilgrimage

In an effort to unearth the most in-demand skincare and cosmetics, Irish women in particular trek to Sephora when they’re abroad like it’s a pilgrimage, ready to spend their entire month’s wage on the latest and greatest in beauty. It doesn’t matter so much what we buy, as everything there is deemed automatically worthy of your spend by the Sephora Overlords. But when it comes to shopping for Korean beauty bits, or K-Beauty as it’s known, we have lots available on our doorstep, including the most unreal primer I’ve used in a long while.

Prime primer

Korean beauty always seems to be ahead of the game when it comes to trends and innovation, so I was expecting big things from the bits I picked up last time I did a beauty haul. Unexpectedly, a mini primer, or ‘skin refiner’ was a total win for me. It came in the shape of the Erborian Pink Perfect Creme Blur Secret Glow Skin Refining 4-in-1 Primer – a very succinct name, I’m sure you’ll agree. Rolls off the tongue.

In spite of the name being longer than my list of demands for what a primer can do, I instantly loved it. It wasn’t as silicone-heavy as some primer I’ve tried, it smelled good and it gave a really subtle opalescent sheen to my skin. It faked the slightly pink, rosy glow you think you’ll get from a brisk walk (when what you actually get is a beetroot red flush that won’t go down for two days).

Do I really need a primer, though?

Well, that’s personal preference, but I definitely need one. It’s not a step I would willingly skip – unless I’ve got none to hand which is rare. To go straight from skincare to foundation, for me, would mean my skin soaks up my foundation as the day goes on, leaving me with less and less on. I also rely on primer to keep my foundation looking even on my nose in particular, where I struggle to keep it even.

Lots of primers have SPF in them these days too, which is a bonus, especially if your foundation doesn’t have one. Oh, and I quite often just put primer on to smooth, blur and protect, opting to go without foundation altogether when I see that my skin actually looks quite alright without it.

Unexpected bonus

It also unexpectedly worked a dream as an eyelid primer – I wouldn’t usually use a face primer to prime my lids, but in a rush I just went for it and it was amazing. No eyeshadow creases for hours, and enough smoothness that shadows could blend, but not so much they moved around.

Thankfully, I no longer have to take a 5-hour flight to acquire the Erborian goods, as they are now available on Feel Unique. Much more cost effective that way, it has to be said.

Erborian Pink Perfect Creme 4-in-1 primer, €43.20

More from Korea

Here are three K-beauty loves of mine that can all be found in Brown Thomas Beauty Lounge, which is in the building just behind Brown Thomas on Clarendon St. It’s got all sorts, you can get your hair blow-dried and pick up Huda Beauty too, but it’s got a nice selection of K-beauty for when you’re not able to nip to NYC for Sephora.