The Face Shop Face It Oil Cut Pore Balm
I think I have finally found the perfect thing to keep my oiliness at bay! After buying a few mattifying primers and seeing no results (Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Shine Control Primer, Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment, and Becca Cosmetics Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector) I was on the search yet again for another mattifying product. I saw Youngblood's Anti-Shine Mattifier, but the price ($36) was too much for me and the samples from the April Birchbox weren't being sold on ebay yet. I realized that The Face Shop had a similar item as well and immediately went to the store which is only 10 minutes away. (Kind of off the topic, but whenever I want to try or get something I feel like I have to get it now like I have to get in my car and get it and I can't wait for it to be mailed lol).
I found out that one of my classmates works there which was awkward for a minute because we were looking at each other like "wait....they look like someone I know but I don't want to be wrong", but afterwards it was great! She gave me 10% off and a ton of samples! I'm so glad she gave me a discount because the pore balm goes for $18. I cringed at the price when I saw it (on ebay it goes for $11-13), but thought "Heck, I'm already here and I don't have to wait for it to arrive".
Description on box:
Oil Control Balm perfectly filling visible pores and fine lines for porcelain-like skin.
This magic balm prevents sheen caused by excessive sebum and keeps the skin soft all day long. It improves adherence to the skin of products used in subsequent stages for a velvet-like smooth finish. Oil-Cut Complex: A patented phyto-complex containing mung bean extract, birch extract and curly dock extract to prevent skin problems by controlling sebum production.
Directions: After completing skin care and before beginning make-up, use a puff included in the package to apply lightly to areas that have troubled pores or appear excessively shiny.
Ingredients: Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Aluminum Starch, Octenylsuccinate, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lauroyl Lysine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Polyethylene, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Tribehenin, Hydroxyapatite, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Phaseolus Radiatus Extract, Rumex Crispus Root Extract, Water, Beta-Carotene, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool
The product is housed in a cute circle tin and contains 17 g/ 0.6 oz. I can't describe the smell, but I love it! I'm betting it comes from the last few ingredients. It's not super strong, but you do notice it when applying the product. I don't notice the smell after a few minutes. I like the plastic part that houses the puff because it keeps it separate from the product. The puff gets pretty dirty with use so cleaning is a must especially when the product starts to cake on it.
This product immediately mattes and blurs pores. It does a way better job of not emphasizing dry flaky skin compared to powders, but when it does show with this product it is usually because I haven't exfoliated in a while.
My oiliness starts to show after 5 hours compared to 3 to 4 hours with other powders. It doesn't last all day, but I don't mind reapplying this because I love the scent and it mattifies nicely. It also looks more natural compared to a powder. One con is that fibers and baby hairs get stuck in the product if you can see in the following picture:
I would definitely purchase this again!!!
