Name: Cipria Liquida Illuminante in n.4
Brand: Layla
Size: 18ml
Price: €15,80
From Layla’s website:
Shiny Liquid face powder. Silicon based formulation. Complexion uniformity, helps to even out skin redness. Eliminates oil excess providing a lasting mat effect. If applied before foundation improves the application of fluid and compact foundation. If applied after foundation acts as a tone corrector and complexion enhancer. Acting on a chromatic basis this product balances all tone differences
What I liked:
- silky smooth texture, easy to apply
- makes foundation application easier
- helps hide redness and imperfections
- keeps the shine at bay for a few hours
- almost matte with a subtle sheen finish
What I didn’t like:
- takes a minute or so to dry
- didn’t keep the shine at bay for the whole day
- didn’t make my foundation last longer than usual
- if you don’t like silicone-based primers this is not for you
Have you ever used a liquid face powder? The first time I heard of such a product was when Layla sent me their Shiny Liquid Face Powder to review and at first, I wasn’t sure how to use it. I thought it was just a simple setting powder that would provide a glowy finish (I blame the name for being so deceiving) and because I got the darkest shade – there are 4 available – I thought there was no way it would work for me.
But then, I found out that this is more of a face primer but that it can be used after foundation too. Yes, it sounds a bit confusing but it’s actually easy. Applied before foundation, it makes its application easier. After foundation, it helps even out the skintone while adding a nice glow to your skin. As I mentioned before, N.4 is too dark for me so I didn’t even attempt to try it after foundation as it would have just looked orange and off on me, but I think this shade would suit medium to dark skintones well, adding that sunkissed look to their face.
Instead, I used it as a primer (after all, with foundation on top, who would have noticed the shade wasn’t a good match?) and I was impressed. Now, this is a silicone-based primer so if your skin can’t tolerate silicones this is not for you. My skin never had a problem with them, so this is not an issue for me personally. On the contrary, I love how the silicones make the texture of the primer so silky smooth to the touch!
(once spread, the shimmers are almost undetectable, turning into an almost matte finish)
The primer spreads easily on the skin and you only need a tiny amount so it will last for ages. It also has enough pigmentation to help minimize any imperfection and redness you may have but it still looks very natural on. If your foundation is sheer or you just need that little bit more of coverage, this is a very handy thing to have around. Not only that, but it also makes foundation glide on so much smoothly and easily!
However, the primer didn’t really help in making my foundation last longer than usual. I’m not sure if this is because this primer is only supposed to even out the skintone without improving the staying power of makeup or simply because most foundations tend to last almost all day on me and so don’t need help in that area. Lastly, the primer claims to “eliminate oil excess providing a lasting mat effect” but I don’t really get this mat effect. Yes, the finish is almost matte once dried (it takes about a minute or so), but it has enough sheen to impart a subtle glow to skin instead. As for the excess oil, it keeps my t-zone shine-free but only for a few hours.
Available at: Laylacosmetics.it
Summary
Layla Cipria Liquida Illuminante (Shiny Liquid Powder) in n.4 is a very interesting product. It has an almost matte finish with a subtle sheen that imparts a natural glow to the skin and enough pigmentation to help even out the skintone. It can be used as a primer to help foundation glide on more smoothly (although I didn’t notice any improvement in its wear-time) or after foundation to help hide imperfections. It keeps the shine at bay but only for a few hours and if you don’t like primers chock-full of silicones this is not for you.
