I Have Oily Skin, but This Face Primer From Gwen Stefani’s Brand Makes My Pores Look Invisible

When your face immediately turns into an oil slick before you even make it out of the house, you build a habit of avoiding oils. Much to my pillow case’s dismay, I still love to bathe my skin in the thick moisture of a face oil at night, but to apply it under makeup? It sounds like a disco ball moment no one asked for. But, I was proven wrong by GXVE by Gwen Stefani All Time Prime Prep and Smooth Face Oil.

I was beyond skeptical when I first tried it. So much that I reserved it for a low-stakes short dinner. Surely, I could just blame the fried food for my imminent greasiness. I didn’t predict that I’d reach for it again the next morning to prep my skin before an entire day out. 

Upon application, my pores were drastically minimized and I couldn’t stop touching my skin. This face oil somehow managed to give my skin a smooth and even base that I never thought an oil could, and it only got better when my foundation blended in effortlessly.

Shop now: $48; sephora.com

The GXVE All Time Prime Face Oil almost defies science, as far as I’m concerned. Formulated with soothing meadowfoam oil and aloe, I instantly felt the soothing and deeply hydrating benefits as I applied it to my skin. The best part was that it didn’t quite give that heavy, sitting-on-the-skin feeling; it immediately melted into my skin and left it looking as soft as it felt. 

I would even go so far as to say that this face oil made my makeup last longer. Clearly, my skin was actually craving some deep hydration under my makeup because this definitely kept it looking perfectly glowy and smooth all day long. Sure, my skin’s oiliness cannot be tamed, but I’m impressed by how this managed not to increase any greasiness — if anything, it turned it into a glow. 

The formula is filled with skin-soothing, omega-rich oils, so it can even double up as a standalone skincare product — although it didn’t really do the trick for me in that capacity. I wedged it into my nighttime routine, but didn’t feel any overnight benefits (though, that could be due to my skin being used to bathing in thick creams).

Oily skin or not, this GXVE by Gwen Stefani All Time Prime Clean Hydrating Prep and Smooth Face Oil is officially my must-have makeup base, shop it for $48 at Sephora. 

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