The formula. When I look at the ingredients of No7’s pro artist primer against those of Bobbi Brown’s face base, it’s actually astounding how similar the lists are, with both creams featuring vitamin C, vitamin E, shea butter, geranium oil, squalane and HA. As for the differences between the creams, Bobbi Brown’s features a vitamin A derivative to help with anti-ageing, and the two formulas use different silicones (dimethicone in No7 versus cyclopentasiloxan in Bobbi Brown) to create their silky smooth finish. For those not familiar with technical beauty jargon, dimethicone works as a barrier to lock-in moisture, while cyclopentasiloxan evaporates after application. This, in a nutshell, means that the former will likely be better suited to someone with dry skin, whereas the latter leans more towards those with an oilier complexion.
Read more: ‘I’ve used this LED face mask for four months and it’s the best thing to happen to my skin’. Upon swatching both creams, this variation in skin suitability was immediately apparent and the No7 formula had a decadently buttery formula, while Bobbi Brown’s was more slippery and spreadable. That said, when applying the two primers to my face it actually became difficult to differentiate the two consistencies, and both had deliciously lemony scents, too.
Both formulas required just a few small dollops to adequately saturate each half of the face and, likewise, each proved easy to smooth into the skin without dragging. Performance. After application, the No7 formula proved – once again – to be a near copy of Bobbi Brown’s iteration, with both creams leaving my skin feeling hydrated and with a subtle, satin-like finish. However, after buffing my usual make-up products into the skin, I began to notice some clear differences.
After wearing both primers on my skin for around an hour, it became apparent that No7’s formula had a better grip on my make-up without the telltale slipperiness that usually – on my skin, anyway – precedes an oily sheen. This surprised me given that the the runway radiance ingredients list was better suited to dry skin with its full-bodied consistency. But, as it stood, the high street brand’s primer had effectively set my make-up from beneath, like a reverse setting spray, if you will.
