photo by Lee Miller @ a1259.g.akamai.net
review by cavewoman

Primer #30

After 29 days of primers, many of which have really dried out my skin, I was a bit apprehensive about my next primer review. I opened my still-sealed box of Christian Dior DiorSnow UV X2 Ultra-Protective Whitening Creme Base SPF 50-PA+++ (that's a long title!) and threw caution to the wind. After all, every night after a particularly drying primer, I've been slathering on my Bobbi Brown Extra Tinted Balm and it has soothed the dryness and tightness. So, I thought I could always do this again if the Dior testing resulted in the same dry effect. I'm happy to report that DiorSnow is a primer for dry skin! Let me tell you more.

I applied a small amount of this creamy white product, much thinner in consistency than the Trish Corrector or the Chanel Blanc, but even brighter in its whiteness than those two. I thought there would be no way that I would be able to smooth this white primer on my face and get an even application and not look like Casper. I was wrong! It smoothed on beautifully and evenly, felt wonderfully moist on the skin, and left me a bit paler but not in a scary way. It definitely evened out the blotchy areas I have, softened lines and made pores look visibly diminished. I loved the glow! It did not seem to dry fully, but I did not have much time to wait, just about five minutes. I don't think it would dry if I had left it any longer. I looked closely in the mirror and I noticed a luminous, iridescent finish! Sparkly! But in the finest particles, not glitter. I loved it even more at that point.

I applied my La Prairie foundation. It seemed to take even less than the usual miniscule amount to cover my face evenly and easily. The white effect definitely shows through, but just to give a fresh, brightened effect, not to make my face pasty-white. It felt comfortable and ultra-moisturizing. I checked the list of ingredients and the rest of the package writing, and I found to my surprise that Dior calls this product "oil-free" and "mattifying" -- it did not matte my foundation at all! And I'm impressed that an oil-free product could feel so comfortable. The UV ingredients are titanium dioxide, octinxate, and oxybenzone. That's broad spectrum and protective against UVA and UVB. Plus the ultra-high SPF are wonderful bonuses to this beautiful product. My complexion looked fresh, dewy, and luminous all day. As with the Chanel Blanc, it takes either a cleansing oil, a cold cream, or an oil-based cleanser to remove this product. But the extra step in cleansing, for me, will be worth the effects of DiorSnow. No flakes, no cracks, no lines, a softening of my middle-aged, crepey skin, no settling in lines or pores, and a luminous, all-day finish and sun protection too! What more could a girl ask for? Not much!
Product rating, 9.