between the lines.
As Holly Golightly would declare with disgust, “Quel rat!” L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift® Miracle Blur makes a big deal about its skin-perfecting properties, but the premium supermarket formula is definitely a downgrade when similar high-end products perform the same tasks for a comparable price tag. Going grocery store for cosmetics doesn’t make sense when you can score better Sephora-grade grabs online.
“Miracle Blur instantly erases the look of lines,” it assures, “wrinkles, and pores. Skin instantly looks and feels smooth, leaving a velvet soft matte finish. Apply daily after moisturizing as the final step in every woman’s skincare routine. Wear alone for a matte finish, or wear under makeup for smoother application and wear.”
Initially, when I applied the waxy repair-wear to a clean face, I was pretty impressed. The prettifying paste went on silky and did a great job of filling in funky pores and scarred spots. But while the weather was mild and my activity was only moderate, the L’Oréal Miracle Blur melted away as if it was a smoldering L.A. day. Disappointingly, my usually dependable mineral foundation followed.
The L’Oréal site claims, “It’s not a moisturizer, it’s more than a primer; it’s the first of-its-kind Instant Skin Smoother.” Obviously distinctions like this are tough to dispute, but this one is more dubious than usual, since I feel like Smashbox Photo Finish really cornered the market on this exact primer-type product a few years ago. Velvety Smashbox performs all the same Photoshop-in-a-tube type tasks: diminishing deep dark pores, smoothing sneaky lines and wrinkles, and making a matte canvas of your complexion to increase make-up’s longevity.
For ten bucks L’Oréal RevitaLift® Miracle Blur would be unbeatable. But topping out around twenty dollars a pop, I’d rather order Smashbox online (at full price, it’s just over $30, but bargains are easy to find) than put down a crisp new Andrew Jackson to only take away one single L’Oréal item from Walgreens. Don’t believe the hype. — Casandra Armour
