I’ve been going a little bonkers over primers lately because I’m discovering more primers that don’t contain Bismuth Oxychloride, which is an ingredient that I’m allergic to. And anything that I can use to improve the way my makeup looks and how long it lasts is fair game.

This time I bring you a Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer review! I’ve been testing it out for a couple of weeks straight, so I’ve got a good idea of how it performs.

Let me just say that this primer blew me away completely! Now I understand what all the hype surrounding this product is about.

The one major drawback, however, is that it seems to only be sold at Walmart. That’s a store I hardly shop at because there isn’t one near me and also because I watched the documentary The High Cost of Low Price.

But for the Sheer Envy Hard Candy primer, I made the out-of-the-way trip to Walmart!

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer Pictures

Claims: TRUSTED

√ Lightweight formula
√ Creates a skin-smoothing finish
√ Primes the skin for makeup application
√ Enhances the skin’s texture

Key Notes

• Name: Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer
• Amount: 45 g (1.6 oz.)
• What I Paid: $7.98 CAD
• Where to Buy: Walmart stores & Walmart US website

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer Review

I had heard a lot of people rave about the Hard Candy Sheer Envy face primer, but was really skeptical about the results. It pleasantly surprised me, and I think I’ve found my favorite foundation primer. It doesn’t quite hold Holy Grail status for me, but it’s close. And that’s good enough for me…so far.

Formula

When you first squeeze this out of the tube, you may be surprised to see that what comes out looks grainy, bumpy, and thick. Not gonna lie – it was a far cry from the smooth consistency of other primers I’ve used and reviewed including the Make Up For Ever All Mat Face Matifying Primer and Make Up For Ever HD High Definition Primer in 0 Neutral.

The interesting thing is that when you actually rub it into your skin, it isn’t lumpy-feeling. It glides on like smooth perfection! My skin’s naturally smooth in texture, but when I glide this on, my skin feels out-of-this-world smooth immediately.

It feels slightly heavy when it’s still wet, but when it dries (which doesn’t take long at all), it lives up to its claim of being a good lightweight primer.

How to Use

Squeeze a small pea-size of it onto the back of your hand. Then gently rub it all over your face (although I always avoid the eye area because it’s sensitive). Make sure you apply only a thin layer. That’s all you really need for it to work its magic. Wait a few minutes for it to dry prior to putting on your foundation.

It’s important to note that I’ve only tried this primer with mineral-makeup foundation – Everyday Minerals Base in Fairly Light Neutral Intensive Formula. So if you’re wondering how it fares with liquid foundation, sorry, but I can’t say.

I’d also recommend that before you apply the Sheer Envy primer by Hard Candy, you put on a light moisturizer with SPF 15. Wearing SPF daily will slow down your skin’s visible signs of aging.

Performance

When I use this primer, my foundation goes on more naturally. It seems to ‘stick’ to my skin better and blend in so it looks more like my own skin rather than makeup sitting on top of my face.

And although the Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer doesn’t claim to keep the oilies at bay, I find that it does wonders for my combination skin! Usually my T-zone will be really shiny. But with this primer, that area looked better even by the time I was about to leave work in the evening. And that’s without any blotting!

Value

You just can’t beat the price on this one! You get so much product for so little – love how it performs just as well (or even better) than my beloved Make Up For Ever primers (which cost waaaay more).

Animal- Friendly

For those who are making the conscious choice, you’ll feel relieved knowing that the Hard Candy face primer isn’t tested on animals.

Packaging

Love the simple tube. It makes getting the product out really easy. Even when I use most of it up, I can easily cut the tube with scissors and scoop out the rest. Whereas if you have a plastic or glass bottle, the little bits are wasted.

Pros Inexpensive Good value (get a lot for less) Not tested on animals Smoothes skin & preps for makeup Foundation looks better on when using this primer Finish stays relatively matte throughout the day Tube packaging ensures less chance of wasted product

Cons Seems to be only available at Walmart

Final Verdict: 9.5/10

I can’t promote the Sheer Envy primer enough! It works like its expensive competitors, but for a fraction of the price. It feels nice and light on my face, and doesn’t feel gross or heavy even by the end of the day. It’s worth a trip to Walmart just for this!