The hack
Using personal lubricant, which often contains silicone, glycerine and water, as a skin primer to be worn under make-up.
The promise
Dewy, wet-look skin may be the beauty trend du jour, but is lube an affordable alternative? About 10.8 million TikTok views suggest so.
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The test
This isn’t the weirdest thing I’ve rubbed on my face in the name of gonzo beauty adventure – and there is some method to it: many primers and lubes share common ingredients. But a word of warning: some lubes also contain tingling and numbing ingredients that can irritate the skin. Silicone lubes tend to last longer than water-based ones, so after applying my usual skincare, I slathered my face in Durex Play Perfect Glide Silicone Lubricant. It did feel silky, like silicone primers do, and my makeup went on fine, but it wasn’t Earth-shatteringly good. Next I tried water-based Coco de Mer Divine Glow Aqua Lubricant, which contains ingredients you’d find in a hydrating primer. It gave my skin a glowy boost, but it didn’t quite match my regular primer’s prowess.
Does it work?
My foundation applied well, but I prefer normal primers as they contain skin-supporting ingredients (I rate Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base). But in an emergency, lube me up.
