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.
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.