Cold winter air can zap the life out of anyone’s complexion, but even more so if you’ve got dry skin. That’s because when your skin is dry, you can get a buildup of dead and flakey skin that can make your skin appear dull. Womp. As someone who falls into that category, I often need a little extra help to keep my complexion looking radiant from December through March. On days when I’m wearing makeup, I get that help from the Kjaer Weis The Beautiful Primer ($55).

Kjaer Weis The Beautiful Primer — $55.00

The water-based formula is great for hydrating skin, and can be layered seamlessly under all different foundation types. Unlike silicone-based products, which can cause irritation, clog pores, and trigger breakouts, water-based products (like this one) are suitable for all skin types—including sensitive and acne-prone. And this formula doesn’t just use regular water: The star ingredient here is lavender water. The plant lends the primer its gorgeous-yet-subtle scent (which is known to have zen-inducing qualities), and acts as an anti-inflammatory to help soothe angry skin.

This primer is also packed with cold-pressed olive oil, oat extract, plant-based squalane, and flower extracts. Together, these ingredients hydrate, nourish, and firm skin while sealing in moisture.

While these ingredients do their job behind the scenes, super-fine mica provides an instant glow. Instead of giving you a sparkly finish with enough glitter to rival Edward Cullen, it gives skin a subtle, champagne-hued shimmer. I love that it doesn’t read gray on my medium-deep skin tone (which is an issue I sometimes face with shimmery products), and that I can wear it either on its own or under foundation for a lit-from-within luminosity.

The brand recommends using one pump of product to cover your whole face, but I’ve found that a little bit goes a long way. When I’ve used too much product, my foundation pilled a bit when I blended it out, so now I start with half of a pump and add more as needed. I love that the formula doesn’t leave my skin feeling sticky or tacky, and instead provides a super-smooth canvas that my foundation adheres to effortlessly.

So if you’re looking to make your dry skin look more radiant for the rest of the winter, I can confirm that this “Beautiful” primer really does live up to its name.

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