Milk VS E.l.f primer : is the €10 dupe worth the famous €45 primer?

Primer is definitely a precious step when it comes to the makeup. It actually defines your whole makeup, by making it stick to your skin, controlling your oil, and hydrating your skin. Makeup addicts are always looking for the perfect primer, that will not make their skin breakdown and keep their makeup clean for the day. And let me tell you, it’s not an easy task. If you want to learn more about the importance of primer, here’s what you need to read : “What Are Makeup Primers and Why Do You Need Them ?”

I recently tested the famous primers produce by the makeup brand Milk. It’s a trending brand because of their products of quality and especially for their values : milk makeup (despite the name) is a 100% vegan brand.

MILK HYDRO GRIP PRIMER

Price : 45€

“An award-winning hydrating face primer with hyaluronic acid that grips makeup for up to 12 hours and hydrates skin to prevent makeup meltdown and caking.”

Promise : 94% natural, vegan, clean, cruelty-free, paraben-free, silicone-free, oil-free, fragrance-free, and gluten-free.

How to use it ?

It’s simple and here’s the recipe :

• Pump one or two shots of primer onto the back of your hand, don’t put it directly on your skin to prevent any bacteria infection.
• Blend a thin layer onto clean skin before putting your makeup on.
• Let it set for one minute to absorb and activate grip for all-day hold.
• Your skin is ready for your makeup routine !

Honestly, Milk makeup didn’t lie. This primer keeps all its promises, and being a person with oily skin type, this product is really adapted to my skin and allowed me to improve my makeup routine and its final result. I really liked the product, but the more it emptied the more I told myself that I couldn’t buy this product each time because of the price. I’m still a student and 45€ is pretty expensive for a skincare/makeup product on a regular basis.

So as I was looking for a solution, I saw people talking about the elf “dupe” on social media. For only 10€, people were saying it was the exact same product as the Milk one. Obviously, I had to test it.

ELF POWER GRIP PRIMER

Price : 10€

“Get an e.l.f.ing grip with the OG best-selling primer! Infused with hyaluronic acid, this sticky AF gel formula locks makeup in place, preps, and smooths to perfection, and keeps skin hydrated with a long-lasting, dewy finish. The formula goes on clear, making it the ideal makeup application base for all skin tones.”

Promise : enriched with hydrating ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, translucent finish gel primer works on all skin tone, non-comedogenic, vegan and cruelty free.

How to use it ?

Again, it’s simple, and it’s very similar from the Milk’s one.

• Apply gripping primer to your face before makeup.
• Use your fingertips to pat into the skin (apparently, the warmth of your fingers will help the product melt into skin for even application).
• Allow 30 seconds to set before applying makeup, and you’re ready to go !

To be totally transparent with you, dear readers, there is no need to spend 45€ in a primer when its formula and quality is quickly found in a product only 10€. If you are a student like me, don’t waste your time searching for the perfect product : the elf primer feels the same as the Milk one.

After the success of the Milk primer, it is obvious that E.l.f cosmetics tried to offer a “dupe”, so the question is did they succeeded? For me, it’s a yes. The only difference between these two products is that Milk Primer is made of 94% natural products. I’d even say that the “dupe” is stickier, and more suited to my oily skin. If milk primer gives you soft skin after application, Elf Primer won’t have that peach-skin effect, but will give you make-up that stays put all day long.

And the price of course !