The MAC Mattifine is the best solution to summer’s sweaty skin

We’re in the thick of the Philippine summer - hot, sticky, and unbelievably sweaty - so I’m fairly certain that you’re looking for something to help you look fresher for longer in this heat. I may have a solution! I tried this a few months back and now I’m here with a full review.

The MAC Studio Fix Mattifine 12HR Shine-Control Primer (P2,300 for 3ml in Lazada) is designed to mattify skin and provide a blurring finish to reduce the appearance of pores. Of course we know we all have pores, and they’re totally fine. However if you like having that unreal perfect finish, the Mattifine is great to have!

Before we get into all that though, I have to say that this is one of the longest-wearing primers I’ve ever personally tried. It’s a lightweight silicone primer that just glides on skin, but feels like it sets instead of sliding around. It will instantly mattify the skin even if you’ve just applied shiny-finish skincare. It seems to just suck in anything wet and emollient, leaving skin a smooth, perfected canvas.

It makes a 12-HR shine control claim which I haven’t tried yet, but in the eight or nine hours I wore this I was miraculously wayyyy less oily-looking than I usually am at the end of the day. It really kept my foundation from caking or fading even in the heat! Plus I’m a sweaty person so this kept my skin dry-looking and dry-feeling. As I said earlier it seems to absorb moisture.

Speaking of, if you have dry skin I don’t think this is for you. This is for The Oily OnesTM! Although you can definitely apply it only on specific areas you get oily for a more controlled result. I have combination skin so I focus this mostly on my T-zone.

And now, the finish. The texture as I said is a gel silicone and it fills in pores beautifully. Here's a before and after closeup of my pores near the center of my cheeks, where they are the most visible. notice how in the right photo, my skin looks a lot smoother! I even noticed a subtle light reflecting finish that the camera picked up on. The Mattifine has no tint whatsoever but it still made my skin look a little brighter.

The catch: it may block pores. That’s just the nature of silicone-heavy products. This isn’t something I would use everyday, only for special occasions when I need my makeup to stay on point from start to finish. If you find that your skin is friendly with silicone-heavy makeup like Mattifine then there should be no issues when it comes to using it regularly.

Overall, the MAC Mattifine is a solid product that I will definitely keep on my vanity table. I’m not typically a primer person (I love a good glow) but this heat is so unkind to my face. Plus there’s a mask pa! So yes, a dependable primer like Mattifine is useful to have on standby!

What do you think? What’s your current favorite primer?