Lucky No.7

I have always found my moisturiser to be a reasonable base for applying my make-up, but the staying power of foundation has been a constant battle I seemed incapable of winning. The word 'primer' has floated past my ears once or twice, so after receiving my 18373657 £5 off Boots No.7 voucher, I decided to invest in one at the now not so bank breaking cost of £6 for 40ml (RRP £11). There were a few to choose from including two colour calming primers, one to help correct dull/sallow skin and another to correct reddish skin tones. I decided to go for the 'shine free' base as I thought it suited me best.   

The bottle claims to, 'Keep shiny skin under control all day long , with this mattifying oil-free base.' It comes out of the squeezy tube as a white cream and you rub it into your skin as you would a moisturiser, then apply your foundation on top. It does not have a very strong smell, it really just smells like 'make-up'. It has extracts of watermelon and cucumber in it and these scents are slightly detectable, but by no means over powering. It is some what drier than a moisturiser but not unpleasant to apply to your skin; being the first primer I have tried, I am not sure if this is a common trait? You just have to blend it in quite quickly as it tends to dry rather fast, but this really is the only downside that I find with the product. 

My make-up lasts all day. My foundation from when I return home from uni looks pretty much as it did when I left the house that same morning, not a hint of fading or blotchiness. My foundation looks smoother and more evenly applied across my face and shiny skin is no longer a problem. I really regret not pricking up my ears sooner and investing in such a product, as I feel like I am getting far more wear for my money from my make-up now. How does this rate up to primers you have perhaps tried, any recommendations?