UPDATE: This review was updated on 17/07/2025 and is about the latest version of this primer, currently available in shops.
More than a Pro, Benefit The POREfessional resembles an amateur to me. You know those budding photographers who take awful shots and then slap a soft focus filter or something like that onto them in post-production, hoping that’ll hide all imperfections? That’s exactly how Benefit The POREfessional “works”. Let me explain:
Key Ingredients In Benefit The POREfessional: What Makes It Work?
SILICONES
Like most makeup primers, Benefit The POREfessional is silicone-based. That’s pretty much all it contains… Makes sense. Silicones are the quickest way to make large pores and fine lines look smaller. They do it by filling it every nook and cranny in your skin. Plus, silicones also give slip to the primer, allowing it to glide smoothly on, and a velvety feel to the skin.
I know a lot of you don’t like to use silicones because you think they don’t allow the skin to breathe. That’s a myth. Skin can’t breathe. It doesn’t have lungs. But it perspires. And silicones don’t get in the way of that. Thank theirspecial molecular structure, made of big molecules with wide spaces between them, for that.
The real problem with silicones is that their effect is only aesthetic. Remove them, and your pores and fine lines are still there, as big as before.
Related: Are Silicones Bad For Skin?
FILM FORMERS
Film formers are another common ingredient in makeup primers. They work like this: When they dry, they contract, providing a tightening effect. This results in a “blurred look” that makes pores, fine lines, and wrinkles look smaller. But just like with silicones, the effect is temporary. Take them off, and your large pores are still there.
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- C9-12 Alkane: A lightweight emollient that helps the product spread easily and feel light on the skin.
- Isododecane: A volatile emollient that gives a non-greasy, weightless feel. Helps products set quickly.
- Silica: An absorbent powder that controls oil and gives a soft-focus finish.
- C13-15 Alkane: A biodegradable alternative to silicones. Lightweight emollient.
- Isononyl Isononanoate: A silky emollient that softens skin and improves texture.
- Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that keeps the formula stable.
- Tocopheryl Acetate: A stable form of vitamin E that offers antioxidant benefits.
- Parfum: Fragrance. Smells good. Can be irritating for sensitive skin.
- Triethoxycaprylylsilane: A silane-based binder that helps pigments stick to the skin and stay put.
- Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate: An antioxidant that stabilizes oils and prevents rancidity.
- Tocopherol: Vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect skin from environmental damage.
- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide): A white pigment that also offers UV protection in sunscreens.
- CI 77491 / CI 77492 / CI 77499 (Iron Oxides): Mineral pigments used to add color (red, yellow, and black tones).
Texture
Goes on like this smooth, silky beige balm but blends out clear. Feels super slippy. Definitely that silicone-y vibe. It glides over your skin and kind of blurs everything out, especially around the nose and cheeks. Dries down matte, not powdery or weird, just soft and flat in a good way. Doesn’t feel heavy and doesn’t cling to dry bits either, which I was worried about.
Fragrance
Smells kinda weird tbh. Like citrusy-cleaner with a bit of that fake “medicinal” edge? Not cute. But it disappears fast, so unless you’re super sensitive to scents, you’ll probably forget it’s even there.
How To Use It
You only need a tiny bit-like, pea-sized max. Just tap it onto the spots where your pores are doing the most (usually T-zone, around the nose, chin). Don’t rub it in like a moisturiser. Press and pat it in instead. If you’re wearing foundation, use this before your base. If you’re skipping makeup, it still works on its own to blur things out. Also works for touch-ups. Just dab a little over shiny spots during the day and it’ll mattify things again without messing up your makeup.
Packaging
Comes in a squeezable plastic tube with that retro cartoon-style design Benefit loves. Not the most aesthetic thing on your shelf, but it’s cute in a kitschy way. The tube makes it easy to control how much you’re using-no pump drama, no digging your fingers into a pot. Super travel-friendly too. Just throw it in your bag and go.
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Performance & Personal Opinion
Warning: Benefit POREfessional feels siliconey. I personally dig that familiar silky texture, but I know some people can’t stand it. A silicone base is a blessing and a curse. Let’s start with the positives: silicones do help blur out every imperfection on your skin, so that both your pores and fine lines look smaller for a while.
Plus, they help your makeup last longer too. But only for a few hours. After that, you have to reapply everything (just on the areas where you need it). The downside? There are two. First off, silicones don’t have any deeper benefits for your skin. They don’t hydrate it, fight wrinkles or anything like that. They’re more makeup than skincare, if you know what I mean.
Products high in silicones can also cause pilling. It’s probably happened to you before. You slather on primer, then follow up with foundation, concealer, and… what the heck is going on? Everything is suddenly flaking on your skin! That’s pilling and it’s very common with this primer. Be careful what you layer on top!
P.S. Check out my tips on how to deal with pilling here.
What I Like About Benefit The POREfessional
- Blurs the hell out of pores, especially around the nose and cheeks
- Makes makeup glide on smoother
- Super lightweight, doesn’t feel heavy on the skin
- Matte finish without looking dry or cakey
- Can be used for mid-day touch-ups without messing up your base
What I DON’T Like About Benefit The POREfessional
- Pills easily if you don’t get the layering right
- That weird citrusy-medicinal scent (why?)
- No actual skincare benefits. Just surface-level smoothing
- Doesn’t last all day, need to reapply if you want the effect to stick
- Not great for super dry skin (can make it look flatter)
Who Should Use It
- Anyone with oily or combo skin who wants to blur pores fast
- People who like a matte finish and want a smoother canvas for makeup
- Not ideal for dry or sensitive skin types
- Avoid if you hate silicones or want skincare benefits from your primer
- Good for short-term smoothing, not long-wear or multitasking
Does Benefit The POREfessional Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| With the POREfessional quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! | True. |
| Silky, lightweight balm. | True. |
| The translucent formula of the POREfessional contains a vitamin E derivative known to protect skin from free radicals. | Notice how it doesn’t say it protects skin from free radicals. It only says that Vitamin E derivative it contains is known to do so. |
| Oil-free. | True. |
| Helps makeup stay put. | True. |
Price & Availability
$32.00/£29.00 at Asos, Cult Beauty, Escentual, and Sephora
Do You Need It?
Only if you’re looking for a quick fix that masks large pores temporarily.
Dimethicone, C9-12 Alkane, Isododecane, Silica, C13-15 Alkane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer-3, Phenoxyethanol, Topcopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, [+/- CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides)].
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
