It all started when I was searching the internet for inexpensive makeup primer recommendations. The Nivea Men After Shave Balm (sold abroad as Nivea Men Post Shave Balm) had glowing reviews for its alternative role as a primer. I had seen this product pop up on my Instagram feed as well! I decided to give it a go.

On a trip to the supermarket, I picked up a bottle of the Sensitive variant of the After Shave Balm. It comes in a hefty glass bottle with 100ml of product.
This "balm" is very runny in texture. Almost a serum/gel like consistency. It also has a strong, masculine fragrance.

I applied this all over my face, massaging until the finish became a bit tacky/difficult to move around. My skin felt quite hydrated, which is because this product has glycerine as its second ingredient! 

I applied my foundation and concealer over this as usual and my makeup glided on seamlessly. The scent of the balm also disappeared completely. I set my base with powder and went about my business.

During the half day mark, I noticed that my makeup still looked fresh, just as it had been in the morning. Only a little bit of oil had seeped through around the nose area (which is very common). I simply powdered my nose area.
At the end of the day, my makeup still looked intact, almost as fresh as it was in the morning! The after shave balm had done a better job than any makeup primer I had ever tried!

This is one primer that will work for almost all skin types. It is not like those silicone based primers (which have a tendency to break me out). This primer hydrates the skin, and keeps makeup looking fresh and put together. For Rs. 235 for 100ml, this bottle will last you a long, LONG time! I'd like to recommend this primer to EVERYONE, it is a total winner. I have decanted the balm into smaller plastic bottles for travel, as the glass bottle can be a bit heavy/fragile to carry around.

I will keep using this as my makeup primer for as long as it is available. A definite repurchase, it gets two thumbs up from me!