milk hydro grip primer review
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From First Application to Final Results: My Milk Hydro Grip Primer Review

Navigating the world of primers can be a slippery slope, especially for someone with oily skin like mine. Amidst the myriad of choices, the Milk Hydro Grip Primer emerged, not just with its alluring promises but with accolades like the Allure 2019 Best of Beauty Award. But does it truly stand up to the hype?

Beyond the buzzwords and awards, I was determined to put this primer through its paces, comparing it to others in my collection and evaluating its real-world performance. Join me as I share my unfiltered, hands-on experience with this much-talked-about product.

Milk Hydro Grip Primer Review
Milk Hydro Primer: Photo by Juliet Rowe

My Verdict at a Glance After Testing Milk Hydro Grip Primer

Having personally put the Milk Hydro Grip Primer to the test, I can confidently say: this isn’t just another primer to add to your collection—it’s a must-have. Not only did it seamlessly glide onto my skin, but it also held my makeup in place from dawn to dusk. Its claims of hydration, a radiant glow, and lasting power aren’t just marketing jargon; they’re genuine results I experienced firsthand.

Application: 10/10 – Smooth, effortless, and felt like a second skin.
Effect: 10/10 – Delivered a noticeable glow and evened out my complexion.
Longevity: 10/10 – My makeup looked as fresh in the evening as it did in the morning.

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer | Milk Makeup

A hydrating primer that adheres to makeup formulated with hemp-derived cannabis seed extract and blue agave extract for all-day hydration and hold.

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Milk Makeup?

Milk Makeup isn’t a huge household name unlike NYX & Rimmel (just to name a few) but advertises itself as a ‘clean’ makeup brand that offers vegan and cruelty-free makeup products. Most makeup products by Milk, have the large MILK brand across their products.

This iconic branding has helped Milk Makeup rise in popularity and it’s now become an affordable but cool brand. Its branding looks very similar to Glossier’s clean brand, which was a huge success a few years ago.

This New York city-based brand started in 2016 and has quickly risen up the ranks in the makeup world through its popular Instagram page. Milk Makeup advertises its Grip Primer as their ‘OG’ makeup product and on Milk Makeup’s Instagram they highlight its award-winning status.

Milk Hydro Grip Primer Overview 

  • Pump bottle
  • 3 sizes
  • Hydrating
  • Radiant finish
  • Vegan
  • 94% natural gel formula
  • Oil & silicon-free
  • Affordable

Milk Hydro Grip Primer Sizes

  • Value size – 5.28 oz/150ml 
  • Standard size – 1.52 oz/45ml (this is the size I got) 
  • Mini size – 0.33oz/10ml 

Ingredients

Milk Hydro Primer has three key ingredients:

  • Blue Agave Extract – the key gripping ingredient that locks your makeup in place!
  • Hyaluronic Acid and Hemp-Derived Cannabis Seed Extract – hydrates and smooths skin
  • Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and Aloe Water: provides additional moisture and a dewy glow 

My First Impression of Milk Hydro Grip Primer 

I got the standard size primer and was surprised by how much product was in the bottle. Honestly, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the goo green colour of the primer – but I know that is personal preference as a transparent colour doesn’t stand out as much. However, when you pump the product out, it’s not a goo green colour but clear.  

While the colour of the product isn’t super appealing, the branding is spot on. Its mix-matched text and bold colors make the bottle looks futuristic and expensive (which it isn’t!). 

I was on the lookout for my next favourite primer, so I had high hopes for this primer (due to its 5-star reviews). I was excited to try this out for my next big day out and see if my makeup stays on and how it performs with my makeup products.

Texture of Milk Hydro Grip Primer: Photo by Juliet Rowe

Product Application & Results

Before applying the primer I made sure to moisturize my face with CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion. I then put a couple of pumps of the Milk Hydro Grip Primer into my fingers (making sure to use pea-sized amounts) and gently rubbed the product onto my moisturized face. I then made sure to let the primer set onto my face for a minute before applying makeup (this is an important step!). 

I was disappointed by the smell of the primer. It had a strong chemical scent that wasn’t very appealing. I know that this is a ‘clean’ makeup product but it would have been nice to have a sweeter scent to it. 

Immediate Impression

In its advertising, Milk Hydro Primer promises users that they will find immediately that:

  • Makeup goes on easier
  • Skin will feel smoother
  • Skin feels more hydrated 

Now let’s see if it passes the test:

Did Makeup Go on Easier?

 It did! I found my foundation slid easily onto my face and other face products were easy to apply 

Did it Make My Skin Smoother?

My skin felt silky smooth after applying this primer. I noticed when I finished my makeup look how flawless the base of my foundation looked. 

Is My Skin Feeling More Hydrated?

Yes, I found my skin wasn’t irritated by the product and didn’t go red. My skin felt super hydrated. I also had a lovely glow on my face as soon as I put the product on. It didn’t feel too heavy either, which was good as I tend to wear a heavy foundation. 

Impression After 12 Hours

Wearing Milk Hydro Grip Primer
After several hours of wearing Milk Hydro Grip Primer: Photo by Juliet Rowe

Milk Hydro Grip Primer also promises benefits after 12 hours of wear:

  • Makeup will stay on longer
  • Skin will have a healthy-looking glow
  • Skin feels more hydrated for longer

I used the primer twice over the weekend for Pride festivities and needed my makeup to last all day for dancing at pride parties. Let’s see if Milk Hydro Grip Primer passed the 12-hour test and helped keep my makeup on while I danced all day. 

Did My Makeup Stay on Longer?

It passed the test! My makeup stayed on longer. I noticed when I got home, how much of my eye makeup stayed on (usually this is the first to go), particularly my sparkly eyeshadow stayed on. Also, this product helped keep my foundation on, without transferring onto my clothes and hands. 

Did my Skin Have a Healthy-Looking Glow?

My skin was still looking healthy by the end of the day but didn’t have as much of a glow as I had been in the hot sun all day so I was quite sweaty. 

Did My Skin Feel More Hydrated for Longer than Usual?

My skin did feel more hydrated than usual, especially as I was in the sun all day. This was such a bonus to have in a primer. 

Pros and Cons of Milk Hydro Grip Primer

Milk Hydro Grip Primer
Milk Hydro Grip Primer Review: Photo by Juliet Rowe

Pros

  • Vegan and cruelty-free
  • Affordable
  • Pump bottle
  • Variety of sizes to choose from (usually there is one size only for primers)

Cons

  • Primer has an unappealing green color
  • It has a chemical smell
  • It’s a bit sticky

My Ratings

Milk Hydro Primer
Milk Hydro Primer. Easy to Use: Photo by Juliet Rowe

Packaging 9/10 – would be a 10/10 but I was put off by the green colour of the product. I love the large MILK text on the bottle and how futuristic it looks.

MILK makeup has achieved a lot in a short amount of time and its branding is one of the main reasons it’s rose to fame in the past few years. This primer really stands out on my shelf and is easy to find when I am in a rush. 

Longevity 10/10 – I was so impressed with how long my makeup stayed on. This one is a keeper for long days out when I don’t have time to re-apply my makeup.

I would say it passed the ’12-hour’ test MILK Makeup boasts of on its website as I really had to use a lot of makeup remover to get everything off at the end of the day.

Application 10/10 – This was so easy to apply as it has a pump bottle. I made sure to only use a few pea-sized drops and it was easy to rub onto my face. While it was slightly sticky, it needed to stick to my face to ensure my makeup stayed on for longer. 

Formula 9/10 – I was super impressed by its clean ingredients and that it is vegan & cruelty-free! The clear gel isn’t heavy on the skin, however, it does have a chemical scent to it. As mentioned the formula is a bit sticky but this is understandable to achieve its magical effects. 

Effect 10/10 – For the price, this is the perfect primer to add to your makeup collection. My makeup stayed on all day, I had a flawless foundation base and healthy glow most of the day. A perfect primer!

Alternatives to Milk Hydro Grip Primer

Here are some alternatives to the Milk Hydro Primer that might save you some money but still achieve a similar effect:

Pore Eclipse

Pore Eclipse

While the Milk Hydro Grip Primer stands out for its longevity and hydration, the Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer brings its own charm with its coconut water-infused formula. Ideal for those days when your skin feels parched, this primer offers a burst of hydration, though it might fall slightly short in the longevity department compared to Milk’s offering.

Milk Makeup only has 2 primers on their website right now. However, they have done a good job advertising Pore Eclipse as it has a lot to live up to as Milk Hydro Grip Primer was a smash hit in the beauty community.

On Milk Makeup’s Instagram page it shows how Pore Eclipse compares to Milk Hydro Grip Primer

Pore Eclipse reduces pores, controls shine and helps makeup last up to 8 hours (less than Milk Hydro Grip Primer). The standard size is $36 on Milk Makeup’s website. 

Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Mattifying + Blurring Face Primer | Amazon
$31.96 ($24.58 / Ounce)

Never worry about makeup slipping during your active days - Keeps makeup locked on for up to 12 hours! Lentil extract is included to keep the shine away.

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01/22/2024 02:26 pm GMT

Cover FX Gripping Primer

Another grip primer! This primer really grips your makeup together, while its formula is super sticky, it’s perfect for your next night out. 

COVER FX Gripping Makeup Primer | COVER FX
$42.00

COVER FX Gripping Primer + Firming is a clear, gel-like primer creates that helps create the perfect canvas for smooth, long-lasting makeup and helps provide an instant tightening effect on skin thanks to kelp and algae extracts.

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01/21/2024 08:08 pm GMT

Read More: Best Color FX Primer Options: The Best Primer For Your Skin Type

NYX Bare with Me Hydrating Jelly Primer

Want a hydrating primer that’s a bit cheaper? NYX offers a jelly primer that comes in a cute baby pink case. It helps makeup last up to 8 hours and is a water-based gel primer that softens the appearance of pores ($17.00 Ulta Beauty). 

Revolution Glass Liquid Skin Primer

This primer will give you that perfect dewy skin finish! It’s super affordable and boosts natural radiance ($12.00 Ulta Beauty). 

Revolution Glass Liquid Skin Primer | Revolution Beauty

Perfect the Korean glass skin trend with our Glass Liquid Skin Serum. This silky serum helps to replenish and boost skin in need of a pick-me-up. Specially designed to illuminate skin by enhancing the natural glow to create a subtle radiance.

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Milk Hydro Grip Primer Review FAQs

Question: What does a ‘Grip’ Primer Do?

Answer: Milk Hydro Grip Primer boasts many benefits but one of the key benefits is that it is meant to hold your makeup together for up to 12 hours. Luckily Milk Makeup was right! The grip primer held my makeup on for 12 hours and I still had a flawless base. 
To put it simply the ‘grip’ in the primer is the function that keeps your makeup on for longer. A perfect product if you don’t want to reapply your makeup during the day. 

Question: How Much is the Milk Hydro Grip Primer?

Answer: Sephora is currently selling this primer for $36.00 (standard size). 

Question: Does Milk Makeup Offer Other Primers?

Answer: Yes! They have a ‘Pore Eclipse’ primer that is best for normal, combination and oily skin. Milk Makeup also has a KUSH Lash Primer and Hydro Grip Eye Primer.  Due to the success of their primers, I wouldn’t be surprised if they added more primers to their collection. 

Final Thoughts

I can easily see how this won the allure 2019 Best of Beauty Award. For the magical effect this has on my skin, it is worth every penny. This was the perfect primer for my oily skin as it helped hydrate my face without adding any extra shine.

I had a super smooth base to help create a fun pride makeup look and I didn’t have to worry about reapplying my makeup. This is a primer must-have to add to your collection. Don’t walk but run to your closest makeup store to get your hands on this primer.

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer | Milk Makeup

A hydrating primer that adheres to makeup formulated with hemp-derived cannabis seed extract and blue agave extract for all-day hydration and hold.

Buy at Amazon Buy at Sephora
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Recommended Reads:

• Best Milk Hydro Grip Primer Dupes

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