At 7 am on a dreary Monday, do you have the time to conceal your minor imperfections the way a celeb’s make-up artist could? I know I certainly don’t; however, as I’ve since discovered–and the pros agree—if I want my foundation or powder to last longer, I must not neglect the essential first step: application of a suitable complexion primer. Fortunately, thanks to the innovative, confirmed cruelty-free folks at Urban Decay Cosmetics, I’ve found my ideal solution in their pore-perfecting version. And since it’s so easy to apply, I don’t think twice about the extra 5 minutes it adds to my morning routine!

Here’s how it seems to work best: after washing, toning and treating with my favorite Murad treatment, I layer a small amount over my entire face, concentrating on my t-zone (as with everything else I’ve reviewed thus far, a little goes a long way, too much will definitely leave a greasy residue). This takes about a minute to complete; the other four are spent waiting for the primer to be fully absorbed. After that, it’s on to the next step—painting face.

Jen has already given Urban Decay’s Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder a glowing review, so I won’t be redundant and lavish any additional praise—except to say that her opinion is right-on. I use this by itself on most days; if I have a real eye-sore of a blemish in need of extra masking action, I turn to my secret weapon: a bit of bareMinerals concealer in Summer Bisque.

All of these products are available at one of my favorite online destinations: Sephora.com. As I’ve already mentioned,Beauty Insiders are regularly rewarded with special members-only benefits and perks. If you’re like me and have earned way too many points, you’re automatically upgraded to VIB status, and are entitled to even better bonuses. Who doesn’t deserve to feel extra-special?!

(Author’s note: All images linked to and within this post are the exclusive intellectual property of their respective copyright and trademark holders; any image incongruities are entirely coincidental and an unintended effect of Jen#2′s lack-there-of spatial/visual perception.)