Whether you're a beauty novice or a professional artist, a make-up primer has long been hailed as the antidote to fleeting longevity, excess shine and stubborn texture. From blurring formulas to disguise enlarged pores, to plush hydrators to combat flakiness, you can easily find a primer for every skin type and concern. The question is, how do you find the perfect base for you?
"Primers today come in all forms and are targeted for all skin types," says Karl Hodson, make-up expert and Laura Mercier's education manager. "Look for a primer with skincare benefits and see it as part of our regular skincare and make-up routine. Silicone-free primers are preferable regardless of skin type, as silicone can sometimes break down make-up, therefore negating the use of a primer which should enhance longevity, not decrease it."
Think about the purpose of your primer first. Is it to prolong the longevity of your make-up? If so, Milk's viral Hydro Grip Primer could be your ideal match. Do you love a dewy base? A formula with a luminous finish, such as Nars's Light Reflecting Primer, will suit you perfectly. Struggling with problematic skin? Opt for a skincare primer that tackles your oiliness, dryness or rosacea with targeted active ingredients.
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How To Apply Primer
While the debate between brushes and sponges is still ongoing for foundation, the answer to applying primer is far simpler: Use your fingers. "The best way to apply primer is with your fingertips, starting at the centre of the face and working outwards," says Hodson. "For the best results, don’t massage the primer into the skin like a moisturiser, smooth the primer over the skin in a light layer."
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The Benefits Of Using A Primer Before Make-up
On the surface level, a primer's purpose is as basic as preparing your skin and ensuring make-up lasts all day. "A make-up primer helps to perfectly prepare the skin for any make-up that goes on top by creating a smooth, hydrated canvas," Hodson explains. "They will enhance the longevity of your make-up, and nowadays, primers are being developed with skincare properties to help improve your skin long term with regular use."
As with skincare, the ingredients of your primer will determine the deeper benefits it can offer. Oat extract, hyaluronic acid and glycerin all feature in Merit's Great Skin Priming Moisturiser, allowing it to deeply hydrate and plump the skin, as well as creating a bouncy base for foundation. For oily, redness-prone complexions, Isamaya's Colour Correcting Serum uses rosebay willowherb extract to balance excess sebum, while Refy's Glow And Sculpt roller uses niacinamide to lend dull skin a brighter finish.
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This cult favourite primer offers dry skin a generous dose of hydration, courtesy of vitamin E and glycerin. Meanwhile, niacinamide helps to brighten and even tone. The best bit? Its sculpting applicator, which makes using the primer not only sensorial but totally faff-proof.
Face Primer, $39.50, REFY.
Fans of TikTok beauty will already be familiar with this ultra-viral solution to fast-fading make-up. Its gel formula imparts a sticky layer to the skin, acting as a glue between your face and foundation. The result? Hours of additional wear time and an ultra-juicy finish.
Hydro Grip Primer, $79.99, MILK MAKEUP.
Nars's Light Reflecting Foundation has garnered a mass fanbase, and for good reason; it's glossy, camouflages imperfections and looks totally radiant (not to mention, natural) on the skin. What you may not know is that its Light Reflecting Primer is equally as luminous. Infused with hyaluronic acid, it plumps your complexion, adding a glowy, brightened sheen.
Light Reflecting Tone-Up Veil SPF 27/PA++, $73, NARS.
This sheer primer gives dry and dehydrated skin an instant boost, plumping fine lines and balancing depleted moisture levels. Whether you're sporting a full face or going entirely make-up-free, this nourishing formula is perfect for giving lacklustre skin some much needed love. Think hydrating marine botanicals and nurturing olive extract.
Pure Canvas Primer Hydrating, $79, LAURA MERCIER.
Despite its hydrating credentials, this smooth finish primer couldn't be more silky. Where traditional moisturising textures can leave your skin feeling heavy and slick, taking away from the longevity of your make-up rather than improving it, this lightweight blend feels velvety on the skin, plumping with a pore blurring finish.
Pro Filt'r Soft Silk Hydrating Primer, $59, FENTY BEAUTY.
For oilier skin types, this blurring, mattifying blend is heavenly. It sits weightlessly on the skin, without that overly slippery silicone feel, and prevents excess sebum from creating shine throughout the day. For avid make-up fans, it is the perfect first step in your routine, pairing effortlessly with any formula to create a long-lasting, flawless base.
Vanish Airbrush Primer, $99, HOURGLASS.
If redness is your biggest skin woe, a green-based colour corrector is essential. Luckily, this olive-toned pigment is just one of make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench's new tone-amending bases. The range also includes a lavender hue for brightening and three warming tones to amplify medium and deep skin tones.
Colour Correcting Serum, $66, ISAMAYA BEAUTY.
Merit has swiftly become one of beauty's most coveted brands, so it's no surprise that the Great Skin Priming Moisturizer has earned a spot on this list. Not only does it envelope the skin in hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid, but it also absorbs quickly with zero residue. Everything you could want in a base for foundation.
Great Skin Priming Moisturizer, US$38 (about $50), MERIT.
Soothing chamomile extract and hydrating squalane make the ultimate redness-busting duo in this skin-kind colour-correcting formula, designed for sensitive complexions. Overdone it on retinols and acids the night before? This barrier repairing blend has got you covered.
Prime Time Redness Reducing Primer, $35.95, BAREMINERALS.
If enlarged pores and stubborn post-acne texture are disturbing your otherwise perfect base, a smoothing primer is what you need. With a sensitive skin-friendly blend of 1.5% panthenol, this serum-like formula sinks in effortlessly, softening the appearance of texture while leaving skin glowy and plump.
Pore Remedy Smoothing Primer, $52, DR.JART+.
When it comes to make-up separation, concealer is often our biggest bugbear. A little creasing and caking is inevitable, but if you're finding yourself prone to excessive dryness, investing in a priming eye base could be the solution. Bobbi Brown's blend of vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12 is our favourite; it feels weightless on the skin and creates a plush canvas for concealer.
Vitamin Enriched Eye Base, $94, BOBBI BROWN.
Sometimes a lightweight gel just doesn't cut it for dry skin, and you need to enlist the help of a richer, dewier formula. Powered by an impressive 33 skin-caring ingredient list (including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides and ceramides), this nourishing cream is the ideal combination of a moisturiser and a make-up primer. When it comes to the finish, the word 'glow' would be an understatement.
Super Skin Nova, $75, VIEVE.
While we love a touch of dew, oilier skin types will know the struggle of balancing glow with excessive shine. That's where this unique water-to-powder texture comes in; blending effortlessly over cheeks, it dries down to a smooth matte finish, using zinc, kaolin and niacinamide to keep unwanted grease at bay throughout the day.
Yummy Skin Water Powder Serum, US$36 (about $47.30), DANESSA MYRICKS.
This article was first seen on ELLE UK.