If you’re doing your makeup without primer, you’re doing yourself and your routine a huge disservice. There is a surplus of options when it comes to makeup primer, but there are few things that they all have in common: Prepping the skin, extending the wear of your makeup and creating a smooth canvas for your makeup. Beyond that, there are primers that can target specific skin concerns like texture, dullness, redness and excess oil.
Using a primer that’s packed with skin-friendly ingredients is a great way to prep your skin for makeup while targeting your complexion concerns. You can think of it as multitasking your makeup routine. Take notes as we share four skin care-inspired makeup primers that are worthy of a spot in your routine.
Typically, a makeup primer is applied before the rest of your makeup (and after your SPF) to smooth your complexion and prepare your skin for foundation, concealer and other makeup products. When you paint your nails, a base coat is essential for creating a smooth base and preventing polish chipping and staining. If you skip the base coat you can still paint your nails but you do so knowing your manicure isn’t going to look its best or last very long.
The same logic applies to your makeup — without primer, it’s not going to be as smooth and it’s going to fade much faster throughout the day. Plus, primer also targets specific skin concerns like texture, dryness, dullness and excess oils that negatively affect the way your makeup looks and wears. So sure, you can do your makeup without it, but skipping it will have a negative effect on how your makeup applies, looks and wears.
Now that you know the value of makeup primer, it’s time to decide on the right one. There are different formulas and finishes, but the best place to start, typically, involves looking at your skin and identifying your main concerns. If you have redness and tend to go for full-coverage foundations to conceal it, look for a redness-reducing primer, instead. If you powder your face multiple times throughout the day to keep oils at bay, look for a long-wearing, mattifying primer.
Here are four skin care-inspired primers to target some of the most common complexion concerns while boosting makeup wear time.
Pores, texture and fine lines are blurred with one swipe of this silky, silicone-based primer that blurs imperfections. Powered by an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), lipo hydroxy acid (LHA) and beta hydroxy acid (BHA) complex, it evens skin tone with continued use while it extends your makeup wear time. It has a light pink color that blends into the skin, blurs pores and keeps oils at bay so your makeup can look its best all day.
Who should use it: All skin types that are looking to minimize the appearance of pores and skin texture. Apply this primer after sunscreen, like the L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Invisible UV Fluid and before applying foundation.
Dull skin affects your entire makeup look. This brightening primer uses orange tones to neutralize sallow skin, instantly brightening your lackluster complexion with radiance. With four percent niacinamide, it brightens the skin with continued use while it extends your makeup wear for up to 24 hours.
Who should use it: This primer is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. It’s ideal for people with tan to deep skin tones that are looking to brighten their complexion. Apply this primer after SPF and before foundation.
This color-correcting primer uses green pigments to instantly neutralize flushed skin while it evens the skin tone. Green sits across from red on the color wheel so it’s just the shade that you want to offset redness from cold weather, rosacea or skin sensitivities. Plus, it helps to extend your makeup wear for more than 20 hours.
Who should use it: This primer is suitable for all skin types dealing with redness, including sensitive skin. It’s ideal for light to medium skin tones. Apply this primer after sunscreen and before foundation.
If your makeup is constantly ruined by midday grease, try this non-comedogenic primer that reduces excess shine and visibly rebalances skin tone over time. With a formula that’s powered by LHAs and salicylic acid, this lightweight makeup primer controls oils and expels surface bacteria while extending your makeup wear.
Who should use it: This primer is best for combination and oily skin. Use this primer after applying sunscreen and before applying makeup.
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Photographer: Chaunte Vaughn, Art Director: Hannah Packer, Creative Producer: Becca Solovay, Digital Tech: Erik Dalzen, Photo Assistant: Sam Kang
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