Seal the Glam: Your Ultimate Face Primer Guide

Hey Beauties! Whether you have oily, dry, sensitive or combination skin, we’ve got you covered with the best face primers for every skin type. Primer is essential for smoothing out your complexion, controlling oil and shine, and helping your makeup last longer. But not all primers work the same on every skin type. Some can make oily skin look greasier, dry skin look flaky, and irritate sensitive skin.

So today we’re breaking down the primers that work best for each skin type. We’ve tested tons of formulas to find the perfect matches. For our oily sisters, we’ve got priming mists that mattify without drying you out. Dry divas will love hydrating primers packed with nourishing ingredients. And for sensitive skin, we found gentle primers free of common irritants.

Our goal is to help you get that flawless, filtered base that plays nicely with your skin. Makeup application is so much smoother when you start with the right primer! Whether you get occasional breakouts, flakes, redness or an oily t-zone, your skin deserves a primer that caters to its needs. We’ll walk you through application tips so you get the most out of these game changing products. So keep reading to find your primer soulmate!

Face Primer 101

What is a face primer and what does it do?
A face primer is a beauty product applied after moisturizer and before foundation or other makeup. The main purpose of a face primer is to create a smooth, flawless surface on your skin as a base for your makeup application. A good face primer fills in fine lines and pores, so when you apply your foundation it goes on smoothly without accentuating any imperfections. The primer forms a barrier between your skin and makeup so your foundation lasts longer and doesn’t sink into pores or collect in fine lines.

The benefits of using a face primer are immense. Primers help makeup adhesion so your foundation, powder, and other products stay put all day. They create a nice canvas for a flawless look. Primers also act as a moisturizer to hydrate skin. Many contain ingredients like silicones, which smooth skin texture. This allows you to wear less foundation and have natural-looking coverage. Primers are especially good for oily or combination skin as they control shine and prevent makeup from sliding off your T-zone.

In terms of application, most face primers are smooth, silicone-based gels or creams that are applied using gentle dabbing motions with clean fingers. You only need a small amount all over your face, concentrating on problematic pores or fine lines. Give it a minute to set before continuing with your makeup routine. There are primers suited to all skin types – whether dry, normal, combination, mature, or acne-prone. Choosing the right primer makes a huge difference in how fresh and smooth your complexion looks.

Decoding Primers for Your Skin Type

With so many primers on the market, it can be confusing to figure out which one is right for your skin. Here’s a breakdown of the most common primer types and which skin types they work best for:

1. Hydrating Primers

Best for dry or mature skin. Contain ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera to deliver a surge of moisture. Hydrating primers give dry, flaky skin a dewy, glowing finish and help makeup apply smoothly. Brands like Smashbox, MAC and Laura Geller make great hydrating primers.

2. Mattifying Primers

Ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. These primers control excess oil and shine with ingredients like silica, charcoal and clay. They provide a matte, poreless effect while keeping makeup in place longer. We love mattifying primers from Becca, Benefit and Cover FX for oily skin types.

3. Color Correcting Primers 

Designed to correct specific skin concerns like redness, dullness, sallowness, etc. Green primers cancel out redness, lavender tackles sallowness, peach brightens dullness, etc. They create an even canvas before applying foundation. Brands like Smashbox, NYX and e.l.f. offer color correcting primers.

4. Blurring/Smoothing Primers

Give skin an airbrushed, filtered finish by minimizing the look of pores and fine lines. Blurring primers contain spherical powders and silicones that diffuse light. Try primers from Lorac, Maybelline and Laura Geller for a soft focus effect.

5. Sensitive Skin Primers

Formulated without common irritants and allergens like fragrance, silicone and parabens. They soothe and comfort sensitive, rosacea-prone skin. We suggest trying primers from Clinique, Neutrogena and First Aid Beauty if you have sensitive skin.

10 Of The Best Face Primers For Every Skin Type

1. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

This oil-free, lightweight creamy gel formula creates the ultimate smooth canvas for makeup. It preps skin beautifully reducing shine and pore appearance for a flawless look. Suitable for most skin types, it leaves skin feeling comfortable without dryness or tackiness. The brush-on application allows for seamless blending onto skin. Many celebrities and makeup artists have relied on this primer to prep skin on photo shoots and red carpets when long lasting grip is essential.

2. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer

This innovative formula contains silk powders that eliminate shine, diffuse light, and fill in fine lines and pores for a silky smooth finish. Perfect for combination or oily skin types prone to outside, it keeps skin looking fresh for hours. Zinc Oxide provides broad spectrum UV protection while antioxidants hydrate skin. A little product goes a long way with this primer, which leaves a beautiful soft-focus blurring effect that makeup glides onto. It also pairs well with Hourglass foundations for a flawless base.

3. Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer

As nourishing as it is smoothing, this silk-infused primer is suitable for all skin types. Rich in antioxidants, it protects skin from environmental stressors while instantly enhancing texture. The luxurious balm-like formula melts seamlessly to blur imperfections and create a silky canvas. Hydrating jojoba and nourishing rice bran extracts deliver vital moisture. Skin is left soft, supple and perfectly illuminated – the ideal makeup base or stand-alone treatment for a lit-from-within complexion.

4. Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

Packed with coconut water and hyaluronic acid, this primer deeply yet weightlessly hydrates dry skin. It forms an invisible grip that secures makeup for all-day flawless wear. Smooth and plush, the formula glides on like a moisturizer to prep skin. Free of silicone, oil and talc, it creates a healthy-looking glow on even the most parched complexions needing a boost. Makeup adheres seamlessly for a seamless second-skin look whether enhancing natural beauty or achieving full coverage.

5. Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer

This best-selling hangover treatment primer doubles as a revitalizing moisturizer. Skin is left quenched, soft, and ready for makeup application. It hydrates, soothes and lifts fatigue and is infused with coconut water, avocado and pro-vitamin B5. A little goes a long way to smooth and refresh even the most lackluster and dehydrated skin types. Used before or after a late night, it erases signs of weariness for an energized and youthful-looking glow underneath the foundation. Skin will love the soothing probiotic blend working overtime to restore moisture and comfort.

6. Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Face Primer

This ultra-lightweight gel formula visibly tames and banishes the look of pores and fine lines, creating a smooth and even canvas. Suitable for most skin types including those with visible imperfections, its silky finish evenly preps skin without pilling or balling under makeup. For congested skin, tea tree and willow bark extracts clear pores while light-scattering opticians minimize skin flaws. Foundation seamlessly glides over for a natural, airbrushed effect that lasts all day. POREfessional is simply a must-have!

7. NYX Professional Makeup Honey Dew Me Up Primer

This hydrating primer offers a twist – it leaves skin looking freshly-lit from within. Enriched formulas of jojoba, glycerin and shea butter intensely moisturize for a smooth, youthful complexion. However, where it differs is its champagne-peach pearl pigments that reflect light to enhance natural radiance. Suitable for all skin tones as its subtle luminosity is equally flattering, from fair to deep. Both priming and illuminating effects prep the perfect canvas for seamless makeup application and a glowing glow.

8. Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer

Offering a universally-flattering silk finish, this lightweight gel primer caters to all complexions while prepping a flawless palette. Its smooth, buildable formula glides effortlessly to minimize the appearance of pores and imperfections. Hydrating ingredients like glycerin nourish without leaving skin feeling stripped. Whether you have normal, oily or dry skin, this iconic primer adheres makeup for a natural, second-skin effect in photo-ready perfection. Its versatile makeup-extending powers have captivated beauty junkies and professionals globally for the perfect secret weapon base.

9. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer

This oil-free, pore-refining primer is a must for oily or combo skin. Within its gel-cream formula are polymers and optical blurring agents that work overtime to mattify problem zones like the T-zone. Makeup melts seamlessly over its skin-smoothing foundation, hugging to skin without settling into pores or fine lines. Expect shiny shine to disappear, pores to vanish in their place and makeup to last without budging or fading. Rihanna’s namesake line is all about inclusivity, and this primer works equally well for all skin tones creating a camera-flawless canvas.

10. MAC Prep + Prime Fix+

As a priming mist, this cult favorite hydrating spray is like liquid gold. It refreshes skin and makeup with antioxidants while prepping the complexion. For dry skin especially, it quenches thirst and smooths to create a plump base. Grape seed extract and orange and rose extracts tone and brighten as it settles, leaving skin glowing, comfortable and touchably soft. It works wonders as an anytime pick-me-up to refresh tired features or to set and extend the wear of makeup. Mist generously all over before and during application for that coveted MAC-signature shuttered radiance. Keep on hand at all times for a spritz of hydrated heaven!

Prime and Shine: Mastering the Art of Primer Application

Applying your primer correctly is key to achieving its skin-perfecting benefits and ensuring your makeup looks flawless all day. An improperly applied primer could actually work against you by causing excess shine, unwanted texture, or causing your foundation to slip off prematurely.

In this section, we’ll cover some important techniques and tips to help you get the most out of your primer during application. From prepping your skin to using your fingertips or a brush, we’ll explore the best methods for integrating your primer seamlessly. You’ll also learn how to address common issues like pilling or patchiness. Following the application steps outlined here will have your primer performing at its peak so you can flawlessly polish off your base with the makeup of your choice.

1. Clean Slate

Be sure to remove all dirt, grime and oil at the end of each day to prevent clogged pores. Opt for a gel or cream cleanser over a drying bar soap. Gentle circular motions help clear pores without stripping skin. For deeper exfoliation 1-2 times a week, look for alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or retinol to smooth texture over time.

2. Layer Hydration

For very dry skin, layer on hydration in stages. Spritz with a thermal water, massage in a hyaluronic serum, then slather on a creamy moisturizer while skin is still damp. This ensures maximum moisture absorption before priming and prevents flaking.

3. Cute Your Canvas

If blemish-prone, spot conceal problem zones 10 minutes before priming so the formula can set without migrating. Smoothing a creamy concealer over pores helps fill them in for a blurred base.

4. Hands On

Skin’s natural warmth allows for pleasant blending by gently pressing primer between fingers and rolling onto skin. Massage along jawline and décolletage to ensure seamless blending.

5. Brush Aside

Densely packed, ultra-soft bristles work primer seamlessly for a professional finish. Look for synthetic brushes with tapered designs for precise application in hard-to-reach spots.

6. Point the Way

For hard-to-reach areas, small lip or eye brushes can precisely groom primer into the inner and outer corners. Q-tips are also handy for tight areas around nostrils.

7. Set The Stage

Letting primer set helps it form an integrating skin barrier and grip for long-wear makeup adherence.

8. Touch Ups

Lightly dabbing prevents disturbing layers if you need to seamlessly re-blend any missed areas. Switch to clean fingers to ensure mess-free touch-ups.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):

Q: Does face primer expire?

A: Yes, most primers have a 12 month shelf life once opened. Check the bottle for an expiry date. Over time, primers can separate, smell bad or foster bacterial growth. Make sure to dispose of old products for safety. As a rule of thumb, limit use to within 6-12 months for best results and protection.

Q: Should I use moisturizer before or after face primer?

A: For most skin types, it’s best to apply moisturizer before primer. This ensures your skin is properly hydrated so the primer can form an effective barrier on top. However, if you have very oily skin, you may want to dampen skin slightly with a mist before using a mattifying primer. Always test different methods to see what works best for your skin

Q: Will primer break me out?

A: Those with acne-prone skin should always check the ingredient list for oils or other comedogenic ingredients that could potential clog pores. Look for oil-free, non-comedogenic primers containing salicylic acid or tea tree oil which actually help control breakouts. And remember to patch test new products on your skin first before undergoing full face application.

Q: Does face primer replace foundation?

A: No – primer and foundation serve different purposes and work best when used together to create an optimal makeup canvas. Primer smoothes and preps skin while foundation provides adjustable coverage. Using both ensures makeup adheres evenly for a seamless, long-lasting finish. Primer alone leaves a lightweight coverage while foundation amplifies coverage as desired.

Q: How long does primer last?

A: On its own, primer forms a lightweight base that typically lasts 5-8 hours before touch-ups depending on your skin type and activity level. However, when worn underneath foundation as intended, the primer helps the foundation last much longer, around 12 hours or more, by preventing oils, sweat and bacteria from breaking down the makeup over time.

Q: Can I use face primer if I’m not wearing foundation?

A: Yes, primer can be worn on its own for a smooth, airbrushed finish. It helps control oil and minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines. Opt for tinted primers if you want subtle coverage as well. Be sure to moisturize first for hydration.