Is a skin primer a beauty need or a beauty want? Editor Trudi Brewer asks the question and shares what has become a hyper-specific step in any beauty routine. Read on to learn more.
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Following celebrity makeup artists is a brilliant education in finessing your makeup routine, especially if you want a flawless base for makeup. Some believe that success lies in skincare; others will tell you that a foundation formula tailored to your skin’s needs is all you need. But some artists swear by prepping the skin with a primer. They tout how it can blur pores, smooth fine lines, and grip foundation. But do they make enough of a difference to warrant adding another product to a beauty routine? "Primers are not a complete necessity," says celebrity NYC-based makeup artist Ehlie Luna. “Especially if you have certain things you want to address, like texture, longevity, or finish, they can be worthwhile. A high-quality primer for the right candidate can create a smoother canvas on acne-prone individuals, neutralise a red complexion, and even mattify oily skin.” By definition, primers are designed to prime your skin for makeup application. “The ultimate goal of all makeup primers is to prolong the longevity of your makeup look,” says Miami-based makeup artist Natalie Dresher. “I love to describe it as a double-sided tape for your skincare and makeup,” adds New Jersey-based celebrity makeup artist Nydia Figueroa. Who adds: “It locks in the skincare and then creates a barrier so that makeup does not settle into large pores and texture on the skin.”
So, if your goal is pore refining, temporary line smoothing, colour-correcting, hydrating or mattifying the skin, welcome to the world of priming.
The primers we rate
CHARLOTTE TILBURY WONDERGLOW, from $35.
Glow-Giving
British makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury thought of every woman when she created this glow-giver. You can use it as a primer under your foundation or mix it with your makeup to create a sheer luminous coverage. It also contains serious skincare ingredients, including a bio-nymph peptide, rosehip, and camellia oils to nourish and plump skin. Wild pansy extracts smooth those fine lines, and hyaluronic acid keeps your skin hydrated for hours. I panic when this primer is out of stock (which happens regularly) because it’s so much more than a complexion-perfector.
Instantly hydrating
While this is a firm favourite with the Gen Z cohort on TikTok, it works wonders for mature skin types, too. It’s so hydrating, thanks to blue agave extract, hyaluronic acid, aloe water, hemp-derived cannabis seed extract, and niacinamide, which protects the skin barrier. Its claim to fame: It helps makeup stay in place for up to 12 hours - after all, that’s the goal.
SPF Laden
While skin priming was not the reason this beauty was created, it does that and more. It’s a mineral SPF 50+, with the hydrating benefits of collagen and vitamin C, while the hint of a tint blends effortlessly to give your skin an instant flawless glow. This is my daily go-to for spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Skin brightening
Invisible in its finish, it's an ultra-lightweight, skin-quenching primer that helps minimise the look of open pores and fine lines. That is all thanks to the fruit extracts of apple and grapefruit, algae, green tea, and Royal Jelly, which help hydrate and firm the skin. Its brightening benefits mean you need less foundation to cover imperfections. If you want a clean beauty buy, this primer ticks every box.
Line Smoothing
This putty-like product is a skin primer but acts more like a skin filler. It has a mousse-like consistency, is as lightweight as a balm, is colourless, and stays in place for hours. It is made to fill out and smooth fine lines, blur acne scars, and look like open pores. The secret to a seamless application is to tap and press it into the areas you want to blur over the top of your makeup. To start, press it into the skin imperfections or create a smooth base for foundation. Then, blur deeper lines; it’s especially great around the lips (to prevent lipstick bleeding); tap it over the top of your foundation.
Diminish Redness
Stacked with plant extracts to calm and reduce the look of redness without leaving a green cast on the skin. These include two types of algae: chlorella vulgaris extract and laminaria digitata extract, as well as saffron flower polyphenols. Clarins says the secret to this primer’s popularity is that it leaves a filter effect on the skin, meaning you need less foundation to mask redness. It also provides 24-hour hydration and protection from those free radicals, protecting your skin from environmental damage regardless of the season.
A designer scent laced with vanilla.