Whether you’ve got oily skin to mattify or makeup you want to make long-lasting, discover below which face primer is right for your skin type.
A good primer is akin to great underwear worn beneath a silk slip. It’ll smooth and flatter, keeping everything where it should be, and make anything worn on top look even better than it would alone. Primers really come into their own in hot weather, when makeup can vanish with the heat, and added SPF works more comfortably than sunscreen alone.
It used to be that they relied heavily on silicone — usually listed as dimethicone. This offers a blurred, Facetune effect that’s hard to beat, but it can cause makeup to ball up or pill. Newly released options offer a wider range of solutions, from glow-boosting hydration to clever pigments that correct colour imbalances such as excessive redness.
Discover the best-in-class makeup primers when it comes to addressing your skin concerns below:
When you need your primer to be:
HYDRATING
Too Faced Hangover Primer, $23.
The holy grail for dry, crepey skin, this one is silicone free and infused with coconut water, which feels instantly soothing and absorbs quickly, meaning you can apply your makeup without taking a pause.
Ideal for: Dry skin.
When you need your primer to:
COLOUR CORRECT
Maybelline Master Prime Anti-Redness Primer, $15.
Green-toned primer is designed to counteract redness in your skin, but unlike some products which can leave you looking like Kermit, this has a very subtle tint that disappears almost instantly for a smooth, prepped canvas.
Ideal for: Red, easily irritated skin.
When you need your primer to be:
MATTIFYING
Huda Beauty Mattifying Primer, $56.
US makeup artist Huda Kattan’s hunt for the ideal makeup base inspired her to make her own unique blend that works brilliantly, particularly for oily skin types. It can also be used as a spot touch-up, which we like for a 3pm shiny nose or chin.
Ideal for: Oily or shiny skin.
When you need your primer to be:
ILLUMINATING
Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Radiance SPF 35, $62.
Pricey, but if you’re not a fan of reflective strobing and just want a beautiful ‘lit from within’ glow this is the one for you. It’s an amazing makeup base to add radiance to matte foundations and it has a decent whack of SPF in it too.
Ideal for: Dull skin.
When you need your primer to have:
SPF PROTECTION
Coola Daydream Mineral Primer SPF 30, $65.
This smooth, reliable, shine-balancing base for makeup was a happy discovery on the search for a clean, vegan, zinc-based SPF. It’s also great for sensitive skin.
Ideal for: Added UV protection.
