Nita Das
When it comes to achieving a flawless, long-lasting base makeup, primer plays a vital role. A wrong primer can destroy your base completely. So, you need to choose a primer wisely.
Nowadays, the beauty world is flooded with different types of primers such as pore-filling, hydrating, mattifying, blurring, illuminating, and more. This sounds pretty confusing, right? Don’t worry. We have asked Nita Das, a Professional Makeup artist based in the USA to help you choose the right primer according to your skin type or skin concerns.
First things first, let us start with the basics.
Table of Contents
What is a Makeup Primer?
Makeup Primer is applied under the foundation as a base for the makeup to last longer on your face. Another important use of a primer is that it can help the skin look polished and smoother by blurring out smooth fine lines, wrinkles, and filling in the pores.
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6 Kinds of Primer for every Skin Type
1. Pore-filling Primer
Skin Type : Oily in T-zone area
If you are someone who has a lot of large, open pores on your T-Zone then you probably need a pore-filling primer. A pore-filing primer is a silicone-based primer that fills in those pores and
makes your skin texture appear flawless. It gives your foundation a smooth canvas to glide on.
People with oily skin types are prone to have large pores. A pore-filling primer helps with the oil secretion and makes your foundation last longer.
My Picks
Benefit Porefessional , NYX Pore Filler
Pro Tip: Take a pea-size amount and gently pat it wherever you have large pores. Wait for a few minutes before going with your foundation
2. Mattifying Primer
Skin Type : Extremely Oily Skin
If you are someone with extremely oily skin and your natural oil makes your foundation slide off then you are in need of a mattifying primer. A mattifying primer is a water-based or
silicone-based primer that controls the oil secretion of your face and keeps you matte and shine-free all day long. If you have combination skin then apply a mattifying primer just on your T-Zone.
My Picks: Blue Heaven Studio Perfection Primer, Nyx Shine Killer, Loreal Paris Magic Perfecting Base Primer
Pro Tip: Rub an ice cube on a freshly washed face. Apply an oil-free moisturizer and then apply your primer
3. Blurring Primer
Skin Concern : Uneven Skin Tone
If acne scars, dark spots, uneven skin tone, premature wrinkles are your concerns then you need to use a blurring primer or perfecting primer. As the name suggests, they help to blur out all those imperfections and give your foundation an even surface. They make your skin soft and smooth and help with the longevity of your makeup.
My Picks: Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, Nyx Angel Veil Perfecting Primer
Pro Tip: Take a dime-size on a small kabuki brush and buff the primer all over your face and give it some time to do its magic before going on with your foundation.
4. Hydrating Primer
Skin Type : Dry Skin
These types of primers are great for people with extremely dry skin. Of course, skincare is the key to achieving soft and hydrated skin but hey, what if your skin needs that extra boost of hydration? In that case, a hydrating primer comes to the rescue. Hydrating primer comes in various forms, such as
a) lotion
b) primer oil
c) primer serum
They all do the same job and that is hydrating your skin. They give your skin that extra moisture and your makeup looks flawless and smooth. If your foundation tends to cling to those dry patches, start using a hydrating primer right away.
My Picks: Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer, Too Faced Hangover Primer, Wet n Wild Photo Focus Primer Serum
Pro Tip: If you are using a primer oil then use just 3-4 drops otherwise your foundation may slip and slide off
5. Illuminating Primer
Skin Concern : Dull Face
If you are dealing with dullness and there is absolutely no glow on your face then you should start using an illuminating primer underneath your foundation. An illuminating primer contains tiny shimmer particles to give you that radiant youthful complexion. It instantly brings back a healthy, candlelit glow to the face resulting in glowy, dewy skin. Your foundation looks a lot better on top of a dewy primer. However, a liquid illuminator and an illuminating primer are two completely different products.
An illuminator is just a liquid highlighter without the benefits of a
primer, whereas an illuminating primer acts as a primer and gives your skin a subtle glow.
My Picks: Becca Backlight Priming Filter, Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer, Flower Beauty In Your Prime Illuminating Primer, Nyx Born to Glow Illuminating Primer
Pro Tip: Use just a tad bit and spread it evenly before going on with a foundation or you can mix it with your foundation to achieve a more natural look.
6. Gripping Primer
Skin Type : Normal to dry skin
If you have normal to dry skin and you just want your makeup to last long, then this is the type of primer you are looking for. A gripping primer hydrates your skin and creates a sticky film on your skin. It acts as a glue between your skin and your foundation. Your foundation just sticks to it for up to 12 hours. A good gripping primer really helps your makeup stay in place all day long.
My Picks: Milk Makeup Hydrogrip Primer, Cover Fx Gripping Primer, Nyx Honey Dew Me UpPrimer
Pro Tip: After applying your moisturizer, wait for at least 20 minutes before applying your gripping primer; otherwise, your primer may peel off.
P.S: You don’t need to use a color-correcting primer. Use a different color corrector instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1) What goes on first for makeup : Moisturizer or Primer?
Ans) This is the thumb rule of makeup – Always apply moisturizer before primer as it makes the application of primer easy.
Q2) Can I skip primer?
Ans) It is up to you. If you want smooth, polished, and flawless skin, then the primer will be your go-to product. Primers can be really helpful during high humid conditions like the summer and monsoon seasons. Primer helps in making your makeup last longer.
Q3) Can I use primer on its own?
Ans) Yes. Since the main reason behind using a primer is to blur out pores and cover imperfections, fine lines and wrinkles, you can always just apply primer and make your face look smooth and flawless.
For people who feel that foundation heavy, they can opt for a primer only look and achieve a perfect skin!
If you are a beginner at makeup, check out this article to know the top makeup essentials for beginners.
Conclusion
Now just go ahead and find the right one. If a primer doesn’t work for you then probably you haven’t found the right one for yourself. Hope this article helps you to find the best one depending on your own needs. Everybody has different skin concerns so don’t just use whatever primer your friends are using! Try to find the correct one and it’ll completely change your makeup game. Hope this article helps! Happy priming!!
Few things helped me out .. thanks alot
I never knew about using primers with different skin types, I just bought once for me and I have a very dry skin , dissappdisap I was, now I knew the reason , how should I choose the Primer, thanks for sharing such a useful article.
I had never used primer in my life and never knew it’s importance! Will definitely get one soon ☺️
Love love!!! Thanks a bunch dear for this amazing article , I enjoyed reading it and didn’t even knew that there could be so many types of primers… ❤️ Now I only have one doubt that can it be causing the pores to block as my skin is oily and tend to get acne soon.. ??
Choosing the right pimer for the correct skin type is soo important to get flawless beautiful makeup thank you for sharing such great tips for good skin prep hun
Great tips and suggestions. I agree that applying primers does bring a more lively look to the makeup..
Whoa! Spot on article very well detailed, it’s very important to choose the right primer indeed and all the information is very beneficial to beginners in skin care and makeup.
Kudos for the efforts put by the writer
This type of contents i really like as I get the chance to learn more about makeup. Thanks for such good content
Wow. The article is really amazing and so helpful. It is very well explained and so insightful. I just love the article and yes it is important to choose right primer for my skin type. You shared variety of primers as my skin type is dry and sometimes oily. Thank you for sharing.
This is really a good one.. being a nerd I have zero knowledge about makeup and the required products..
I have dry skin so your recommendation for a hydrating primer is gonna help me so much. Great info there
Great info. I use primer but don’t use it on a regular basis. But I will definitely remember these points. I prefer mattyfying Primer for my skin type.
Choosing correct primer for your so n us really very important…thanks for sharing such great tips
Very helpful for me…I have extreme dry skin.. will try it… TnX for this information ☺️☺️
Yes i totally agree with you and nyx primer also my favorite one.. I have oily skin and i always use nyx pore filling primer
Nice article, for makeup and skin care techniques
Very well written ! Nice options also . I like benefit primer and smash box personally . Good article though ❤️
This is really informative blog ☺️ yes I’m Agree that primer is really important step in make-up. I’m using silicon based primer. But most of the time I use aloevera gel instead of primer. You explained every point so well.
Primer makes hell lot of difference in the base makeup. Having known it’s importance and benifits I never skip primer. Thank you for briefing the variety of primers.
This is full of information…glad that u shared it
A right primer is very important for a flawless base. This is such a beautiful article for makeup artists ❤️
I have been using primer since a long long time, but never knew we need to pick them up on the basis of this criteria. This is really helpful and useful. Thanks for introducing these here.
Amazing article really well written, I have a oily skin primer is must for me for flawless base, I use mattifying primer
This is one amazing article and I am sure it will help many who struggle while choosing the right primer.
Oh that’s an amazing blog I have dry skin so I usually apply primer oil or primer serum.
Choosing the right primer before doing makeup is an important and never to be skipped step..it is essential to use primer based on our skin type to make the makeup last longer
Choosing a right promer before makeup is very very important because it helps to get a smooth and flawless base so that foundation can blend on it so smoothly .must have for all the makeup lovers❤️
Choosing a right primer is very very important it helps to get a flawless and smooth base which helps the foundation to blend so nicely one who loves to do makeup should have primer in her vanity very informative post ❤️
Such a useful article for a naive like me who knows nothing about make up!! Love all your articles
This is very informative….primer is the most important product for a good flawless base…
So many types of primers….explained by you so very well that gonna help the learners a lot…!! Will definitely try to use once learn the art of doing makeup..!!
This was a complete guide for primers . Thanks for sharing ❤️
This is a complete guide to primers . Thanks for sharing ❤️
Such a detailed post for all those who are starting up their makeup career or want to do makeup for themselves. Many people skip primer but they forgot on the way that primer helps so much in makeup application to look flawless and stay intact.
Amazing details thankuu for sharing i will definitely going to try this much needed
That is an amazing article. Primers are so underrated and this will help people choose . Amazing
Mattyfying primer it is for me ! I have oily to combination skin! 🙁 Goes dry too so I hardly use any cosmetics though I have them in excess!
Ahhh Never knew about these types of primers. Lovely write up, if read properly, people will get to know about primer according to their skin type.
You explained always do well. I use alovera gel as a primer. And it works good on my skin . And in summers I use matt effect primer of colorescence .
Ahhh Never knew about these types of primers. Lovely write up, if read properly, people will get to know about primer according to their skin type.
Wow this was so helpful,you explained it so well.
Wow point on article. We always ignore the base before applying any make-up on the base also depends on your skin type this is very well explained along with different type of products
Being a makeup artist I always prep the skin so well that the makeup does not spoil their skin and makes it look well hydrated and glowing Nice article
This article is very useful! You explain it very well!
Woahhh thank you, thank you for sharing about these primers, i already know that I will definitely will use one of the primers I read about here! Great article, loved it, read with excitement! I have been using one of the primers from the list, but I would love to try different one now and see the difference
Wow this is so helpful!!!for makeup beginners thank you!!
OMG I don’t do make up so didn’t knew that there are so many variations in just a primer too Very in detailed blog loved it.
This is complete guide about premier ..thankx for sharing
This is awesome. It will help a lot to the person who didn’t knew about the makeup, ☺
This is awesome bub it will really help me out with makeup because I don’t know that make up tips
Thank you Shweta, I really end up buying wrong things regarding make-up everytime…can you please write on choosing a right foundation according to skin tone…Keep it up Mate..
That was indeed very helpful! I know a lot about primers since I am a makeup artist and beauty educator. But this one’s definitely added to my knowledge
Wow this is really informative thnx for this dear. I’m using silicon based primer and it’s really helpful
Nice tips, please keep posting it really helps
Oh wow this is really informative … Thanks for sharing!!
Hey this is very informative. For the beginners this is the thing
I never knew that there are so many different types of primer. I haven’t purchased any yet, but this will help me choose the right one for me. And, this will also help others to shop right. Keep up the good work.
Such and interesting and helpful article this is! Thanks for letting me know these types of a primer and it’s meaning. Loved this article.
Such a very important and informative post / vlog. nicely explained about skin primer. Hope people will get benefit from it.
Thanks for share this type of interesting post.
Waiting for more advise / vlog
Keep it up.
#Deep_Arts
This is such a helpful article. Its so easy to understand about the primers.
These are the best makeup primers collections to boost glow, blur wrinkles, mattify oily skin, soothe sensitivity, and erase pores, depending on our skin type. Great thoughts.
These are the best makeup primer collections to boost glow, blur wrinkles, mattify oily skin, soothe sensitivity, and erase pores, depending on our skin type.
Thnx for sharing this useful information about primers..beneficial for all of us..
This blog was very informative thank you for sharing ❣️
This is so amazing and informative
Wow nice informations!!! Thanks for the tips
Wow this was so helpful,you explained it so well.
Thanks for sharing
Love the detailed explanation. Great suggestions for all different skin types as well It’s gonna be very helpful for new comers in makeup
Nyx is always my preference when it comes to primers. And I like wet n wild and smashbox too as you mentioned.! Very interesting article this was.! Keep sharing more of these❤️✨
I was really confused about this. Thanks for sharing every detail. I needed this badly ❤️
So wisely explained details. M loving the information in this article..!! It is helpful for people of all kind of skin.
Love all of itkeep on sharing