Fact: We all want flawless skin. It’s the reason we spend money on exfoliators, day creams, night creams, and expensive foundations that promise us flawless coverage.
However, curiously, the majority of us are still unsure on whether to give the wonder liquid that is primer a try in our quest for the perfect complexion!
Perhaps this is because it isn’t immediately obvious what exactly it is that primers do, how they are beneficial or how to apply them.
Well to put it simply, a primer’s job is to create the perfect base before you apply your foundation. Just as decorators use a paint primer (the thin white liquid) on a wall before applying the actual paint, face primer is exactly the same concept! It preps the canvas, in this case your skin, and serves as a layer between the skin and your makeup. “Why do I need that layer?” you ask.
Well, we just so happen to have compiled a list of the 7 reasons why you should use a primer – so have a read and learn of its multitude of benefits! You’ll definitely question why you’ve been skipping such an important step in your beauty routine for so long!
#1 Save Time and Money
Firstly, let’s squash the myth that adding the extra step of applying primer in the morning is a waste of time! Aside from its amazing benefits, it also actually allows you to skip numerous steps in your beauty routine!
Yep, most primers are multi-purpose, doubling as a moisturizer and sometimes even as eye cream and sunscreen too! Take a look at Embryollise Lait-Crème Concentre for instance – a much loved multi-purpose primer that acts as a moisturiser and primer in one!
Note that a little primer goes a long way too with only a pea-sized amount necessary per application! What’s more, you will use much less foundation to get the same coverage and effect if you apply a primer beforehand! Winner all round in the time and money stakes it seems!
#2 Longer Lasting Makeup
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Ultimately the primary role of any primer is to make your makeup last longer. It does this by simply giving the foundation something to stick to as well as absorbing oil, so wave goodbye to unsightly streaky or smudged foundation!
A primer with a particularly good reputation for fabulous foundation staying power isBare Minerals Prime Time! It goes on silky smooth and really does make sure your foundation stays put all work day long!
Also, if you’ve ever noticed that your eye shadow doesn’t last very long then apply a fabulous eyelid primer like Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion to avoid ugly eye shadow creases!
Note: It’s important to remember to make sure your primer is compatible with your foundation, so make sure to use a water-based primer with a water-based foundation and the same idea with oil products. Oil and water have never mixed; they aren’t about to perform a miracle and do so on your skin!
#3 Shine Reduction
As I said above, primer absorbs oil so if your skin is particularly greasy then using a primer can prevent those ghastly oil slicks from appearing! You’ll not only feel less self-conscious but you’ll need to do fewer touch ups throughout the day – sounds good to me!
Mac Mattifying Gel has a great reputation as one of few lightweight products that noticeably controls and reduces the amount of oil on your skin, leaving you with a perfect matte finish all day long!
Neutrogena Shine Control Primer is a creamy consistency that promises 8 hours of shine control with or without makeup so try it out at when you’re makeup free at the gym!
#4 Positively POREfect
If you have shiny skin then you may likely have large pores too so why not apply a product which minimizes them? Like, let’s say…a primer perhaps! Yes, amazingly, primer even reduces the look of large pores by smoothing and sealing them to stop your foundation sinking in and creating that awful ‘crater’ effect!
Try Benefit The POREfessional Face Primer, a light weight primer that expertly minimizes large pores, reduces shine and leaves a gorgeous velvety matte finish! Not to mention it won’t clog your pores!
Too Faced Primed and Poreless is another firm favourite. Containing Vitamin A and the miracle anti-ageing ingredient of Retinol, your pores are virtually non-existent after applying it!
#5 Even Skin Tone
Did you know that there are primers out there that are specifically dedicated to colour correction? I’m serious, you can be well on your way to an even skin tone before you’ve even applied any makeup!
So, if you have sallow skin, opt for a purple primer to cancel out sickly yellow tones! If redness is a problem for you, then choose one of numerous green primers available committed to reducing redness! It’s that simple!
NYX Cosmetics Studio Perfect Primer has a lavender tint that works amazingly on sallow skin and it’s relatively inexpensive too!
Dermablend Skin Perfector Redness Reducing Primer is a light green colour and truly second to none when it comes to reducing reddish tones!
#6 The Photoshop Effect
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A good primer fills in all lines and wrinkles and sets to work on dry flaky skin making your skin feel like velvet – it is almost as if you’ve had Photoshop’s Gaussian blur effect applied, but in real life!
For a remarkably smooth finish I definitely recommend Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer! It glides onto the skin blurring all imperfections in its path! It even includes vitamins A and E and grape seed extract to hinder the destruction of collagen! Wrinkles and lines be gone!
I also like Nars Skin Smoothing Face Prep because it has the advantage of being a balm, meaning you can easily apply it to specific areas that need smoothing out – like the deep lines around the eyes and mouth for instance. This is especially good for those of you who don’t want to apply primer everywhere for fear of breakouts.
#7 Brighten Up
A primer can brighten your skin before you’ve even thought about applying a highlighter! Now who doesn’t want that? So if you’re feeling tired or your skin is looking a bit blah then opt for a pink primer like Benefit’s That Gal, which contains light reflecting pigments to brighten all skin tones!
Dior Skinflash Primer is also fantastic at brightening the dullest of skin but my personal favourite has to be Lancôme Éclat Miracle, or the ‘serum of light’! Not only does it light up the face but it also has a hint of shimmer so it can be used to highlight specific areas too! I personally mix it with my foundation to give a subtle overall glow!