If you’ve never tried them, make-up primers work rather like the undercoat beneath your paintwork at home. It preps and smooths the surface, unifying colour, and helping your final paintwork (or make-up) look better and last longer. And they really do make a difference.
If sallowness, blotchiness, oiliness, open pores, flakiness, etc., make your usual foundation, eyeshadow or lipstick, look anything less than impeccable, primer will make them appear smoother, brighter and fresher – and help prevent it from melting by lunchtime.
There are two main types: those that specialize in smoothing out skin texture and condition, and those that even out its colour.
Texture smoothers
For shine-prone skin: go for a mattifying primer which contains tiny oil-blotting powders, as well as particles that blur and diminish pores, roughness and lines. Try Christian Dior Pore Minimizer, £28.50, which also refines skin texture with filler spheres and can even be patted over make-up to refresh it during the day.
For dry skin: you need moisturising primers. These only add moisture, but seal in and prevent further waterloss with a silicone-like coating. Make Up For Ever Nourishing Primer, £24 (from debenhams.com from May 19) is rich enough to even work as a mini-mask when necessary. Kasha Zielinska, MUA and trainer for the brand, recommends applying it extra-generously, then waiting five minutes before continuing with your make-up, for a particular boost before special occasions.
Colour correctors
For dullness: choose lavender or pink-tinted primers which magically neutralise sallowness. Paul & Joe Beaute’s Moisturising Foundation Primer L, £24, contains lavender pearls which add a radiant glow, while its special hydrating and firming agents keep skin supple.
For redness: use a green-hued primer (and no, you won’t look like a Martian!) Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer SPF20, £38.40, not only features a very sheer balancing green tint, but it also calms sensitivity and irritation, making it particularly ideal for rosacea and flush-prone skin.
For hyperpigmentation: look for a peach undercoat, such as Clinique’s oil-free Superprimer Colour Corrects Discolorations, £20, which helps counteract dark spots and acne marks, while smoothing the skin surface with lightweight silicone polymers.
Special formulas
For eyes: try The Body Shop All-In-One Instablur Tinted Concealer+ Primer Colour Intensifier, £11. It has a yellow tint that conceals undereye circles, primes blotchy lids and intensifies eye-shadow colour, whilst simultaneously smoothing crepiness and helping eye-shadow resist creasing.
For lashes: check out Estee Lauder’s new Little Black Primer, £17.50. The mascara-style wand cleverly adds volume, a hint of black tint, and helps to set the curl, as well as the colour and lifespan of whatever mascara you add on top.
For lips: apply Elizabeth Arden Advanced Lip-Fix Cream, £18, . It was one of the first undercoats that helped reduce the look of ‘drawstring’ lines, inhibit lipstick bleeding and extend the life of your lipstick, and it still does an excellent job.
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