Face primer: how to use it, what it does, and the best ones to buy

Laura Mercier products consistently garner outstanding reviews, and it’s easy to see why with the Pure Canvas primer. It’s fairly pricey, but we feel the price tag is justified due to the quality of the product. 
As we age, we need skincare products and makeup that will hydrate the skin and not dry it out. The Pure Canvas primer offers long-term moisture, and we love that it’s both silicone-free and contains naturally derived ingredients to help skin appear more radiant. 

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "As a primer, this does so much more than prep the skin for make-up. It is a dual skincare product that leaves skin beautifully moisturised. I suffer from dry skin, made worse by the menopause, and an application of this is so enjoyable to put on as it instantly has a calming effect, due to its blend of rose extracts that work to moisturize, protect and smooth skin. It is super lightweight and the silky texture glides over the skin. Make-up sat beautifully on top and didn’t budge."

A budget-friendly rival to the Laura Mercier primer is the silicone-free face primer from Facetheory.
It’s suitable to wear as an everyday cream or as a primer under makeup, and reviews have praised the level of hydration it offer.

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "This primer specifically targets dehydrated skin, making it ideal for older women as our face is less able to retain moisture due to a drop in hyaluronic acid and collagen. You only need to apply a tiny amount of this product as it sinks in to the skin nicely. Being silicone-free it means it is free from harsh chemicals, which is a bonus for our skin. It does have a tiny shine to it which enhanced my foundation and made it look dewier which is nice for summer. A very light-weight product and nice coverage, with make-up gliding on top smoothly."
Although it does leave skin with a little more shine than we'd like, we think this primer offers superb quality at an affordable price point.

For an affordable primer that performs well under foundation, the e.l.f Liquid Poreless Putty Primer is your best choice, especially if you tend to sweat (hello hot flushes). It's lightweight and grips to make-up well.

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says:
"I absolutely love this primer. It does come in a putty but the liquid version is so much better. The texture of it is silky and creates a smooth veil on the skin that smooths out puffy areas, leaving a nice base on which to apply make-up too. If you have dry skin, this is the best primer to use as its key ingredient is squalene which offers skin-smoothing and softening benefits. It absorbs quickly into the skin and make-up grips so well, I find I don’t need to reapply it during the day."

Dry skin seems to be increasingly more of a problem as we age, when skin loses its natural moisture and elasticity. The classic beauty brand, Estée Lauder, offers the perfect solution with its Futurist Aqua Brilliance Primer. 

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "I don’t tend to like gel-cream products but this primer ticks all the right boxes for my menopausal skin which occasionally looks lacklustre. With its vast range of skin-boosting ingredients, including Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin – which work together to enhance hydration and boost skin elasticity – it feels like I am giving my face some TLC. On days when I don’t wear make-up, the primer alone gives skin a lovely glow and leaves it so hydrated, working as a dual-acting moisturiser/primer."

This little gem isn't just your average primer – it's like a burst of freshness for your face, and we love it. We felt it was most suited to combination skin – while it does a good job at hydrating the skin it also helped avoid breakouts from wearing makeup. Thanks to menopause, many of us will still suffer with spots or oily patches, along with some dryness as our hormone levels fluctuate. 

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "A moisturiser and primer in one, this has a very creamy texture that comes out white but is invisible once smoothed over the face. If you don’t want to have a make-up free day this is nice on its own as it gives a glow to the face. With a blend of Vitamins B, C, and E helping to replenish and condition skin with essential nourishment, this is great for mature skin as it helps plump it. Although it is one of the most expensive primers featured in this guide, its dual purpose as a moisturiser and primer makes it good value for money."

This clever primer includes clinically proven ingredients such α-Bisabolol, Zeolite, Provitamin B5, Urea, and Shea Butter to help reduce redness. This can be especially good for those who suffer with skin conditions such as Rosacea or ache.

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "The best thing for me about this primer is that it contains an SPF 50. I love multi-tasking products as it saves time and does not require an extra layer put on the skin. The anti-redness formula really does help with uneven skin tone. I have patches of pigmentation on my skin and this helped cover them up, plus in the recent hot weather we have had I found it stopped my face from going red in the heat. Also, I have a couple of red capillaries and noticed the primer covered them. You only need to apply a tiny bit and its lightweight formula means you don’t feel as though you have anything on the skin. It's also particularly good for those with uneven skin tones, like Rosacea, or pigmentation in the case of age spots and moles."

An issue we often find with primers is that they just don’t seem to last, but the Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer is designed for long wear to boost your foundation’s staying power. 

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "Although it feels a tiny bit tacky when first applied on the skin, that goes after it has settled in. And, as it says on the box, it is the ideal primer for all-night wear. I tested its “eight-hour” guarantee when I went to a summer wedding dinner party and my make-up did not budge. I don’t have large pores on my face but it worked in covering a small cluster of ones on my chin, helping smooth out the area. The formula feels very light-wear and soothing on the skin and glides on easily. It actually made my make-up have a matte effect. For women who suffer from dry patches, one of the key ingredients in this primer is glycerin which really helps sooth skin."

The Touche Éclat line from Yves Saint Laurent is a much-loved by many beauty fans. The YSL Touche Éclat Blur Primer has a lightweight gel consistency, and reviewers have noted that a little goes a long way on the skin. 

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "This is a gel so only a little is needed as it spreads generously over the face. It is an illuminating primer which gives you more of a radiant glow with the clever use of subtle luminescent particles. This really helped in adding some warmth to my skin and it sinks in nicely, creating a smooth base for make-up. My skin actually felt like velvet. I think all types of skin can benefit from this primer as it is enriched with nourishing oils—corn oil, apricot kernel oil, passiflora oil, and rice bran oil—to leave skin feeling incredibly soft without a greasy residue."

If creating a glow under your foundation is your main concern, the Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer works to provide a dewy finish for younger-looking skin, as reviewers have noted.

 
Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "My skin has quite a lot of pigmentation and this primer works magically in covering it up and adds a lovely glow to my face. With hyaluronic acid to hydrate and rosehip oil to reduce inflammation, it works like a dream in giving the skincare properties that I need to help sooth my skin. The glow of the primer warms the skin and continues to shine through once I put foundation on top. The result is a fresh dewy look. If you want a deeper glow you can also add this on top of your foundation and it works like a bronzer."

The Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer is a great choice for a woman with mature skin.

Our reviewer beauty writer Suzanne Baum, aged 51, says: "This comes out as a clear liquid and you only need to use one pump as it covers the face easily. It instantly gives skin moisture and when I touched my cheeks they felt baby soft. I tested it over a few days to see if it does what it states in controlling oil and shine for up to 16 hours and it did. My foundation settled on top so smoothly and it felt light-weight and comfortable on my skin. Due to its anti-oil properties, my make-up had a lovely matte effect which didn’t budge all day."
The blurring and smoothing effects of this primer also reduce the look of fine lines. It’s also suitable for all skin types and tones.

This oil-free primer is said to brighten and hydrate your skin while also creating a mattifying effect. One of Benefit's best selling products, it's good for minising both pores and fine lines, all while feeling super lightweight on your skin.

Our reviewer Yours.co.uk Editor Claire Tapley, says: "In all honesty, the Benefit The POREfessional Primer is not one I use often. But if I feel my pores are particularly noticeable that day, I'll use some of this around my nose and cheeks along with the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base on the rest of my face. Although it comes out of the tube tinted, it applies translucent. It's very lightweight in consistency and glides over your skin. It creates a blurred and mattifying effect which does make the pores less noticeable. I imagine this would be a good primer to use with fine lines as it almost fills the space in the skin."

The high-end Hourglass Veil Primer has a price tag to match, but reviews have said that a little goes a very long way (we would hope so, too!). It’s free from parabens and goes on silky smooth to offer a subtle glow. 

If you’re already a fan of Hourglass products, this is one for you to add to the collection, as this review highlights: “This primer is another classic I'll be using from now on. It gives foundation a great base, covers pores and adds a nice glow to my make up which lasts all day. Highly recommend, a little goes a long way too."

For those with sensitive skin, the Clinique Even Better™ Light Reflecting Primer is a great choice, as it’s more gentle on the skin than other brands. It has an illuminating, lightweight formula, which is really noticeable when applied. In fact, as one reviewer pointed out, this makes it perfect for creating a really dewy, natural look across the face, neck, and shoulders: 

“I use it under my makeup where I would usually apply my highlighter, and it makes my skin so glowy all day, without looking sparkly. I've also been dabbing it on my cheekbones over the top of my makeup for a more natural highlight, as well as my collar bones and shoulders."