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. 
One reviewer said, “I am happy with this product and it works on my skin at 57.” We feel it’s a great option to wear either on its own for an added glow, or underneath your makeup.

A budget friendly rival to the Laura Mercier primer is the Ultraglide silicone-free face primer from Facetheory. As one reviewer put it: “This primer provides a good base without drying skin or rubbing off when I get hot. It feels moisturising and I like that it's unscented and vegan."

It’s suitable to wear as an everyday cream or as a primer under makeup, and reviews have praised the level of hydration it offers: “"I don't wear foundation a lot during summer, usually just bronzer, and need something as a base for my dry mature skin.” 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 Mineral Infused Face Primer is your best choice, especially if you tend to sweat (hello hot flushes). One reviewer said that as a beginner to makeup, she loves this primer, adding “It’s so easy to apply and my makeup stays on, and I don’t feel like my foundation is running down my face."

It's made from a lightweight clear gel formula rather than a cream, which means makeup glides on effortlessly. For a gel, it’s surprisingly mattifying but it also does a great job of brightening the skin.

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. 

Reviews have praised its hydrating properties and, although it is more expensive than other products on our list, a little goes a long way: “I really liked this primer. I only had to use a small amount before applying foundation and it really helped to smooth it on. I have mature dry skin and was impressed with the results."

The cream creates a good barrier under your foundation, so makeup won’t settle into fine lines, but it’s also suitable to wear alone for a natural glow throughout the day. It contains Hyaluronic Acid plus Glycerin to promote healthy-looking skin.

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. 

I've been using this primer for the past couple of months, and I don't know how I did without it. I can tell the difference if I've missed this step out of my make-up routine, as my foundation applies dry and patchy without it.

As it's creamy in consistency, I'll usually apply with a stippling brush to all areas of my face and allow for it to dry slightly before applying my foundation. The scent took some getting used to, as it's a fairly strong citrus scent, but it's not unpleasant.

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."

I used this colour-correcting Rosalique 3 in 1 Anti-Redness Miracle Formula primer on a relative who has Rosacea before applying her foundation, and it definitely made a difference to the red tone in her skin. However, a little goes a long way with this product, and you definitely don't need a lot on your brush, as it's VERY pigmented. 

She has sensitive skin and had no reaction to this product at all. We loved that this product also contained SPF to protect the skin against the sun's rays. It's important to protect the skin from the sun anyway, but especially 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. 

One customer described it as “The only primer that truly works to keep makeup on for 12 hours,” calling it the best primer ever before adding “Makeup looks just as fresh and vibrant after 12 hours, like it was just applied.” It's also surprisingly affordable and does a fab job of smoothing out 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."

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 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 reviews noted that “a little goes a long way on the skin.” 

It has a subtle and fresh fragrance, and it works really well, as noted in many positive reviews such as this one: “It evened out my skin tone wonderfully and lasted all day. I use it mainly on its own and it gives me that no makeup look. It also makes my foundation look natural when I do use it with makeup.”

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: “I have been using this primer for a while now, and it is a staple in my makeup kit. I’m 66 years old and am constantly getting compliments on how good I look."

This primer contains Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate the skin and rosehip oil to reduce inflammation. Combined, these vegan friendly ingredients produce a lovely subtle glow, suitable for wearing alone or under makeup. You can even vary it according to season, as this reviewer does: “I wear it alone with just a light dusting of powder in the summer and under foundation in the winter.”

The Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer is a great choice for a woman with mature skin, with reviewers noting: “I love this product, it softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Foundation goes on very smoothly."

The blurring and smoothing effects of this primer not only reduce the look of fine lines, but it also helps with long-lasting coverage of your makeup. It’s also suitable for all skin types and tones.