I recently asked this question about your favourite face primers on Twitter and Facebook and I received quite a good number of suggestions and recommendations. I thought it would be fun to have a proper post where you could share with us your favourite face primers and why you like it 🙂
I haven’t found a favourite myself, because I’m actually quite new to using face primers on a regular basis. I never used to back in the day when I had oilier skin because I just wasn’t as educated as I am now 😛 I also used to use powder foundations more often because they stayed on my skin better than liquid.
These days, I’m using liquid foundation quite often and I recently started dabbling in face primers, and the results have surprised me… in a good way 🙂
When I use a face primer, I find that in general, my foundation has a better base to hold on to and stick to, so you actually end up with a smoother finish. Some primers have better oil and shine control than others, and so, I found that by the end of the day, my makeup would look as fresh as when I first put it on in the morning.
The other up side, is blush stays on longer too and if you have a pore problem, you may find that using a face primer results in a much smoother, pore-free visage.
I haven’t tried many primers and the one I’ve used the most is the Smashbox Photo Finish primer which I have been quite impressed with overall. Pair it with the Smashbox Photo Set Finishing powder and you get makeup that truly lasts all day if you need it. I’m also dabbling in a couple of other brands to see how they fare.
I will however caution that if you do use a primer, to ensure that you take off your makeup properly at the end of the day, to prevent pore clogging. Also, if you are sensitive to silicone, the number of primers available to you becomes markedly less because the core ingredient in most face primers is silicone.
Your Say: Do you use face primers regularly and if you do, do you have a favourite? Why do you like it?
Paris B
I do! I love primers, in fact but for a totally different reason than for foundation to adhere to. I have 2 primers I use interchangeably – Paul and Joe moisturising and Shu Uemura (the squeezy tube, not the foam one for hydration). Both of them are slightly tinted and provides me with the minimal coverage I need on days I can’t be bothered with foundation. I squeeze a tiny dollop and apply that as I’d apply moisturiser. A slight dusting with loose powder/Meteorites and I’m good to go.
Paul and Joe! I remember that now, and RMK base. 2 primers I’ve always wanted to try but never did. I don’t usually wear primers on their own though because its transparent so I don’t quite see the point 😛
No, I don’t use them regularly as I find they don’t really do much for me, and since most of them have silicones they bother my skin. I’d rather use sunscreen as my primer. But I do like the ones that give a glow lately! I just got the Burberry one and it is AWESOME.
Oh man Tracy! You got me wanting to check out the Burberry primer now! I usually just apply makeup on top of sunscreen on most days unless I know I will be having a long day and need to have a good face at the end of it. I never thought of sunscreen as a primer before 🙂
I use them with or without foundation. Laura Mercier, Benefit, MUFE, Smashbox Photo Finish…however i keep going back to the laura mercier for some reason, its not the picture perfect kind, but its just natural looking & feels good on the skin…On my 3rd tube now..
Ah I remember the raves for the Laura Mercier primer now! Thanks for reminding me 🙂
I cannot imagine what life was like BP…….Before Primer!! I have tried a variety of them from the blah (and oily) Napoleon Perdis Auto-Pilot Primer to Smashbox Photo Finish and the one that now forms part of my morning regime is the HD primer from Make Up Forever. It gives the face a smooth, even finish and make up lasts and looks fresh until you wash it off! I use this with an HD MUFE foundation for functions – photo’s come out flawless and there is no white cast on the face.
LOL! I will have to check out that MUFE HD primer – sounds like amazing stuff! I also tend to reserve my primers for days when I know I have to take photos or look better than normal. I never quite noticed what a difference it made till now, but better late than never I guess 🙂
I can’t imagine how my life (and mah face!) was 4 years back before I discovered primers. I have supremely oily skin, so primers are pretty much a manna from heaven. My go to primers are MAC Prep+Prime SPF50 and Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer. MAC Prep+Prime works wonders for my skin during the day. It controls my oils amazingly, it makes my foundation stick on my face and as an added bonus, it also has SPF! Kaa-ching! Jackpot baby! 🙂 But I do prefer using LM’s Oil Free at night as my friends have a tendency to whip out their camera’s at any given second and I don’t want to be that girl with the ghost face in pictures.
I think you have a point there! Primers do perform better for those who have oily skin because of the oil control element and helps keep makeup from sliding around. For those with drier skin, I think the newer primers are better because they are less drying on the skin. A couple of you have mentioned the LM primer so I might have to check it out some time. I knew there were some famous ones floating about 🙂
For me, I’ve been using MUFE HD primer every day. About to finish the whole bottle. I have Shu Uemura UV Mousse Base too. It controls oil very well. Becca resurfacing primer smooths out pores and fine lines but I’m still on a testing phase. I suspect it gives me little bumps – can’t be sure yet. Next on my list will be the Smashbox Photo Finish primer you mentioned here. Everyone I know seems to love it!
The Smashbox Photo Finish primer is very siliconey but it is quite good based on my limited experience. Would be a bummer if the Becca primer gives your skin bumps – it sounds like good stuff!
i don’t use face primers as most of them either contain silicone or too drying for me =/
Aww didn’t know you were allergic to silicone too?
I don’t used primers – I’m curious but I don’t usually have time for the extra step, so I haven’t played with them much.
I was taught a tip once by the people at Clarins, where you can actually mix your primer and liquid foundation so you cut down your steps from 2 to 1 🙂 I tried it once or twice and it does work quite well too.
I’m really oily, so I usually use MUFE’s All Mat, which is (obviously lol) a mattifying primer. I get samples of other ones all the time and try a lot of them, but they normally leave me feeling a little greasy. I have Benefit’s and used it once, but kept forgetting to try it during a long day.
Sounds like that MUFE All Matt is a good one for the oily skinned gals! Thanks for sharing 😀
Hmmm, I don’t use primers now on a daily basis because I find that they clog my skin. I’ve used Laura Mercier, Lancome Pro Base, Sephora and UD, and I find that Lancome’s is the best for me in terms of oil control and having a perfect base to start from. If you have Lancome Pro Base, try it with the Bourjois Healthy Mix – somehow it becomes more radiant, smoother and dare I say, a shade more coverage? Long story short, I only use primers during special occasions and not on a daily basis. It doesn’t agree with me 😉
I think those who have very sensitive skin will have a problem with clogged pores. Its all that silicone. Which is why when I do use primers or even when I don’t, I tend to be more careful taking off my makeup and that’s where I’ve also found that the specific cleansing oils I use do make a difference, as well as exfoliators 🙂 I haven’t tried that Lancome base yet but it sounds like good stuff!
i wasnt a primer person before, like you i wasnt as educated re: make ups before. i have a few in my collection, they r trial-&-error kinda thing.
i have the smashbox shine control primer, napoleon perdis oil control primer, loreal studio perfect mattifying primer, rimmel primer, mac primer.
i’ve thrown away napoleon perdis one due to its not up to wat it says it should be doing—causing more oil on my face. wat a waste!
among all i love both my loreal & rimmel primer… so much for drug store brands =) thot the more expensive it is, the better it would be, but i was sort of wrong. guess it all depends on the type of skin.
i still use my smashbox & mac when i need more moisture during winter, but for total oil control & staying power i love both loreal & rimmel ones.
have u tried them?
Is the L’Oreal the Base Magique one? I have a sample of that and will be trying it out soon but I haven’t tried the Rimmel one. Its great to know that the drugstore ones work though. I always love it when they do because we save our money for something else! 😀
Heyya Paris.
The RimmeL one is the Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer in opaque 30ml tube w dark purple black cap. The primer itself looks like a foundation that I initially got confused the first tine I used it.. Like.. Have I bought a foundation instead of a primer. But it is a base instead of a primer but u can use it alone.
The Loreal one is the Studio Secrets Professional Anti-Shine amattifying Primer in clear skinny bottle w clear gel in it, w black pump & clear cap. Love this one. Gel is slightly lighter than the Smashbox one but less slippery.
Oopppsss. Wat i meant to say was rimmel one is a base instead of a foundation. Was typing this way past my bedtime :p
Ive used Lancome’s La Base… fully loaded with silicones..so I ditched dat to Hada Labo lotion..cheaper and much nicer.. =)))
Oh wow! The Hada Labo Lotion acts as a primer for you? That’s awesome 😀
My go to primer Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer and LM Radiance (mixed). Need the hydrating properties of the hydrating primer as using the radiance primer on its own is too drying.
Another LM vote! Thanks for sharing Iza!
I was using Sephora’s house brand primer before I moved to UD’s pore perfecting one. Both controlled oil quite well, but on the pore controlling side… Not so much.
Hmm quite a pity considering they were meant for pore controlling? But I suppose oil control is better than nothing 🙂
I don’t use face primers regularly as I feel as if I’m putting on too many layers on my face as it is! It might be a new thing as I’m feeling pretty sick of slapping on liquid foundation these days.
My favorite is the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch as it visibly smooths out the tiny lines. It does it in a couple of seconds and is pretty much like magic. Unfortunately it’s a tad expensive for a little pot and the price seems to keep going up. Drugstore brand I’ve got decent results with the Loreal base – though it’s not as magical 🙂
Ooh I remember that Clarins one 🙂 I got a sample pot in one of the travel kits that I bought but I didn’t quite like it because it felt like paste 😛 I was recommended to mix it into liquid foundation to cut down one step which was quite clever, I thought. I have heard a lot of good things about the L’Oreal base too – should give it a try soon and see how it fares 🙂
I’m loving the Laura mercier foundation primer, not that I’ve tried a lot of primer out on the market. But LM primer does prep the skin well for the tinted moisturizer and with mild sweating, the makeup Stays!
Another vote for the Laura Mercier primer! It must be good stuff 😀
I don’t use things that explicitly call themselves primers, because I totally broke out 6 years ago, from a Make Up Store primer.
The thing looks transparent and so harmless, but it was toxic. I had to go for facial after that to help treat my face back to normal. =(
I do however use some stuff to buffer my skin from environmental dust and from the makeup. I am using BB Creams and Sunscreens to replace primers… also a lot of silicones. but much better, because I’ve never broken out from BB Creams. (allergic to chemical sunscreens too).
Ouch! Sounds like you could be allergic to the silicones? These things are chockfull with silicones and have been known to break people out. I think the BB Cream pacts or bases in Japanese and Asian makeup acts the same way as what the Western brands call “primers”. The main difference is that I’ve noticed that in Japanese makeup, mostly, the makeup base is also the sunscreen!
I am regular face primer user due to combination skin. I found that my makeup would stay longer and not that oily after a long day if I use a good primer. My HG primer is YSL Matte primer which is really smooth and satin feeling. I have also tried shu uemura mousse foam, Sephora house brand primer, Inglot silicone primer, l’oreal base magique, RMK base, Paul & Joe liquid base, and I have just tried a new one yesterday: tenseconds from Korea. I can’t wait to try Jill Stuart base sample with my recent purchase. Hahaha, I guess I am a primer addict yeah 😛
Wow! Thanks for sharing your primer faves 😀 I find that Japanese bases are more liquid and more comfortable on the skin than many western brand primers but I haven’t tried many yet 🙂
sorry to interrupt, like your comment! 😛
*Whistles* Another item to put on the face! The SAs at Shu Uemura always try to encourage me to get a primer whenever I get my liquid foundation from them. Maybe I will try this time. A bit bothered by the pores at the sides of my nose ^^
The Shu Uemura mousse thing is actually quite good but I found it too drying for my skin. There are many girls who love it though and I know a guy who told me in the Shu store that he uses the mousse primer thing too! go fig!
I’m currently using the Majolica Marjorica Skin Lingerie Makeup base which i find does help my makeup last a bit longer particularly around the nose and cheeks… It’s actually my first primer so I have nothing to compare with but it’s doing it’s job well… Am looking for japanese primers after finishing this one- any suggestions?
I’m new to primers myself Leesa so I guess I’m not much help with primer recs 🙂 But some of the other girls may have ideas if you’d like to check some of the comments 🙂 I have heard that the Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie primer is a good one. I haven’t tried it though.