20 Best Makeup Primers 2022 – WWD

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Nothing is worse than going all out on a make-up look — a crimson lip, daring smokey eye, graphic liner, and many others. — after which having it soften away after an hour or two. All that tough work was wasted as a result of your make-up simply couldn’t maintain onto your pores and skin. 
There are a few issues you are able to do to increase your make-up, resembling utilizing water- and sweat-proof merchandise or utilizing a superb setting powder or spray. But each make-up professional’s secret weapon to long-lasting make-up includes a product you placed on even earlier than your make-up touches your pores and skin. Say howdy to make-up primers. 
What Does Makeup Primer Do?
We’ve all heard quite a bit about these magical merchandise, however what does a make-up primer truly imply? Basically, a make-up primer units the stage on your make-up by taking good care of your pores and skin. “A make-up primer is usually a skincare-infused base product that creates a clean canvas on the pores and skin earlier than making use of make-up,” celeb make-up artist and key make-up artist on the New York City Ballet Neil Scibelli tells WWD. 

Another essential factor make-up primers do is assist your make-up keep in place. When the pores and skin is correctly set, make-up gained’t run or fade as quick. “Primers primarily act as a barrier between your pores and skin and your make-up, serving to with varied pores and skin considerations whereas making a veil for the product to be utilized, extending the general put on and look of your make-up,” celeb make-up artist Kirin Bhatty tells WWD. 
Is Primer Necessary?
Both Scibelli and Bhatty say {that a} make-up primer is important for holding your make-up in place for hours. “While it is probably not for everybody, I do assume make-up primer is a staple in case you’re on the lookout for a longer-lasting make-up end,” says Scibelli. “Depending on the kind of primer you go for and your pores and skin kind, make-up can separate sooner or have oil buildup faster with out utilizing a primer.”
Bhatty provides that she “all the time makes use of primers” as a result of they “give me peace of thoughts figuring out that my shopper will go from carpet to after-party and nonetheless have their make-up in place.” 
Top Makeup Primers of 2022
The Different Types of Makeup Primer
One of the advantages of a primer is that there’s one to suit your particular pores and skin wants. Scibelli breaks down the various kinds of primers as follows:

Mattifying Primer: Creates a barrier over pores to scale back oil and mattify pores and skin. Best for shiny pores and skin. 
Hydrating Primer: Contains humectants and acts as each a moisturizer and primer. Best for dry pores and skin. 
Anti-Redness Primer: Utilizes a inexperienced tint to color-correct redness. Best for delicate or oily pores and skin. 
Luminizing Primer: Gives pores and skin a dewy glow. Suitable for all pores and skin varieties. 
SPF Primer: Includes SPF safety in opposition to the solar’s dangerous UV rays. Suitable for all pores and skin varieties. 
Eyeshadow Primer: Prevents oil and creasing on the eyelids. Typically denser and silicone-based versus face make-up primers. 
Lash Primer: Coats, primes, and protects lashes earlier than making use of your mascara. Can additionally embody lash strengthening and nourishing components, like keratin, vitamin B and biotin. 
So whether or not you may have delicate pores and skin or if you’re acne-prone, there’s a make-up primer for you. To provide help to even additional in your make-up primer journey, Scibelli and Bhatty share their favourite make-up primers beneath (and we decide a few of ours too). Read on to search out the very best make-up primer for you. 
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Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer
Best Makeup Primer for Oily Skin
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, vitamin E, aloe, ginseng and gingko extract
Benefits: Treats and prevents zits, matte end and minimizes pores
Price: $34
Scibelli says the Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer is improbable for shiny and acne-prone pores and skin. It accommodates famed acne-fighting ingredient salicylic acid to manage extra oil manufacturing and to deal with any current blemishes. You’ll additionally discover vitamin E, aloe, ginseng and gingko extract to calm redness and irritation. As an added bonus, it’s additionally oil- and silicone-free, so your pores gained’t get clogged with product.

Jouer Anti-Blemish Matte Primer

$51

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It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Makeup Primer+
Best Makeup Primer for Oily Skin
Key Ingredients: Glycerin and bark and ginger root extract
Benefits: Hydrates, smooths and improves general texture
Price: $39.50
The IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Makeup Primer+ accommodates an all-day grip expertise to ensure your make-up stays on for twenty-four hours. It additionally accommodates components like glycerin to maintain pores and skin moisturized, plus bark and ginger root extract to clean and blur the looks of pores. It’s additionally oil-free, that means it gained’t clog pores and trigger breakouts, which is all the time an added bonus. All you want is a skinny layer over pores and skin and then you definately’re good to go to lock in your make-up. 

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Makeup Primer+

$39.50

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Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer 
Best Makeup Primer for Acne-Prone Skin
Key Ingredients: Anti-pollution pure actives, silk powder, anti-aging vitamins
Benefits: Velvet clean end, protecting barrier, reduces oil
Price: $52
Beloved by make-up artists and wonder lovers in every single place, the Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer is a game-changer for acne-riddled complexions. Its silky balm creates top-of-the-line boundaries between make-up and pores and skin — you’re mainly stopping make-up from clogging pores and inflicting undesirable breakouts. Added advantages embody a matte end and pure actives that work to guard pores and skin from air pollution. 

Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer

$52

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NakedMinerals Blemish Rescue Anti-Redness Mattifying Primer
Best Makeup Primer for Acne-Prone Skin
Key Ingredients: Chamomile
Benefits: Mattifies pores and skin, soothes irritation, hydrates
Price: $26
The NakedMinerals Blemish Rescue Anti-Redness Mattifying Primer does all of it once you’re vulnerable to zits. It mattifies pores and skin to manage extra oil manufacturing so your pores keep clear. Thanks to star ingredient chamomile, it might probably additionally soothe and calm harsh breakouts. It is available in a inexperienced tint to neutralize any redness and also you’ll discover an improved texture to your pores and skin after common use.  

NakedMinerals Blemish Rescue Anti-Redness Mattifying Primer

$26

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Revlon Colorstay Grip Matte Primer
Best Drugstore Makeup Primer
Key Ingredients: Aloe, citrus and broccoli extract
Benefits: Matte end, blurs the looks of pores, extends make-up for as much as 16 hours
Price: $12.99
Scibelli’s go-to drugstore primer is the Revlon Colorstay Grip Matte Primer. “The system controls oil manufacturing and mattifies the pores and skin whereas blurring the looks of pores and imperfections,” he says. “It additionally extends makeup-wearing time to as much as 16 hours.” Its mix of antioxidants — aloe, citrus and broccoli — protects pores and skin from environmental aggressors. 

Revlon Colorstay Grip Matte Primer

$13

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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Best Eye Makeup Primer
Key Ingredients: Free of parabens
Benefits: Crease-free put on for 24-hours, enhances coloration vibrancy, clean utility 
Price: $25
Scibelli’s decide for greatest eye make-up primer is Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion. “It has been a long-time favourite — it’s a basic at this level,” he says. “It actually locks in place something you utilize over it and minimizes creasing and oil buildup on the eyes.” It boasts crease-free put on for twenty-four hours and also you’ll discover how nicely your eye coloration will pop. 

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

$24

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Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
Best Eye Makeup Primer
Key Ingredients: Deep-sea and rice extract, castor oil
Benefits: Lightweight and smudge-proof
Price: $26
Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base has created the proper base for your whole eye seems. “It actually brings all of your eye make-up to life,” says Bhatty. “It makes an ideal canvas.” Thanks to its particular polymer and mineral mix in addition to its antioxidant-rich components, the primer smooths the lid and holds onto eyeshadow for long-lasting put on. 

NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

$26

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Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer 
Best Makeup Primer for Dry Skin
Key Ingredients: Grape seed oil
Benefits: Hydrating, light-weight, extends make-up put on 
Price: $34
The key to creating positive your dry pores and skin doesn’t get much more parched is to search for hydrating merchandise. The Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer accommodates grape seed oil to essentially nourish and hydrate pores and skin earlier than make-up use. It’s tremendous light-weight and immediately melts into the pores and skin to prep it for make-up. You’ll get a silky clean end, which is good for dry and flaky pores and skin. 

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer

$34

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Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer
Best Makeup Primer for Dry Skin
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rosehip, camellia, and peptides 
Benefits: Dewy glow, blurs wonderful traces and pores
Price: $55 
The Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer is what you utilize to show dry uninteresting pores and skin right into a radiant glow. It harnesses hyaluronic acid to hydrate pores and skin, nevertheless it additionally makes use of rosehip and camellia to seal in moisture and deal with dryness. It has a peptide complicated to assist collagen manufacturing and strengthen the pores and skin’s elasticity. You’ll get a very nice soft-glow earlier than placing make-up on. 

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer

$55

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Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer
Best Makeup Primer for Sensitive Skin
Key Ingredients: Blue agave extract, aloe, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide
Benefits: Lightweight, oil-free, hydrating, soothing
Price: $36
Scibelli likes to make use of the TikTook well-known Milk Makeup Hydro Gripp Hydrating Makeup Primer for purchasers who’ve delicate pores and skin. This primer has a clear system that boasts nourishing components like aloe, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to provide pores and skin a plump glow whereas calming irritation. It grips onto make-up, locking it in for hours. Plus, it’s tremendous light-weight and blends simply into pores and skin. 

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer

$36

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Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Pore Diffusing Primer — Always an Optimist Collection
Best Makeup Primer for Sensitive Skin
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, inexperienced tea extract and vitamin E
Benefits: Hydrates, soothes and absorbs shine
Price: $26
The Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Pore Diffusing Primer is a gel-based primer that moisturizes pores and skin and minimizes the looks of pores. Its hyaluronic acid ingredient attracts moisture in to provide a plumper look whereas inexperienced tea extract and vitamin E shield the pores and skin barrier. Your pores and skin will really feel snug beneath make-up all day and you may count on a gentle focus end. As an added bonus, this primer can be vegan and cruelty-free. 

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Pore Diffusing Primer — Always an Optimist Collection

$26

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Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Primer 
Best Makeup Primer for Mature Skin
Key Ingredients: Purslane, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide
Benefits: Hydrating, plumping, anti-inflammatory 
Price: $85
“I’ve been loving Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Anti-Aging Primer,” says Scibelli. “It is improbable for mature pores and skin as a result of it accommodates purslane and hyaluronic acid, that are identified for his or her hydrating, plumping results on the pores and skin.” It additionally consists of antioxidants and niacinamide to scale back irritation and guard pores and skin in opposition to environmental elements. It doesn’t really feel heavy and offers a matte end to prep the pores and skin for basis. 

Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Primer

$85

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Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Hydrating Primer
Best Makeup Primer for Mature Skin
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, beauty filler powder
Benefits: Smooths pores and skin and blurs wonderful traces
Price: $45
The Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Hydrating Primer is nice for mature pores and skin as a result of it diminishes the looks of wonderful traces extraordinarily nicely. It consists of hydrating ingredient hyaluronic acid to attract in moisture and maintain pores and skin plump. It additionally makes use of a beauty filler powder that fills in wrinkles and diffuses gentle to provide you clean radiant pores and skin. It’s a water-based primer with a matte end that additionally hides massive pores. 

Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Hydrating Primer

$45

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Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer 
Best Makeup Primer for Large Pores
Key Ingredients: Vitamins A and C, grape seed, kola and camelia extracts
Benefits: Camoflauges massive pores and creases, light-weight, oil-free
Price: $39
As the OG primer for make-up artists and wonder lovers, the Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer can do no unsuitable. “It actually lives as much as its identify ‘Smooth and Blur,” says Scibelli. “It’s nonetheless light-weight and oil-free, however creates a seal over the pores for a long-lasting clean end.” As an added bonus, it’s formulated with nutritional vitamins A and C to guard pores and skin from environmental aggressors. 

Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer

$39

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Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Pore Minimizing Primer
Best Makeup Primer for Large Pores
Key Ingredients: vitamin E
Benefits: Reduces the looks of pores and wonderful traces, smooths texture and protects pores and skin from environmental elements
Price: $32
The Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional Pore Minimizing Primer immediately smooths pores and skin to create the proper canvas on your make-up. It reduces the looks of pores and wonderful traces to disclose velvety clean pores and skin. It’s additionally made with a pure spinoff of vitamin E to protect pores and skin from environmental aggressors. Plus, you get a matte end to stave off extra shine.  

Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Pore Minimizing Primer

$32

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Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Color Corrector — Redness Corrector
Best Makeup Primer for Redness
Key Ingredients: Ginseng, glycerin
Benefits: Color-corrects redness, extends make-up for twenty-four hours 
Price: $37
The Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Color Corrector — Redness Corrector is a stable possibility in case you’re vulnerable to redness. It accommodates ginseng to guard and provides pores and skin a pleasant radiant glow. It additionally employs glycerin to moisturize and stability pores and skin. As an added bonus, it is going to lengthen make-up put on, letting you rock your look with out shine or caking all day lengthy, which is all we wish with our make-up primers. 

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Primer Color Corrector — Redness Corrector

$37

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Live Tinted Huegard 3-in-1 Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Primer 
Best Makeup Primer With SPF
Key Ingredients: Mineral SPF, 18% zinc oxide
Benefits: SPF 30 safety, zero white forged, moisturizes
Price: $32
The Live Tinted Huegard 3-in1 Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Primer is a primer, sunscreen and moisturizer multi functional tube. You get SPF 30 solar safety with zero white forged left behind. It additionally moisturizes and preps the pores and skin for make-up. Grab this once you wish to minimize your routine by just a few steps. 

Live Tinted Huegard 3-in-1 Broad Spectrum Mineral SPF 30 Primer

$32

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Lancôme Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer 
Best Lash Primer 
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E
Benefits: Nurtures, volumizes and elongates lashes
Price: $28 
Scibelli picks the Lancôme Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer for greatest lash primer. “It’s actually my go-to for mascara primer proper now,” he says. “It thickens and elongates the lashes previous to making use of your mascara in order that your mascara can create an much more dramatic impression.” It additionally accommodates vitamin E to situation lashes and is made with out sulfates, formaldehyde or phthalates. 

Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Primer

$28

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Dior Diorshow (*20*) 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer 
Also Consider Best Lash Primer 
Key Ingredients: Cotton nectar and cornflower water
Benefits: Long-wearing, volumizing, lengthening
Price: $29.50
To pump up lashes earlier than placing on mascara, Bhatty likes the Dior Diorshow (*20*) 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer. It’s a primer serum that reinforces lash quantity and curl energy. With components like cotton nectar and cornflower water, it is going to shield lashes from injury and to make your mascara vibrant. You may simply apply it to its personal as a lash conditioner. 

Dior Diorshow (*20*) 3D Triple Volume Plumping Lash Primer

$29.50

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Well People Bio Brightener Priming Serum
Best Long-Lasting Makeup Primer
Key Ingredients: Aloe vera, broccoli seed oil and jojoba oil 
Benefits: Lightweight, long-lasting and brightens pores and skin
Price: $25
Bhatty loves the Well People Bio Brightner Priming Serum as the very best long-lasting make-up primer. “It extends the wear and tear of any make-up you apply whereas additionally feeling like a deal with on your pores and skin. Great for anybody who loves a glowy look,” she says. As a skincare and make-up hybrid, it not solely units the muse for make-up nevertheless it additionally provides you a stunning dewy end because of components like broccoli seed and jojoba oil. 

Well People Bio Brightener Priming Serum

$25

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How to Use Makeup Primer 
Application of a make-up primer is pretty easy. Since make-up primer is each a make-up and skincare product, it solely is smart that it goes someplace in between these routines. Scibelli says make-up primer usually goes on after your skincare routine and earlier than you placed on basis. You’ll wish to apply primer as you’d your moisturizer, working the product into the areas you already know the place your make-up can be. After making use of, you’re free to start out making use of your make-up as you usually would.
There you may have it. The greatest approach to maintain make-up on includes prepping and priming your pores and skin earlier than. No matter your pores and skin kind or pores and skin concern, there’s a primer that can go well with you and maintain your make-up locked in. 
Meet the Experts
Neil Scibelli: Neil Scibelli is celeb make-up artist and key make-up artist on the New York City Ballet.
Kirin Bhatty: Kirin Bhatty is a celeb make-up artist. Meet the Author
Audrey Noble is an NYC-based reporter who has been specializing in magnificence, tradition, and leisure matters for over eight years. She was beforehand the wonder reporter at Allure and has held editorial positions at Vanity Fair and Refinery29. Her work can be seen in Vogue, Harper’s BAZAAR, Bustle, Martha Stewart Living, and extra.

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