They spend more than enough time making up all different skin types and have acquired many tricks of the trade. They also know which primers are absolutely worth investing in and which don't live up to the hype. We tapped celebrity makeup artists Shadi Malek, Hailey Hoff, and Judi Gabbay for their best tips. If you're in the market for a new primer, keep scrolling for a few of the best face primers they recommend for every skin type and a few of our own picks.
Primer acts as a barrier between your makeup and skincare. This is purely anecdotal, but I've found that using a primer is especially good for my sensitive, acne-prone skin because that extra layer of protection helps keep certain makeup products from clogging my pores. If you have acne-prone skin, you'll likely want to choose a hydrating, lightweight, noncomedogenic, oil-free primer. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, or tea tree oil.
Those with dry skin, however, will want to opt for more hydrating ingredients or a priming oil that can offer an extra boost of moisture. It may help those with combination skin types to choose a light, hydrating primer to help balance the skin's oil production throughout the day and stop it from overproducing oil in certain areas. Jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid are a few ingredients that can help with this.
Lastly, if you have oily skin, you may want to try a mattifying primer, although this can be a slippery slope. Sometimes, oily skin needs extra hydration. More often than not, using a mattifying primer can cause oily skin to produce even more oil as it dries out the skin. Try a light hydrating primer instead and see if that works for you. And now, find the best face primers for each skin type below!
Pros: Light and milky texture easily absorbs into the skin to provide a hefty dose of hydration and act as a moisturizer and primer in one. Cons: Contains mineral oil. "This is every makeup artist's go-to product for under makeup. It provides the perfect base for a perfect application. The main reason why I love it is how hydrating it is and how the product just sinks into the skin immediately." — Malek. Customer Review: "Stands up to the hype. Extremely moisturizing and plumping. Nonirritating to my sensitive eczema-prone skin. I love applying this as a primer. Highly recommend!"
Pros: Doubles as a primer and moisturizer in one with hyaluronic acid, squalane, and shea butter to hydrate and plump the skin, reducing fine lines and replenishing essential moisture. Cons: Expensive. This Bobbi Brown offering is a hydrating, nutrient-packed moisturizer and primer in one. It's great for mature skin types because it contains a blend of vitamins B, C, and E to recondition the skin while shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and squalane instantly plump and hydrate. Customer Review: "Last year, I noticed some lines around my top lip, and I tried everything to help smooth them out. I had tried a lot of creams and oils with no luck. For some reason, I tried this cream, and I love it. This is the only cream I have tried that makes my lines look smoother, and I've only been using it for a few weeks. I'm 62, and I've had oily skin all my life, but this cream has a fresh fragrance that I love, and it isn't oily. This will definitely be a must-have for me. Thank you, Bobbi Brown."
Pros: Provides a radiant finish, noncomedogenic, hydrates and smoothes skin. Cons: The finish may be too radiant for some. Makeup artists love Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation, but we can't forget its hydrating sister primer. Like the foundation, this primer is completely noncomedogenic, making it a great option for acne-prone skin. "This is the perfect primer to achieve a glowing goddess skin finish. This is a very dewy primer perfect for if you're going for a dewy look." — Malek. Customer Review: "This looks good every way I have used it. I love it on its own, mixed with a coverage product, or underneath a foundation. It doesn't have any obvious flecks of glitter, and it gives the skin a very flattering look. It also doesn't disturb any other skincare I layer on beforehand. Everything else layers on top of this beautifully, and it is well worth the price."
Pros: Great for sensitive and combination skin, silicone-free, provides a dewy finish, and contains skincare ingredients. Cons: Texture is very tacky. "I love how well foundation sticks to this primer. I truly feel this primer is the longest-lasting one I've used. It's a cult favorite for a reason!" — Malek. "I love that Hydro Grip has a slightly tacky feel to it—living up to its name by actually gripping the foundation onto the face." — Gabbay. Customer Review: "After using this product for a few weeks, I've noticed my makeup lasting all day long. My skin feels hydrated and smooth."
Pros: Helps minimize shine, contains climate-balancing technology to maintain makeup in any weather, and prevents color oxidation. Cons: Tends to separate a bit in certain areas of the face. "I have super-oily skin, and this product really helps me stay matte in the T-zone area throughout the day." — Hoff. Customer Review: "As a certified 'grease ball,' I can attest that this formula is the best! My makeup does not budge from the time I apply it in the morning until I get home from school at 9 p.m. I also like that my face doesn't feel dry or feel stiff after application."
Pros: Budget-friendly, reduces the appearance of pores, lightweight and non-oily. Cons: Contains silicones (which can clog pores) and may not work well for acne-prone skin. Maybelline's FaceStudio earns the title of best drugstore option because it is a master at blurring out imperfections, evening the skin tone, and keeping makeup in place for long periods. It was my go-to drugstore pick for years before I became a beauty editor. Customer Review: "I have used this product for years and have occasionally tried other primers (even high-end ones), but always come back to this one because it works well. I have large pores and older skin, and it does help my foundation go on smoother and last longer and minimizes my pores."
Pros: Lightweight, blurs imperfections, delivers up to 24 hours of hydration. Cons: Tends to pill slightly when paired with certain products. "This is perfect if you're applying a skin tint or CC cream over top. It has a really thin, hydrating formula that's perfect for the gal on the go." — Malek. Customer Review: "Love this primer! It works great, dries fast, and is wonderful under the backstage concealer and foundation! The bottle is super cute too."
Pros: The oil-free formula contains vitamins A and E to nourish the skin, while a light gel texture smooths and blurs imperfections. Cons: May be too drying for some. This oil-free primer is another great option for oilier and acne-prone skin types. It instantly smoothes and blurs while providing extra skin nourishment with vitamins A and E. "I love Smashbox primers. They are a forever go-to for a lot of artists because they have a primer for everything—redness, oiliness, dry skin—so it's an easy go-to for me!" — Hoff. Customer Review: "This stuff literally changed my life and my face. I used to just put on liquid or powder foundation and wonder why it would come off so easily and why it would look so grainy and make all the detail in my face appear. I was returning something at Nordstrom and saw this at the checkout. [I'd] heard so much about it previously and bought the $15 bottle. Oh my goodness, one of my favorite things I've ever purchased in my life. [It] makes my skin look absolutely flawless [and] in pictures even better. People always compliment my skin now. It has helped boost my confidence because it doesn't make me so self-conscious about my skin when people are up close. [I] love this stuff, [it] doesn't break me out at all. [I] would highly recommend it over and over."
Pros: Creates a soft-focus glow on the skin, provides a dewy finish, contains collagen-supporting peptides. Cons: May be too radiant and expensive for some. "I love using the Charlotte Tilbury primer for my clients who usually want that dewy, silky skin. It's gorgeous under makeup." — Hoff. "For a luminous glow under the foundation (or even by itself!), try Wonderglow by Charlotte Tilbury. It blurs fine lines, hydrates, and leaves the skin with a candlelit-from-within feel." — Gabbay. Customer Review: "[I] was really unsure about this product, and I found a lot of 'dupes' when I was looking into it, but none of them had the skincare ingredients that I was liked about this. After reading all the positive reviews, I decided to try it. I was apprehensive at first because we know that shimmer enhances fine lines, and being in my (almost) mid-30s, that's the last thing I want! The first time I used this, I wasn't overly impressed with much, it felt very nice, but I didn't notice my skin looking nicer… until I went outside in the daylight! Holy youthful glow! You really don't need much moisturizer before applying this, or [it] can [pill]. I'm sure I overdid it because my skin is so dry, but I felt hydrated and radiant all day. I did use this product with my daily concealer, and everything mixed very well!"
Pros: Provides a hydrating luminous finish, is budget-friendly, and contains brightening minerals. Cons: May not be suitable for skin conditions like rosacea or allergies. This primer evens out your skin tone, adds instant radiance to your complexion, and minimizes the look of pores, all for a pretty nice price tag compared to other options on this list. Customer Review: "Goes on so smooth, lightweight to the sheer, but very effective, silky feeling that makes my foundation flawless! When I go foundation-free, after my sunscreen, I smooth some over my face for a sheer finish!"
Pros: Blurs imperfections, absorbs shine, and provides an airbrushed finish. Cons: Expensive. I always find myself reaching for this primer to use with my Hourglass Vanish Foundation Stick. Name a better duo—I'll wait. It absorbs so quickly and really smooths out my skin before applying foundation. It ups the airbrush factor in a big way, so trust me—you won't be disappointed if you decide to invest. Customer Review: "Tens across the board. I hadn't used a primer in a while until I finally stumbled upon this one. It is sensational! It blurs your skin, makes your skin look like velvet. It also made my makeup last for a while."
Pros: Protects the skin against environmental stress, contains silk powder to help minimize pores and fine lines, and is great for sensitive skin. Cons: Tends to make skin dry throughout the day. When I'm not using my Hourglass primer, I almost always use this gem from Tatcha. It creates the perfect base for my foundation because it's so hydrating but never greasy. It's totally weightless and has a thin layer of silk powder that reduces the look of pores, fine lines, and other imperfections in record time. Customer Review: "I almost didn't want to like this primer because of how expensive it is, but it has completely changed the look and wear of my makeup. I have a smooth base to begin with, but this primer is a filter over my skin. With one application, my pores are blurred, and my skin tone is evened out significantly. I have combination skin with a very oily T-zone and was also surprised to find this product kept me fairly matte all day—something no other primer, powder, or setting spray has been able to do. This paired with the Charlotte Tilbury setting spray keeps my face flawless until the end of the night."
Pros: Can be used as a primer, foundation, enhancer, or highlight for a dewy glow, while the oil formula adds light to the face where needed. Cons: May be too luminous for some. "I will also use the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter as a primer because it really makes the makeup look like a filter!" — Hoff. Customer Review: "I've gotten so many compliments on my 66-year-old skin since I started using this product. I apply it as a primer and then add it on top of the foundation as a highlight to the high points of my face. I'm thrilled to say I'm now able to use my collection of matte, long-wear foundations that have been sitting in my makeup drawer for months because I felt they just looked too heavy on mature skin."
Pros: Budget-friendly formula is infused with grape and vitamins A, C, and E to boost your complexion. Great for acne-prone, combination, and oily skin. Cons: Applies a bit too slick at first. E.l.f. products always get the job done, and this hydrating face primer is another fan favorite. The formula is infused with grape and vitamins A, C, and E to help boost your complexion and provide extra moisture to the skin. Customer Review: "I'm used to using the E.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer and, at first, I was skeptical about how thin this is, but it was cheaper and has good reviews, so I gave it a go, and I definitely like it better! Smooths my skin so well, my makeup looks great even though I have huge pores in my [T-zone] area."
Pros: Great for dry skin, infused with hydrating coconut water and skin-soothing probiotics, boosts skin's radiance and elasticity. Cons: Tends to separate a bit when used with certain products. "For dry, dull skin, try Hangover Replenishing Face Primer by Too Faced. It's vegan, hydrating, and creates a radiant finish that will help a look last all day." — Gabbay. Customer Review: "My best friend sold me on this product. I was looking for a cruelty-free/ silicone-free primer that worked. I wasn't expecting such great results. It feels natural and makes my skin feel wonderful. Works well [with] my makeup too."
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
