How and when to apply primer? We'll explain why you should use makeup primers and how to apply them correctly. Continue reading to find out more.
Makeup artists and beauty professionals often highlight the importance of preparing your skin and creating a beautiful canvas. The way you prepare your bare skin will affect how your makeup sits on your face. Using a primer after hydrating your face is a game changer. It evens out your skin tone and blurs your pores, allowing your makeup to remain longer. There are numerous primers available on the market. Here's a quick rundown of the several types of primer for the face and which one you have to choose for yourself.
Despite the fact that cosmetic manufacturers have been producing makeup primers for what seems like an eternity, it remains one of the more cryptic and perplexing base products on the market. There are so many various primer options available moisturizing, mattifying, blurring, luminizing, and more that it can be difficult to determine which one is right for you. Oh, and don't forget about the applicability factor. Yes, there appears to be a bad technique to apply primer. If you've been avoiding primer because of uncertainty and annoyance, we're here to alter that. Find professional guidance on how to use it correctly, guidelines for every skin type, and what you should never do with this pre-base product ahead.
What is a primer and what does it do?
Simply said, primer is what its name implies: it is a primer. It's a primer that's used after your skincare to create a smooth canvas for whatever makeup follows such as foundation, tinted moisturizer, or concealer. A hyaluronic acid-infused face serum that promotes hydration, a sunscreen that protects and softens the appearance of pores, or a classic silicone-based primer that smooths and blurs might be your primer.
It's worth noting that the most recent primers do more than just smooth skin, hold makeup in place, and blur pores to near invisibility. They can also brighten, smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, treat acne, and offer a lot of moisture. Some can even provide a temporary facelift without feeling weighty.
Types of primer
If you're unsure whether you need a primer, consider how satisfied you are with the overall look, feel, and finish of your face makeup. If something is amiss or missing whether you want to add more general radiance or reduce shine in your T-zone a primer could help your makeup.
Matte primer
For folks with oily skin, a matte primer is a godsend. A mattifying primer helps to obscure your pores, smooth fine wrinkles, and keep your foundation in place for longer. A silicone primer is mattifying and evens out the texture of your skin. It closes your pores and produces a smooth canvas for your face cosmetics to glide over. Silicone-based primers are also sticky, so they keep your foundation and concealer in place. Silicone primers are perfect for persons with oily skin because of their tackiness and mattifying characteristics, which ensure that their makeup look does not melt or crease.
Hydrating primer
A hydrating primer, often known as an oil-based primer, is another popular form of primer. People with dry skin will appreciate this sort of face primer. A primer oil is typically made out of oils that hydrate and nourish the face, as well as substances such as hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. An oil primer keeps your skin nourished and prevents dry areas. If you have dry patches on your skin, your makeup can accumulate in them and look cakey and wrinkled. A makeup oil primer ensures that your base products, such as blush, contour, and highlighter, are applied evenly and smoothly. If you have dry skin, this makeup product will keep your look and skin from flaking and staying creaseless all day.
Illuminating Primer
An illuminating primer functions similarly to a silicone primer. The main difference between this sort of face primer and others is that it provides a gloss to your skin. When you apply foundation on top of a glowy primer, your skin looks dewy and glassy. A dewy primer is best product for special occasions and parties since it adds a sheen to your face.
Color correcting primer
A color-correcting primer is a type of face primer that helps to adjust underlying skin tones and any other discoloration. If you have purple dark circles under your eyes or rosacea, tinted primers can help you address them while also neutralizing your undertone. A green color-correcting primer, for example, will assist you in reducing redness on your face. Using a green color-correcting primer prevents redness from showing through your foundation.
Eyeshadow Primer
If you have oily lids, an eye primer will assist to mattify your lids and extend the life of your eyeshadow. Applying primer to your eyelids will guarantee that your eyeliner goes on smoothly and stays put.
Lip Primer
If you have dry, chapped lips or crusty lips after applying liquid lipstick, a lip primer is a perfect fit. This type of preparation will ensure that your lipstick does not transfer throughout the day. It also makes lipstick application easier by preventing bleeding. You can wear any color, from a nude to a strong lip, without fear of it fading.
Lash Primer
White fibers coat your lashes in an eyelash primer. These fibers provide volume and length to your lashes. You can use an eyelash primer followed by a couple of coats of mascara. This will give you wispy, feathery lashes that look fuller and complete your makeup application.
How to pick the right makeup primer for your specific skin type
If you have dry skin
Tightness and flakiness are two of your main worries if you have dry skin. The most important thing to remember here is to stay hydrated. Use a primer that is highly moisturizing and easily absorbs into the skin. Oils are also excellent primers for dry skin, just wait a few minutes. The Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Primer and the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer are two of our favorites for your makeup routine. It's best to go with a smooth product that won't look or feel heavy on the skin.
If you have oily skin
When you have overly sticky skin and sebum production that is frequently out of control, you need a primer that mattifies it to guarantee your makeup lasts longer. Look for a primer with something to help limit oil production, such as dimethicone. This silicone will smooth out your skin and leave it looking clean. To combat oily skin, we recommend the Maybelline New York Oil Absorbing Primer.
If you have normal or combination skin
When an occasional greasy T-zone is your primary worry, you can use most primers because they are naturally smoothing, with the exception of those developed for specific concerns. Use instead a mattifying primer on the greasier parts and a hydrating primer on the drier sections.
If you have acne-prone skin
If you have acne-prone skin, a primer is especially important because you are dealing with both oiliness and sensitivity. Acne-prone skin is also more likely to break out if it is not properly protected and treated, or if excessively heavy makeup is applied. Derma experts advise applying a primer including substances such as tea tree oil or charcoal. Choosing an oil-free primer is ideal because oil, especially when combined with heavy makeup, can block pores even more. Because heavier layers can trap microorganisms on the skin, a light foundation primer that mattifies, reduces redness, hydrates, and provides sun protection is a great advantage. It will also eliminate the need for excessive product layering. Silicones are another contentious element when it comes to acne-prone skin they work as a glue, clinging to whatever comedogenic substances you apply to your skin, but this also allows bacteria to grow, creating or exacerbating acne breakouts. Water-based primers are safer, albeit they do not have the same long-wearing properties as those containing silicones.
If you have mature skin
Fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, and patchiness all require extra attention to smooth out and allow your skin to appear its best with makeup. Product , you can use is a top-quality primer with hyaluronic acid. You might also use an illuminating primer with light-reflecting qualities. Most blurring primers contain a polymer and silicone to function as a second skin, allowing makeup to adhere better. If you want your makeup to linger longer without settling into fine lines and empty places, this is flawless base.
What's the best way to apply primer?
Primers, as opposed to products that seal in your makeup, like setting powder or setting sprays, are virtually typically applied after your last skin-care step and before your makeup. Makeup artists Sarah Tanno, Gucci Westman, and Patricia Ann McGrath all recommend applying primer with your fingers since it's the best and easiest way to blend everything and achieve a flawless finish. A cosmetic brush will only stir the primer. If you are concerned about germs, you can always use a little damp Beauty blender sponge.
To avoid disrupting the makeup, the makeup artist also suggests giving primer a full minute to dry before putting anything on top. The trick with any primer is to apply it in a little dime-to-nickel-size amount and properly blend it in before applying foundation. Primers should be applied lightly and sparingly.
What are the most common primer mistakes?
One of the most common mistakes individuals makes while priming is wearing makeup too soon after. Allow the primer a full minute or more to dry completely before applying makeup, as this will assist to prevent pilling or patchiness. Another error individuals make is selecting the incorrect primer for their skin type. Makeup artists recommend moisturizing or illuminating primers for dry and combination skin, as well as mattifying products for people who have excessive shine.
Makeup Experts also emphasize the need of picking a primer that is a suitable match for your foundation. When they don't work well together, the result is frequently very thick, cakey makeup or patchy areas. That's why it's a good idea to test primers in person to see how the two things will interact. Simply bring your favorite foundation to see how they work together, or apply a comparable mix in-store to see what happens.
Another way people mess up their primer is by using too much of it. We just watched a YouTube video of an influencer applying a moisturizer, then a primer, then a shimmering oil, then a color corrector, a contour, and finally a full-coverage foundation. These layers not only cancel each other out, but they also leave a massive amount of product on your face.
It is entirely up to you whether or not you believe a primer is essential. If you discover that primers don't make a significant difference in your face makeup, skip the step. It could also indicate that you haven't discovered the one. While some makeup artists and editors swear by it and have multiple favorites, there are others who believe it is an unnecessary extra step that makes no difference in the appearance or longevity of face makeup. Regardless, do your research, seek advice, and test out several formulations in-store before choosing a primer.