How to Pick the Best Foundation Primer for Your Skintype and Concerns
Primers come in many different tones, formulas, and finishes, and whilst you can certainly choose a “one-size-fits-all” style approach to your primer, that’s not necessarily best for everyone. There are multiple variations of product which can help to target individual skin types and skin concerns.
IMAGE: GLOSSIER
PRIMER 101:
In short, primers are base products that you apply after you’ve cleansed and moisturized your skin, but before you apply any coverage products like foundation or concealer. Primers are designed to help make your makeup last a lot longer and smooth over the surface of the skin so your makeup applies evenly.
They’re a great makeup prep product, but they’re not the same as your moisturizer. Some primers are skincare-makeup hybrids which allow you to simply apply it to your skin and get benefits of both. Depending on the primer you use, you may find combining a moisturizer and a primer provide too much “slip” to your skin, causing makeup to slide and apply unevenly. Majority of the time, this can be overcome by simply allowing a full 1-2 minutes for each layer of product to absorb and set before moving on to the next.
PRIMERS FOR EVERYONE:
If your only goal and concern is to prolong the wear of your makeup without targeting any concerns such as redness or excess oil, stick with the basics and opt for a regular primer. These primers are not all universal, but their main goal and purpose is to simply keep your makeup looking fresher for longer, no matter your skin type.
IMAGE: GLOSSIER
SKINCARE-MAKEUP HYBRID PRIMERS:
Certain brands offer products which provide skin with nutrients, vitamins, and hydration, but combined with ingredients which are also designed to increase the wear time of your makeup. These primers typically are richer in texture than a traditional primer, and they may even be heavier than your regular moisturizer, if you find this too much for your skin, try a serum primer. A serum primer has the consistency of a serum with many of its benefits, but also works to prime your skin for makeup application.
Try: Glossier Priming Moisturizer, Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturizing Prime, e.l.f Hydrating Primer Serum
PRIMERS FOR DRY/SENSITIVE SKIN:
If you have a drier skin type you may find that makeup has a tendency to appear flaky and cakey on your skin. As foundation and concealer can often grip onto areas of the skin which are flaky, makeup can “cake up” on these areas and look uneven, wrinkly, and blotchy. A hydrating primer can work to smooth over these areas whilst simultaneously hydrating the skin so makeup applies smoothly and has a healthy, hydrated base to apply to.
Try: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer, Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
PRIMERS FOR OILY SKIN:
For those with oily skin, a primer is your best bet for keeping makeup on your skin and preventing it from sliding and slipping all over the place, whilst simultaneously keeping your skin matte. If you’re someone with oily skin opt for a specifically designed mattifying or oil control primer designed to help reduce the appearance of shine and keep your makeup on all day.
Try: Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer, Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier
IMAGE: URBAN OUTFITTERS
PRIMERS FOR LARGE PORES/UNEVEN SKIN:
Large pores can be a burden on makeup, but every persons pore size is different and this can vary based on genetics and skin type. Whilst some brand claim to “shrink” your pores, that’s not really possible. Large pores can cause makeup to look cakey and you may find that foundations and creams “settle” into your pores. Furthermore, if you’ve suffered with bad acne in the past and have been left with “ice pick” acne scars, a velvety, resurfacing primer could be just the trick.
Try: Benefit Porefessional Primer, Too Faced Primed & Poreless + Advanced Formula Primer
PRIMERS FOR FINE LINES/BUMPY SKIN:
From fine lines, to wrinkles, to acne scarring, skin that has an uneven texture can pose a real struggle for makeup. Certain formulas can settle into fine lines and wrinkles (thus exaggerating them) and foundation can often accentuate uneven and bumpy skin texture. A smoothing, primer designed to blur imperfections will help to smooth the texture of the skin and provide a layer between your skin and.
Try: Kiehl’s Micro-Blur Skin Perfector, Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Blurring Coconut Face Primer
PRIMERS FOR REDNESS:
Redness can occur regardless of skin type, so whether you’re dry and flaky, or oily, blotchy, red, and acne-prone, a primer specifically designed to correct redness in the skin can work magic. Many redness reducing primers contain a dose of yellow or green pigments to “correct” the redness in the skin, whilst it may look daunting to apply these bright shades to your skin, they essentially “knock out” the redness meaning you don’t need to add layers and layers of product to cover up redness. If you have fair skin, try mixing these highly pigmented primers with a standard facial primer or moisturizer before application.
Try: MAKE UP FOR EVER Step 1 Primer Color Corrector - Redness, Peter Thomas Roth Skin To Die For Redness-Reducing Treatment Primer
IMAGE: BOBBI BROWN
PRIMERS FOR DULL SKIN:
An illuminating primer is a glowy skin must-have. Dewy, illuminating, hydrating, and totally glow-inducing, but they’re often lighter than your typical hydrating primer (which may have illuminating particles also!) If you have dull skin or just love to rock dewy skin look for a a primer that contains light reflecting particles. These small, shimmering particles work to “bounce” light off the skin to give it a more radiant glow , you can also use it atop of makeup as a highlighter, mixed in with foundation to give your foundation a glow (and lighten the coverage) or on its own for an ultra-subtle, natural glow.
Try: Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer - Illuminating, Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer
PRIMERS FOR A BRONZED GLOW:
Freshly tanned skin has a natural radiance about it, but a natural tan isn’t necessarily the safest thing you can do for your skin. If you’re wanting a little bit of shimmer and glow, try a bronzing primer. Use it underneath makeup for shimmer, glow, and a subtle bronze to your skin, wear on its own as a makeshift style tinted moisturizer, or mix a little in with your foundation to darken an existing shade + add a healthy dose of glow.
Try: Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer (Bronze), Ofra Cosmetics Rays Of Light Bronzing Primer
Shop this post:
Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
Glossier Priming Moisturizer
Tula Face Filter Blurring & Moisturizing Prime
e.l.f Hydrating Primer Serum
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer
Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer - Illuminating
Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer
Ofra Cosmetics Rays Of Light Bronzing Primer
Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer (Bronze)
HOW TO STOP FOUNDATION SEPARATING ON YOUR FACE
If you are having issues with your foundation separating, moving or rubbing off of your nose, chin, or forehead then watch this tutorial and check your products to see if you are using them correctly.
This is the first aspect to address when having foundation application issues as it’s a quick and simple way to determined whether it’s the underlying cause of the patchiness.
If you are using your products correctly the next thing to look at is your skincare; if your moisturiser is too oily it could be causing a premature breakdown of your base makeup, if you’re of an oily skin-type then you may need to change your skincare routine to specifically target excess oil.
Using a liquid exfoliant that contains Salicylic Acid (BHA) in will help to remove any dead skin cells that build up (particularly on oily skin) and prevent pores from clogging. Using an Oil Control Primer over the skin prior to makeup will help to absorb excess oil, minimise the appearance of pores and aid the longevity of your makeup.
Paula’s Choice is a favourite skincare brand of mine - I’ve not been sponsored to mention them in anyway, shape, or form, my personal experience purchasing their products has always been positive, and I would highly recommend them.
Ishikka Jolly as one of the best makeup artists in Gurgaon will describe it more in detail in this beauty blog on the technique of applying the foundation, on how nicely it will blend into the face, neck, and around the hairline
Things That Make My Complexion Complete - Pepper B
Deciding if I want to wear tinted moisturizer or foundation is a struggle for me. I struggle with this because I have awesome skin, However I still like the polished look of make-up. Things are pretty Black & White with me. Either all of the stops are pulled out or I don't have any desire. A good beauty routine always starts with a good skin prep. Giving my skin a drink of water. I take a little extra time with this portion of my routine because it is easy to have skin that appears to lack luster when you are focusing more on makeup. I use Glycolic acid in my skincare routine because I find it gives me a healthy glow. It also helps with texture and hyper-pigmentation. I also steam my face very frequently.
If I were stranded on an island these would be my go to products. In my opinion as long as you have flawless skin nothing else matters. I love bare skin. I also love sculpted cheeks and highlighted skin. I generally apply my foundation with a sponge. I find this to be the most sanitary for me personally. I tear off a piece of the sponge each day and throw it away when I'm done. I notice I break out less. Initially I wasn't really into using make up sponges. I love brushes however I start my base with a damp sponge. Then I proceed using the rest of my products. My primer and foundation are both applied with the damp sponge. Highlighting is optional however I preferred my skin look warm and bronzed. The coconut water primer from Marc Jacob has been a staple in my routine since it launched. I have an oily skin and I absolutely love the texture of this primer when it dries down. The texture is very flat but my skin also feels hydrated at the same time. I generally lean towards primers that feels more like liquid.
As far as foundation is concerned. I love foundations that makes my skin look like my natural state warm brown bronzed and full of life. I use the full cover cream foundation from black up as my base for foundation. I can use this as my foundation and concealer in one. The texture feels like smooth moose and leaves my skin to look like butter. The texture of the full coverage cream is flexible I can really get this to lay down however I want regardless if my skin is cooperating or not. I love the creamy radiant concealer from Nars if you've use this concealer you know why. This concealer is a staple and has been a staple over the years. These products normally work for me throughout the seasons and I find I don't have to switch my base as much. I can use less during warm months and find it just as effective.
Today i am sharing my Top 5 favorite foundations for Spring and Summer ,here are some picks - foundation hacks for combination to oily skin ,some which is also suitable with dry skin type, for more updates visit & Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/shamragu82
5 Tips for All Day Foundation in Hot Weather by Dimma Umeh
5 Tips for All Day Foundation in Hot Weather by Dimma Umeh
In her new video, beauty vlogger Dimma Umeh shares 5 oily skin hacks that’ll help your foundation stay on ALL DAY! Wouldn’t that be awesome? She also shares her favourite tips and tricks on how to make your foundation not look cakey.
Some of these tips include blotting your face with a tissue and not a handkerchief and staying away from a mattifying primer or miosturiser if you have oily skin…
How many of you girls have gone through days when you’ve envied every single beauty blogger on Instagram for their flawless skin? Yep, we’ve been through that phase too. Foundation is a beauty essential used by almost every girl in the world. Whether you prefer saving some bucks and using a high street foundation or prefer spending all of your moolah on a splurge-worthy high-end formula, foundation will always be an integral part of our beauty routine. No matter what your brand is, there are some application hacks every girl should be aware of to achieve that gorgeous, flawless, Instagram worthy skin. Ladies, you won’t need no photoshop for your skin anymore cause MFG brings you 6 incredibly useful hacks to up your foundation application game.
