What does makeup primer do? A question that I get asked sometimes. For the most part, it’s pretty simple. Just like paint primer gets a wall ready for painting, priming your face gets it ready for makeup to be applied.
I have a sort of love/hate relationship with primer. It can be great. It can add some life to your makeup and make it last all day long. And there are lots of different kinds. Primers that just get your skin ready for makeup. Primers that do that plus color correct (for many different types of skin I might add). Primers that even help hide your pores!
On the flip side, primer is just another thing to do. Not only does it add time to your makeup routine, but it also adds another layer on to your face. And for the most part, I believe that less is more. You should start conservative when applying makeup because you can always add more – you can’t take some away. Well, at least not without makeup remover!
So what’s the big deal? Another layer on your face isn’t so bad. If you live in Texas or another hot place like me, then it sort of is. The heavier your face makeup is, the more it’s going to want to run down your face when you start to sweat. And because of this, I don’t think of primer as an “essential”.
Here’s what a good primer is/does:
- Applies nicely on the face – smooth and without color
- Light on the skin
- Has an almost silicon-y feel (doesn’t really have to have this, but I find that primers that do perform better)
- Adds length to your makeup (aka your makeup shouldn’t look patchy at the end of the day)
And here’s the big question…
Do you need makeup primer?
Well, like I said, I don’t think it’s an “essential”, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t own some. So here’s my short answer. Yes.
And here’s the long one. You should own a primer because it’s great for those long days you need your makeup to look good. You’ve got an interview or career fair? Perfect. Or say you’re going to be at a wedding all day. Even better. It’s good for those more special occasions. And less beneficial for every day use in my opinion. Others might have a strong, differing opinion, and I encourage you to hear both sides, try it out, and decide for yourself.
Favorite Primers!
If you don’t have any primers and are interested in trying some here are a few of my Favorites!
This is a great (and cheap!) drugstore foundation primer that will help reduce the appearance of your pores. It’s basically a dupe for Benefit’s POREfessional, although it’s definitely not an exact dupe. Definitely check out my review on it here to get more comparisons and details!
This is the one we’ve all heard about it. It’s pretty pricey running at around $31. Yikes! BUT that being said, it is a great at what it does which is hiding pores. You won’t find one better than this.
This one is the most expensive of the bunch. Unfortunately, drugstore makeup companies don’t have the best of primers. They are starting to roll more and more out, so we’ll see what the future holds for drugstore primers! This Smashbox Primer will set you back $39. Yeah, ouch. Definitely check this one out in store and try it out before you by. If you have a lot of redness this will help reduce that, but you should also be able to get the same results with a great full coverage foundation. (In fact, see what I think is the BEST full coverage foundation).
And check out my post on how to find the right foundation primer for you!
