What is a primer and why should I love it? A Primer is the product every beauty routine doesn’t know it’s missing. Not only do they have a whole range of benefits, but they can do so much more than you think! The ultimate goal of a primer is to seal – to provide a smooth surface for what’s coming next. Using a primer on eyes, lips, lashes and even hair will help maintain your look because the products were formulated to give product something to grab onto.

What is primer makeup used for?

Not only will a proper makeup primer increase your foundation’s staying power, but many primers provide multiple benefits. Makeup primers are available to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, hide pores, correct color, combat shine, blur imperfections and provide a barrier to the skin by putting a road block between your foundation and your pores.

First and foremost, skin care is the best primer. Using products that cater to your skin will not only do all of the above but will also help regulate skin so it always feels fresh and radiant. However, makeup primers provide an extra boost, and finding the right primer for you depends on your skin, just like finding the right skin care products. A lot of primers will cater to more than one concern, so don’t worry about using three different primers to take care of everything!

How to apply primer

Always moisturize before you prime! Primer doesn’t cover up—it prepares. So, if you have dry skin or uneven skin texture, using a moisturizer will keep dry skin from flaking and will lessen the appearance of fine lines and pores. Applying primer is as easy as dabbing it on like a moisturizer, eye cream, or lip balm.

jane iredale Smooth Affair Primer & Brightener. This non-comedogenic primer delivers smudge-resistant benefits and locks foundation in place all day long. The lightweight formula provides a smooth base to apply makeup products, while minimizing the appearance of blemishes and pores. In addition, it encourages firm skin with algae extract and protects against free radicals with green and white tea.

Bonus: jane iredale also offers a primer for oily skin! Try Smooth Affair for Oily Skin Facial Brightener & Primer.

Primer application pro-tip:

Always make sure your foundation’s and primer’s formulas match! For example, if you use a water-based primer, like jane iredale’s Smooth Affair, you’ll need to be sure to use a water-based foundation. Remember: oil and water don’t mix.

Looking for a makeup primer with SPF? Try Glowbiotics MD Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30, a water- and oil-free sunscreen that features a universal tint that can be worn alone or as a skin-smoothing primer.

Our choice for the best eyeshadow primer

Eye primers are bursting with benefits. They prevent eyeshadow creasing, even out shadow application, magnify pigment and help makeup stay in place during humid, rainy, snowy or dry temperatures. Eye primers can be used under the eye, on the lid, and even to hold brow powders in place. In addition, they also help even out and mattify skin, so those who have oily lids won’t have to worry about their eyeshadow slipping off during the day.

Eye primers are also great for preventing tugging and pulling on the skin—since makeup goes on easier, the need to pull skin outward to apply product is not as necessary, and sticks and creams will glide on easier.

Do you remember a time you used a powder shadow only to realize halfway through the day that it had faded away? Well, say goodbye to fading shadow! Powder shadows work flawlessly with eye primers, increasing their longevity and keeping your eye game on point all day long.

theBalm Put a Lid on It Eyelid Primer: Not only is this primer perfect for setting your shadow, but it also comes in a user friendly tube that makes it easy to dispense the perfect amount of product. This sweat-, crease- and tear-proof sheer gel primer goes on with a slightly sticky texture that is quickly absorbed by your eyeshadow and leaves it locked in place.

Primer pro tip:

With most primers, you don’t need a lot. That is why you’ll typically only see them available in smaller containers.

Lash primers help define and moisturize lashes

While your mascara probably does a pretty good job of getting your lashes to look the way you want them to, you won’t believe the benefits a lash primer can add. Lash primers help thicken the appearance of lashes, leaving them looking fuller and lusher, and also help color application. As with eye primers, shades will go on more evenly. This is especially beneficial for someone who has light eyelashes!

RevitaLash Volumizing Primer: This silky formula will not only lay the foundation for jaw-dropping lashes, but it will also coat lashes to smooth them out and give them an instantly thicker appearance. The unique hourglass brush ensures that each lash gets attention, and the hypoallergenic formula moisturizes while preventing clumping, flaking, and smudging.

Lock your lips in place with a lip primer

Applying a lip primer will help smooth your lips to keep them looking luscious and full, while prolonging the life of your lipstick and preventing feathering!

But, wait a second… isn’t that what a lip liner does? The answer is yes. Lip primer is, for the most part, just lip liner in colorless form. What this means, though, is that you can say goodbye to the days where the perfect shade comes easy but the matching liner doesn’t! Lip primers will leave lips polished and long-lasting.

Stila Lush Lips Water Plumping Primer: This super lightweight, smooth formula provides the ideal preparation for lip color while plumping and volumizing. The creamy tone absorbs into skin to provide a neutral base for whatever lip you love while providing peptide and antioxidant anti-aging benefits to leave lips feeling effortless and crease-free.

Hair Primer aids in protecting and maintaining hair styles

If you find yourself wondering what a hair primer is, you’re not alone. Hair primer? What could that possibly do? Especially if you use heat on your hair daily, a hair primer is a must-have. It will, as primers do on lashes, lips, eyes, and skin, create a protective coat around the hair, which will help protect against heat, dryness, frizziness, deflated hair and even damage! This shield will also provide a barrier against heat, oil, dirt and weather, which will help you maintain your style all day long.

Bonus: Depending on which hair primer you choose, it can provide smoothing, shining, detangling, and sometimes even UV protection benefits. Primers really are the ultimate beauty tool!

Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer Spray: Not only will this lightweight primer help decrease the time of your blow dry, but it will also prime your hair for heat protection, which will prevent breakage. The mist is weightless, making it ideal for thin and normal hair types. This primer helps hair feel stronger and healthier, while also giving your other styling products more power.

Looking for UV protection? Try PHYTO Plage Protective Sun Oil to protect color and strands from being damaged by the sun.

Whether you use all of these primers or just one, their range of benefits will aid in giving skin, hair and makeup the first-class look you deserve. Show us your perfectly primed looks by tagging us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using #LovelySkin.