Do You Really Need Face Primer… And Is It Worth the Hype?

Let’s Find Out!

As a beauty product hoarder, I confess that my medicine cabinet is bursting with cleansers, toners, serums and lotions. Not to be outdone, my bathroom counter boasts nearly 60 lip colors, 15 blushes, 11 foundation shades, 10 eyeshadow palettes and loads more.  What don’t I have? Face primer. I never thought too much about it until Susan, our BUSBEE  team writer/editor, raved about its benefits. Call it FOMO, but it made me wonder. Do we really need face primer? Is it worth the hype? Since I don’t wear primer on the regular, I had oodles of questions. So, I did the heavy lifting; did the research; asked friends and other beauty editors for their thoughts and recommendations. Here’s the scoop!

1) What is a primer?

Face primers are soft creams, lotions or gels applied underneath makeup to help smooth uneven skin texture and fill in lines. So, it acts as a sort of barrier to help keep your makeup on longer and give your skin a smooth, flawless finish. Quite often, it can reduce the amount of makeup you use and make application a little easier.

2) Are there different types of primers?

Yes, there are lots of variations depending upon your needs. So, if you have oily skin or want to minimize pores, a mattifying, silicone-based face primer is your go-to (just make sure to use a silicone-based foundation on top). Drier skin benefits from illuminating or hydrating primers formulated with hyaluronic acid and antioxidants.
There are also color-correcting primers designed to counteract underlying skin tones. For example, green primers are used to correct redness while blue primers offset sallow or yellow tones.

3) How do you apply it?

Face primers are best applied after your last skin-care step and before your makeup. Forget using a brush or sponge and just use your fingers. Use lightly and sparingly, about a small dime-to-nickel size and then wait a minute or two before applying your makeup.  That will help alleviate pilling or patchiness.

4) Will face primer change the shade of my foundation?

Not at all. But just be sure to match the primer formula to your foundation formula. So, if you’re using a matte foundation, choose a matte primer.

5) Does face primer need to be reapplied throughout the day?

Face primer isn’t buildable, so adding more just makes your make up blotchy and uneven. If you need a pick me up, a few spritzes of setting spray or highlighter is the way to go.

So, I gotta ask.  Do you use face primer on the regular?  Does it help keep your makeup fresh all day? Please let me know in the comments below!

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