How Do You Use Makeup Primer

If I were queen of the world, my offset decree would exist that all people who choose to clothing makeup must practise and then in conjunction with a makeup primer. (…And and then, you know, I'd tackle the whole global warming/poverty/war thing). Because that is how g'damn passionate I experience virtually face primers and their game-changing benefits. Not simply does makeup primer create a silky-polish, poreless canvas for your makeup to adhere to, merely it also helps your face and eye makeup stay on all twenty-four hours without slipping, fading, or creasing. Basically, primer is your bestie, and yous're ghosting it (TBH, shame on you, wow).

"But I triiiied information technology once, and it was weeeiiirdddd," I hear you cry. Or "I hate the feeeeling of stuff on my faaaace," or "I have oily/dry/acne-prone/unicorn skin and I'm scaaaared." Listen, I've heard all the whines from coworkers and friends and DMs over the years, and my respond is always the same: You probably didn't apply the correct one (and some primers legit suck). And then I'm hither today, as your futurity earth-dominating queen, to help yous find the best makeup primer, tell you how to employ it, and transport you on your merry fashion with the greatest makeup terminate of all fourth dimension.

Face, Hair, Lip, Eyebrow, Cheek, Skin, Nose, Chin, Close-up, Beauty,

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What is the purpose of makeup primer?

To make your makeup look 100,000 percent better. Really, information technology'south that simple. Makeup primers are a gel, cream, or liquid formula that, when smoothed over your skin, fill up in your tiny creases, large pores, flaky patches, and bumpy textures, creating nothin' but a smoothen surface for your makeup to glide over (which means your concealer or, say, foundation, won't stick to your dry patches, or settle into your creases, or cake upward around your acne scabs).

Think of it like a layer of fondant smoothed over a jagged cake or a top coat glazed over your smudged manicure. Makeup primer basically blurs, hides, and evens out your pare texture (not fully—it ain't sorcery—but still to a noticeable degree). And because your makeup isn't competing with roughness and oil slicks, it adheres to your face for hours longer than it usually would, even in super-humid, sweaty temps.

Exercise you demand makeup primer?

When it comes to makeup, yous don't need anything. You tin use (or not use) whatever the heck you want that makes you and your face up happy. Just if yous're someone who ends up with raccoon optics, smudged eyeliner, crease-y, slide-y, patch-y foundation/eyeshadow/concealer/etc. by the end of the 24-hour interval, you would most likely benefit from trying a makeup primer. And also, if words aren't plenty for you, mayhap these photos I took of my cute, pale-as-f*ck arm will be able to show you just how powerful primer is:

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On the left is one swipe of bronzey eyeshadow, blended dorsum and forth a few times over my clean, dry out skin (notice how it's kinda patchy and sheer?). On the right: 1 swipe of the same eyeshadow, blended back and forth a few times, over a layer of concealer.

Chloe Metzger

Blue, Green, Aqua, Yellow, Turquoise, Table, Ball, Leisure,

Since I couldn't exactly wait 12 hours to examination the longevity of primer (I'M A Busy GIRL), I tried to re-create the ~elements~ by scrubbing my arm with a dry tissue, and so a damp tissue. As you lot tin see, the primer side held upwards waaaay meliorate.

Chloe Metzger

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What makeup primer should you choose?

Hither's the thing virtually makeup primers: They're available in a ton of different forms, only in case y'all feel similar priming your whole confront (not necessary, IMO). You've got your lip primers (to help go along your lipstick smooth and long-lasting), your eyelash primers (to forestall clumps and lengthen lashes), your eyeshadow primers (to prevent creasing, fading, and smudging), and your face primers, which I'll be focusing on today (and, to be honest, I tend to slather my makeup primer all over my lips and lids, and I personally think it's splendid as an all-in-ane primer).

Face primers are also not created equal—yous can become hydrating primers for dry out skin, mattifying primers for oily skin, color-correcting primers for redness, and approximately 20 other types, finishes, and consistencies. But, really, all makeup primers eddy down to two important, distinct categories: silicone-based or h2o-based formulas. And that, my friends, is where dreams are fabricated and cleaved.

Silicone-based primer vs. water-based primer:

Yes, this is incredibly important, so stay with me. Silicone primers give your face a super polish, silky, soft feeling, which allows your makeup to glide over your peel without sinking into pores and creases. Silicones also grade a protective niggling shield over your skin, trapping in moisture to keep skin hydrated and protected. Yous'll know you've got a silicone primer if one of the start five ingredients ends in -cone or -siloxane (like dimethicone, polysilicone, trisiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane, etc.). It's not an exact science, but if -cones or -siloxanes aren't present, yous've probably got a water-based primer.

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And water-based primers are essentially lightweight moisturizers that make your skin feel, uh, slightly moisturized (maybe slightly dewier? Slightly matter? Slightly something-er?). Hither's a hot take: I, personally, am not a fan of water-based primers. I don't think they exercise anything special for your makeup, especially if you're already wearing a moisturizer, and they offer none of the same peel-smoothing properties equally a silicone primer. I, equally future queen, will force nobody to article of clothing a water-based primer.

That'due south not to say silicone-based primers are the finish all exist all (although, for my face, they absolutely are). Some people detest the feeling of silicones or swear silicones interruption them out and just prefer the finish they get with a water-based primer. And to that, I say experiment! Play effectually! Only y'all'll also know my answer to the following question:

What is the best makeup primer?

I think as long as it's a simple, silicone-based primer, yous can't really go wrong. But, of form, it all depends on your skin blazon and texture, which means you may end upward trying a few before you autumn in love.

For me, I swear by Monistat Chafing Gel, a inexpensive, $five, Reddit-loved primer dupe that I've used and loved since high school. Unlike some face primers that are filled with a bunch of 12-alphabetic character-long ingredients and, like, glitter, this powder-soft gel (which is technically used to forestall thigh chafing) is formulated with only the skillful stuff—i.eastward. silicones and not much else. I have at least a dozen friends hooked on information technology, just if you lot want more ~options~, try one of my other favorite cheap drugstore primers that I've used in a pinch:

My 4 Favorite Drugstore Makeup Primers:

Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel

Nyx Studio Perfect Primer

How exercise you lot apply primer?

Careful, this answer is most also simple: Just…smooth it over your peel earlier applying makeup. That's it. It's difficult to mess up, but there are some best practice rules I've institute over the years:

i. Primer works all-time on clean, freshly moisturized skin (although await at least five minutes for your moisturizer to sink in before applying information technology. The world won't end if you wait one minute instead, just, hey, just givin' tips).

two. Utilize only a thin layer of primer (normally a pea-size blob for your entire confront)—glob on besides much, and your makeup can end upwardly sliding effectually instead of melting into your skin.

iii. Wait a full threescore seconds for your primer to "prepare" before slathering on your concealer and foundation.

Only also, know that there really aren't whatever hard rules for primer. I've woken up from a day-drinking nap, rubbed primer over my messy, smudgy makeup, reapplied fresh makeup on meridian, and ran out to dinner, all with smashing success and zilch issues.

Can yous vesture primer without makeup?

Um, hell, yes you can! If you're using a water-based primer, you're basically just adding another layer of moisture to your skin (and maybe even some colour-correcting or brightening powers, depending on the formula you lot get), which is always a plus. And if you're using a silicone-based primer, yous're mattifying your face up, blurring your pores, and also trapping moisture in your skin to go along it from drying out. Basically, wearing primer without makeup can withal requite you skincare benefits, and this is why face up primer is magical.

The TL;DR:

Yes, makeup primer is practiced, yep, it tin can stone your world, and yes, I will exist queen someday.

Chloe Metzger Deputy Beauty Managing director Chloe Metzger is the deputy beauty director at Cosmopolitan, overseeing the editorial content and growth strategy of the pilus, makeup, and skin space on digital, while also obsessively writing about the best hair products for every pilus type (curly girl here; whattup), and the skincare routines that really, truly work (follow her on Instagram to see behind-the-scenes pics of that magazine life).