The Beauty Edit

Make-up primers you absolutely need this winter


November 19, 2021

As we all know, the secret to your glow-up and flawless foundation lies in a good primer. These inexpensive products have the power to make your make-up look perfectly airbrushed. The right formula for you will also create the perfect base for your make-up, and help it to stay put for longer.

Finding the right primer for your skin can be challenging as finding your favourite moisturiser or foundation. Because there are a ton of primers on the market at nearly every single price point and they all promise to do different things. Some formulas swear they will keep your make-up on for over 24 hours. Others claim they will minimise your pores instantly. Some add glow, others keep oil at bay.

To make sure that your hard-earned money doesn’t go to waste, and in order to make it a little easy for you, we have compiled a list of all the primers that you should have in your make-up bag this winter.

ELF Putty Primer

This Putty Primer comes in three different formulas so you can find one that perfectly meets your skin’s needs. There’s a Poreless option that will leave skin looking blurred, an Illuminating option that gives skin a naturally radiant finish and a Matte option that will keep oil at bay. Whichever option you choose, know that the silky formula smoothes over imperfections and promises to keep your makeup in place. Expect this one to leave your complexion nice and smooth, and we love that the formula is also vegan and cruelty-free.

Tatcha The Silk Canvas Filter Finish Protective Primer

Beauty gurus have sworn by Tatcha’s Silk Canvas Protective Primer for years and it’s worth the splurge. This primer acts as a literal barrier between your skin and the rest of your make-up to keep clogged pores at bay and to smooth over imperfections before you even have to apply any foundation. Infused with both silk extracts and silk powder, this velvety balm makes your skin feel, quite literally, smooth as silk. Ideal for all skin types, the multi-tasking formula minimises shine and offers a soft-focus finish.

Glossier Priming Moisturizer Balance

Those who prefer to keep their make-up and skincare routines simple and streamlined will appreciate this hybrid. It’s a moisturiser infused with hyaluronic acid and a soothing anti-redness complex and delivers buildable hydration. But on the primer side of things, it also minimises the appearance of pores and smooths out texture, the perfect make-up prep step. The best thing about this primer is that it comes in an oil-free gel variant, a choice for anyone with slick skin, and a richer cream for those who crave intense hydration.

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer

Fenty’s Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer acts like Photoshop for your skin. It creates a filter-like finish before you apply make-up so that your pores look practically invisible. This primer has a shine-stopping, pore-diffusing formula that smooths your skin for better foundation application and longer make-up wear. This oil-free primer instantly offers lightweight coverage and a selfie-worthy glow throughout the day. Its shine-absorbing formula does not feel dry or chalky on the skin. This face primer is infused with blue agave extract that forms an invisible layer to set your make-up. It offers an instant retouch effect and is suitable for dry skin.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer Moisturizing Primer

This primer has a fiercely loyal following so much so that the brand has launched an entire range of versions to suit every different skin type and concern. The original is second to none and gives skin a soft-focus finish and silky texture. If you need a product that adds moisture as well as primes the skin, then you need to try out Smashbox’s Photo Finish Primerizer Moisturizing Primer. It’s both a moisturiser and a primer in one single product, and it promises up to 24 hours of hydration. It’s sulfate and paraben-free, and actually contains hundreds of molecules of water per bottle.

Milk Make-up’s Hydro Grip

Formulated with ultra-hydrating hyaluronic acid and aloe water, this is a primer that will create fresh, healthy skin, and has an almost glue ability to help keep make-up in place. Milk Makeup’s Hydro Grip Primer has a sticky gel texture that keeps your make-up locked in place all day long. It’s formulated with hemp-derived cannabis seed extract, which is jam-packed with antioxidants and leaves skin feeling hydrated. This primer is sticky but in a good way so make-up literally latches onto it.

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