Makeup primer is a must-have in your kit to create looks that slay all day. Face primers help prepare your skin for makeup application, usually in the form of a gel, cream, or even a spray. Using a face primer after your skincare but before any makeup can transform the way your makeup looks and wears.

But what does a face primer do exactly? Different primers are designed for different things and enriched with skin-loving ingredients depending on your specific makeup needs. Whether you’re looking for a hydrating boost or a long-wear primer, you can find an array of formulations available to give your look the base it needs!

Primer can be used for many skin concerns and goals, including:

 - Shine reduction and oil control
 - Colour correcting
 - Skin blurring and pore minimising
 - Hydrating or glowy finishes
 - Long-wear, gripping formulas

Face primers come in two types. You’ll get to pick from water-based makeup primers, which are designed to provide hydration for those who want that coveted glass-skin glow. Alternatively, you can opt for silicone-based primers, perfect if you want to blur those pores and reduce that shine.

Whatever your skin concern, a primer is a must-have in any makeup routine. Read on to get the makeup expert approved tips on how to use makeup primers!

How To Use a Makeup Primer

To get that flawless base for makeup, you need to know how to apply makeup primer. Here’s our handy step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Clean and dry face

Start with clean, dry, and moisturised skin. Follow your usual skincare routine and apply SPF in the daytime before any makeup or primer application. Ensure you are putting makeup onto a clean and oil-free base, so give any additional skin oils a miss and opt for an oil-free moisturiser and sunscreen, allowing them to completely absorb beforehand.

Step 2: Use a pea-sized amount

Apply a pea-sized amount of primer gel or cream, or evenly spritz your face with priming spray. To apply face primer, start in the centre of your face and focus on the T-zone, then use your fingertips to blend the primer outward.

Step 3: Allow to dry before applying makeup

Give your face primer a moment to sink in before going in with makeup. Rich formulas will take a minute or two to sink in, and long-wearing grippy formulas will become tacky with the heat of your skin for the best makeup adhesion. If you’ve selected a hydrating makeup primer for dry skin, give that a minute to work its magic, too!

What primer should I use for my skin type?

Whether you have dehydrated and dry skin, or shiny and oily skin, different skin types require specific primers to achieve a flawless and long-wearing base. The best primer for your skin type will be shaped by the kind of looks you want to create; whether that’s a subtle and soft everyday look or an ultra-bold glam look that will see you through the night.

Best primers for oily skin

For the beauty babes with oily skin, opt for a primer that controls shine and gives a mattified look. Using a hmattifying primer on oily skin can blur the appearance of large pores, minimise shine (particularly in the T-zone), and keep oils at bay. Typically, mattifying primers will also be silicone-based primers.

Best primers for dry skin

For the glam-go-getters with dry skin, you first want to ensure your skin is well-moisturised. Then, you should choose a hydrating primer for dry skin. Using formulas enriched with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid can prevent makeup from looking cakey and give that extra glow to your base!

Best primers for combination skin

Combi-gals? The best primers for combination skin will balance your skin’s unique needs of both dry and oily patches. If your skin is a mix of both dehydrated and oily, opting for a pore-filling primer can work its magic to reduce the appearance of pores in the oily T-zone whilst creating a smooth canvas across drier cheeks.

Makeup Primer FAQs

When is makeup primer applied?

Apply makeup primer after your usual skincare routine and SPF application but before any makeup or foundation application. For a base that both glows and glues all day, give the primer a minute or two to sink in before going in with any further makeup products.

How long does primer last?

Different primers will vary in how long they make your makeup last depending on their formulations and on your skin type. For long-wearing makeup with an ultra-grippy primer such as the NYX Face Glue Primer, you can experience up to 24 hours of hydration, wear, and ultimate glam!

What face primer should I use?

The primer you should use will be influenced by your skin’s needs and your makeup goals. For a smoothing and pore-blurring look, go for a silicone-based blurring primer. For long-wearing makeup, look for a grippy and tacky primer to keep your look locked in. And for shine control on oily skin, opt for a mattifying primer for that flawless and airbrushed finish.