Base instincts: The nine best primers for your skin type

last updated 20 April 2017

For a building to stand the test of time, the foundations have to be right. And for a face of make-up to last a day, it must have the proper base. This means picking the best primer for your skin; the magic formula that in one sweep can hide a multitude of imperfections – open pores, fine lines, shine – to leave a velvety soft finish that helps make-up last longer and look fresher. With primer set to become a prominent part of the beauty arsenal, here are our suggestions of the finest primers on the market.

Kevyn Aucoin The Primed Skin Developer

Founded by renowned make-up artist Kevyn Aucoin, this luxury cosmetics brand's products really work. The Primed Skin Developer is a serum-slash-primer that moisturizes and treats the skin with anti-aging tripeptides at the same time as it provides a perfectly even base for make up application. Try also The Sensual Skin Primer, a slightly heavier formula that is more of a traditional primer and gives a silky soft finish.

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As the name suggests, the cult beauty brand's balm addresses 10 complexion complaints. These include mattifying shine, concealing pores, blurring blemishes, reducing wrinkle depth, decreasing redness and protecting and nourishing skin. But the Stay all Day HD Beauty Balm does the trick. So does Stila's One Step Correct, a colour-correcting formula that comes in a bottle resembling a green, peach and lavender DNA strand. It evens skin tone, brightens sallow tones, counteracts redness and illuminates.

This cult serum-primer hybrid is packed full of reflecting particles for flawless, glowing skin, especially in strong lights such as a camera flash. NIOD says its Photography Fluid can be worn on its own but for most people the fluid is probably a little too much on the shimmery side to be worn without foundation. As a base layer however, it evens tone and makes skin look brighter, smoother and healthier.

Benefit was one of the first mainstream brands to embrace primers – its Dr Feelgood Balm has been mattifying faces for a long time – and its latest formulas are some of the best. The POREfessional PRO balm is silky, easy to apply and works well as a solid base under foundation without leaving the skin feeling heavy or make-up looking cakey. It is rich in vitamin E, keeping the skin healthy while minimizing pores and shine. On application the POREfessional Matte Rescue Gel soaks up excess oil and reduces the appearance of pores. The gel contains diamond powder for the ultimate in light-reflection, helping to blur any imperfections. The POREfessional collection is always expanding to include new shine-diminishing and blemish-blurring products to enhance a flawless complexion.

Back to Baby is the primer from cult Korean beauty brand 3 Concept Eyes. 3CE is the cosmetics offshoot of Seoul fashion brand, Style Nanda, and has managed to garner a worldwide following. Korean skincare has been at the forefront of the industry for a while and it's easy to see why with its focus on dewy, flawless, satin skin. So it speaks volumes that this is the Korean primer everyone wants. The creamy 3CE Back to Baby Pore Velvet Primer reduces the visibility of pores and blemishes and helps soak up excess oil for a soft focus, immaculate finish that keeps make-up in place. Try 3CE's Back To Baby Make Up Base in colour-correcting blue, yellow, pink and green.

Pur has dubbed itself The Complexion Authority so it would make sense for the skincare and make-up brand to have a leading primer. Everything at Pur is developed with minerals to improve skin from the inside. The brand's Correcting Primer feels more like a moisturiser than a conventional primer, which is down to its nourishing shea butter and aloe vera as well as anti-ageing retinol and complexion-enhancing B3 and botanical extracts. The primer is soft to touch, light and easy to wear and leaves skin looking and feeling fresh. It's not tested on animals and is suitable for vegans. Try the brand's No Filter Blurring Photography Primer, which has the same benefits as the Correcting Primer but with an added dash of shimmer.

Smashbox has an unrivalled reputation as the primer brand. Its most famous formula is the Photo Finish Foundation Primer, a bestselling and award-winning tube of super soft, easy to apply, mattifying primer that blurs the skin and provides the perfect base for foundation. Smashbox’s collection of primers expands beyond this cult product, however, and the brand’s website has a helpful tool to find the right primer for your skin type. These include formulas for correcting colour and minimising pores, SPF-rich primers for sun protection, an ultra-light version for sensitive skin, a luminous Primer Oil and hydrating Primer Water, as well as special versions for eyelids and under eyes. They all work brilliantly to achieve flawless skin – with or without foundation – and it is a great place to start for those new to primers.

Urban Decay’s collection of Complexion Primers sent beauty addicts into a frenzy when they were announced at the end of 2016. The collection of four shades targets different areas of concern: Urban Defense has SPF 30 to prevent sun damage; Self-Adjusting provides a soft focus effect and colour correction; De-Slick controls oil and shine, and Optical Illusion reduces the appearance of pores. The new collection is set to be as popular as fan favourite Primer Potion for eyelids, which keeps everything in place all day. For International Women’s Day, Urban Decay released a limited-edition version of the Primer Potion with all proceeds going to Ultra Violet, its global initiative for women – even more reason to pick one up.

One of the best lower-priced make-up brands out there, NYX has a fantastic range of primers. Tapping into the metallic trend, NYX’s Glitter Primer is specially formulated to keep sparkle in place, and its Studio Perfect Primer in clear or colour-correcting lavender or green are the bases you’ll want to use everyday. Silky soft and smooth, the primers are easy to apply and keep everything in place all day. NYX also has Pore Filler and Shine Killer versions as well as Born To Glow – a two-in-one primer for smooth skin with an illuminated finish.

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