If you're looking for a way to smooth out the wrinkles in your skin, a primer can help. Primers are like liquid foundation for your face. They smooth out the surface of your skin so that your makeup goes on more smoothly and evenly. They also help keep your makeup in place longer by filling in tiny lines and pores.
April 22, 2023 by Marissa Matozzo
If you're looking for ways to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and to create a smoother look, using primer after washing your face and before applying any makeup is essential.
“Primer can instantly help the skin look younger by filling in fine lines, wrinkles, and pores, and allowing foundation to go on more smoothly,” says Alejandro Falcon, makeup artist and artistic director for Osmosis Colour Cosmetics.
Absolutely! A good primer can make all the difference to the smoothness and evenness of your complexion. If you're looking to achieve a super natural, your-skin-but-better look, adding a primer will be your go-to.
When you apply a silicone-based primer on your skin, it makes your skin oily and sweaty which leads to pimples and acne. These primers can clog your pores that further lead to skin issues like blackheads and whiteheads.
The truth is, you should always apply moisturizer before reaching for primer (seriously, always). As we mentioned above, the purpose of a moisturizer is to lock in moisture to keep dryness at bay. If you apply primer first, you run the risk of sporting dry, lackluster skin.
In some cases, the skin could also become oilier than usual if the primer usage is too much. This happens because primers absorb the natural oil of your skin, so the skin, in turn, produces its oil as a response to this.
Prepping your skin with lots of hydration is key. Lines deepen on dehydrated skin, increasing the chance that foundation will settle in them. Find a hydrating serum and moisturiser to help counteract this. Additionally, a smoothing primer is your BFF!
In short, yes you can.
Primers are designed to make your skin look smoother, minimise pores and keep your makeup in place for hours. But women over 50 need a primer because it will give your face an instant lift. The key is to make sure it is the same base as your foundation — oil or water — so they don't repel each other.
Most projects where you're going over a previously-painted surface do not require the use of a primer. In many cases all you'll need to do is spot-prime any bare areas that need to be addressed before applying your finish.
Not applying primer all over the face.
Greenberg says that if you don't put primer everywhere you're planning to put foundation, you're asking for trouble. Some of your makeup will go on more evenly than the rest, and some will probably wear off more quickly, creating a patchy, uneven mess.
Try a medium-coverage concealer.
Look for products that say “light coverage” and “wrinkle-reducing” to keep your skin looking smooth and soft. With a concealer, less is more. Try to focus on areas that really need it, like your under eyes, and keep it off the rest of your skin.
Primer is often referred to as a base for Foundation or a Foundation primer. They are most commonly used to achieve a controlled matte finish. It isn't necessary to use a Primer before foundation, yet there are many benefits to adding this product into your makeup bag.
If you've ever thought your makeup makes you look more wrinkled, it might be by virtue of dehydrated skin. Makeup has a way of leaching the moisture from the skin, accentuating pores, and highlighting fine lines and wrinkles. So if your skin looks worse with foundation, this could be a major culprit.
Prior to any application you should cleanse, moisturize, and prime. "Using an excessively greasy cream that sits on top of your skin might prevent your foundation from properly absorbing and drying down, which can cause it to settle into lines," says New York City-based makeup artist Andrew Sotomayor.
As Phillips mentioned, you want to wait a full minute or more to allow the primer to dry completely before going in with makeup, as this will help to curb pilling or patchiness. Another mistake people make is choosing a primer that's wrong for their skin type.
Use only a thin layer of primer (usually a pea-size blob for your entire face)—glob on too much, and your makeup can end up sliding around instead of melting into your skin. 3. Wait a full 60 seconds for your primer to “set” before slathering on your concealer and foundation.
The short answer is no – primers should not be used instead of moisturizers. While primers can serve as an additional layer of hydration (if they have a hydrating formula), they are designed to sit on top of the skin.
How long to wait between primer and moisturizer. Ginger recommends waiting at least one minute after moisturizing before applying makeup primer. If you experience a doughy texture or any pilling, she says, then you've put in on too quickly.
As much as it's debated, foundation comes after primer.
"Whether it's a BB cream, cream to powder, liquid or mousse foundation, is totally your choice," she said. "Afterwards though, I always suggest lightly off-setting your foundation with a powder foundation that warms your face."
Is a Makeup Primer Really Necessary? It's not, but it will enhance the longevity and pigmentation of your makeup. A primer can also provide benefits such as moisturization, skin smoothing, SPF, blurring pores, color correcting and more, depending on the formula you choose.