Do you feel priming is an essential part of your routine?

I’m more used to NOT using primer than using it these days, so it’s definitely not essential to my routine. I do still reach for primer for non-testing days if I expect to be out of the house longer!

— Christine

32 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Kitty Avatar

I use primer underneath my eyeshadows and underneath the concealer on my face. Also, because my under-eye concealer Tarte Shape Tape can crease, I mix it with a drop of primer to make it the proper consistency. If I wear a full face of foundation, I still use primer because I apply concealer then too.

If I wear no eyeshadow or concealer, then I wear no primer.

Rachel R. Avatar

Absolutely! I have very oily skin that either melts off foundations or causes them to oxidize. I need face primer to act as a barrier and increase longevity. My eyelids are also very oily, and somewhat hooded. Without eyeshadow primer, my shadows would crease within 30 minutes. I also think eye primers make shadow colors more intense and improve blending. I don’t usually bother with mascara primer unless I’m wearing a colored mascara. In that case, a white primer makes them show up better. I rarely wear lip primer, though.

Ana Maria Avatar

So many foundations oxidize nowadays, and primers do help. I wish brands (and reviewers) were more transparent and detailed on stating which type of primer or moisturizer/sunscreen is recommended before. Brands try to push their own primers, but the customer needs to be educated why.

I have an iffy skin chemistry, almost anything oxidizes on me, so I had to learn a lot about combination foundations with primers and skincare.

Lauren Avatar

I use a tinted primer as my base so I kill two birds with one stone. I stopped wearing foundations for the most part because for the life of me I couldn’t get them to look as good on my skin as my actual skin looks and really just need my tone evened out. The tinted primer gives me a smoother appearance and the coverage I need for day to day. Once everything opens up and I go out more often then I’ll try to find a more suitable foundation for myself. I don’t use an all over primer, but do use a pore filling one on the sides of my nose and my cheeks (just below my under eyes where they are roundest) because I notice that without doing so foundations will really separate and get spotty on me. My pores aren’t large, but there is something about these areas that just don’t play well with foundation on its own. Once upon a time I primed my entire face, but now I don’t feel the need to and “spot prime” instead.

I do ALWAYS use an eye primer if I go for shadows. My lids are massively oily to the point they can burn closer to the end of the day if I don’t powder them or use an oil blotting sheet to soak up the oils. If I don’t use an eye primer on shadow days my natural lid oils will cause the shadow to crease badly in my upper crease and get a little smeary on the lid.

Lydia Avatar

Nope! I only own eyeshadow primer and that’s because Pat McGrath shadows crease so badly on me. Her shadows lean dramatic so if I’m not going for a glamorous evening type eye look, I’m not reaching for them. Other than that, a primer would never get use.

angela Avatar

Personally I am happy without it, especially that is can take a long journey to find the right primer for one’s skintype and the current foundation in use. I tried many face primers, but I felt them just as an extra layer on my skin. However I always use a primer on my eyes, before any kind of eyeshadow.

Celesta Avatar

I never used to prime my face, but always have primed my eyes because my eyeshadows would always crease. I started priming my face a couple of years ago with a mix of sunscreen, moisturizer and actual primer and have found that my base makeup really does look much nicer and I notice a lot less fading and transfer during the day. So, yes, that is a long way to say priming has become an essential part of my routine. ?

Wednesday Avatar

At this point, yes!

I am not wearing much in terms of makeup these days, but at the same point I am going to be 57 (I gasp to say it out loud) in a few months and I definitely need a little help to look my best.

I have developed a core minimal makeup look and I found I can use a pore-levelling/blurring primer as a ‘concealer’ for a no makeup makeup look. I use it on top of a tinted sunscreen/moisturizer to reduce the look of pores and I cannot get over what a difference it makes. I have become much more at home in my nekkid skin and I think that is one of the blessings from pandemic. I feel and look my best wearing less.

Klee Avatar

I have used the primer from benefit before (tester size) but I don’t really see a difference on my skin or my makeup? maybe I am doing something wrong? ahahahahha

Lauren Avatar

It may not be a good formula for your skin, or maybe you don’t need it! It doesn’t necessarily mean you are doing anything wrong. I don’t prefer the Benefit one, although I have friends who swear by it. I like more pore filling ones on myself. Some people like the hydrating ones. Some want mattifying. It all just depends on your skin, your needs, and your preferences!

Arena Avatar

I use my sunscreen; it’s perfect. Supergoop Play everyday lotion SPF 50 + a full coverage foundation = the best tinted moisturizer (right now I am panning Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Longwear Foundation; they are lovely together)

GUSnail Avatar

Yes, I typically use primer, but which one really varies by day and it’s not always about prolonging the wear. Sometimes I use one type if I’m feeling a little dry, or another if I feel I need more glow (especially under a matte foundation). In the summer I’m more likely to use something oil controlling and on occasion, I’ll use something pore filling or smoothing. So it’s more about helping with overall effect than prolonging wear.

Lesley Avatar

Primer is and always has been essential for me. If I am wearing makeup, I am wearing primer. I 100% require that it blur pores, especially on my nose, and smooth fine lines. Longevity is secondary as is mattifying, although those are nice. I would not use a hydrating primer because I rely on my sunscreen to act as a moisturizer and I would never use a glowmaker primer because they don’t flatter my skin at all. Right now I am using one from Danessa Myricks under a cushion foundation and Catrice 1 Minute Skin Perfector if I am using powder foundation. I also liked the Tatcha Liquid Silk Canvas that I tried as a Sephora promo and will buy the full size eventually. I consider myself a primer junkie, hence the long winded response.

Lesley Avatar

Adding that while my face is oily, my eyelids are not so I don’t usually wear eye primer. If I am wearing a shadow with fallout, I try to remember to use a glitter primer but I usually forget. I own lip primer but usually forget to put it on.

AJ Avatar

If I’m just doing a very light application of makeup, I will skip primer. But if I’m doing a full face, I always prime. Usually if I’m doing a full look, it’s for a dance performance, so it’s very important that things go on well and stay put 🙂

atwiglikeme Avatar

I’ve never been into primers. I use moisturizer and/or SPF as base to apply foundation/BB cream on. I have combination skin and generally if my skin is properly moisturized it will play nice with makeup.

Mariella Avatar

Eyeshadow primer – absolutely but face/foundation primer, not so much. I do like Becca’s Backlight Priming Filter but I don’t really use it as a primer; to me, it’s sort of a facial luminizer and I will wear it in place of foundation. Most of the time, I wear a CC cream that claims to include primer so I don’t bother then for the most part but every now and then, I will apply a primer, just because I have them more than for any other reason. But now, in the Pandemic, the less I can put on my face, the better.

Ana Maria Avatar

A face primer is a nice to have step, but not a must for me. While I do love the extra longevity and pore blurring effect of a primer like Hourglass Mineral Veil, or the extra SPF from the Paula’s Choice Smoothing Primer SPF 30, I can easily skip the step. These days some serums and sunscreens do a great job as a primer. Some serums (like ones from Paula’s Choice) have a silicony finish great for easing foundation application and blurring the pores. La Roche Possay has some amazing sunscreens that mattify and improve longevity just like most primers.

Eye primers are a different thing; for me they are a must, even if I wear the most simple eye makeup.

Nancy T Avatar

Absolutely! I prime the shizz-izzle out of everything! Lids need e/s primer because of them being so hooded and oily in the crease. Face needs it because my pores are just too obvious without it. Also, it keeps my foundation in place quite well in this very hot climate. And if I’m going to be wearing any sort of matte lipstick, liquid or tube, I prime my lips, as well.

Debbie Avatar

I use Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40 as a primer and an eye primer under my shadow and concealer every single day. The SPF is more a preventative, even though my foundation has an spf of 21, which is not enough. Some days I do work outdoors, so I make sure that I am covered every day.

Jamie Avatar

Eyelid primer is a must for me; my lids are oily and hooded so shadow creases or disappears if I don’t, regardless of what eyeshadow I use. I don’t use primer for foundation, it prevents foundation from applying nicely and lasting. I’ve tried a lot of them & get the same results each time. It’s like the foundation sticks to the primer, but the primer doesn’t stick to my skin. I don’t know if it’s my oily skin or what, but it just doesn’t work for me.

Carmen Avatar

Face primer is not a must for me. It doesn’t change how my makeup wears, but I kind of use the tube I have just to finish it up and because my skin feels even more moisturized with it. I’ll probably stick to throwing moisturizer on my face vs a primer once it’s out.

Now, eye primer is an essential part of my routine, especially during the summer because I’ll sweat off my eye shadow without it! I like to use light primers to make my more colorful shadows pop as well.

brendacr1 Avatar

I have very oily eyelids so yes there. My face is another story, when I was younger Smashbox primer was my HG, then I started to get fine lines and everything changed. I have tried many primers with disasterous results, now I just use moisturizer and sunscreen before my foundation and get a pretty good result I’m still not really happy but I’m still trying different things.

Genevieve Avatar

No, I am not bothering to use a primer at the moment – I am really not going anywhere with our strict Stage 4 lockdowns. Besides, my sunscreen/moisturiser acts as a primer anyway.

However I did use a primer (Nude by Nature’s Airbrush primer for eyes and face) in another lifetime.

Eileen Avatar

I’m not a huge fan of primers. Although my daily skin care routine involves a number of serums and moisturizers topped off with a good physical sunscreen, because I have very dry skin, I don’t have oil break through during the day so a primer is unnecessary.

Rachel Avatar

Yes. I will wear primer even if I don’t wear a foundation because of my pores. I usually use No. 7 Airbrush Away Primer or Chanel’s Base Lumiere.

I will usually pat some powder on top too. Without primer the pores on my nose oxidize and look brown/black. The pores on my forehead are the real big ones. It also helps me cover up eczema patches.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!