Stuff & Co

Do You Really Even NEED a Primer?

The answer is… no!  Probably not!  I know that sirens are going off in the makeup part of your brain right now, screaming ALERT! ERROR!  But trust me.. as someone who has literally FOUGHT with primer for most of my makeup career, most skin types truly do not need to use primer all over the face.  Gasp!

Primer does NOT necessarily help your makeup last longer    Just as when you prime a wall before painting it, the intention of makeup primer is more or less to even out your base before you go in with your pretty colors.  If you are frustrated because you’ve been trying primer after primer, and your makeup STILL doesn’t last more than a couple of hours… get rid of your primer.  And probably your foundation, too.  

Primer helps even out texture      “Texture” in makeup land is considered anything from dry patches to enlarge pores or fine lines.  Primer fills in these blemishes and creates a smooth surface, onto which you will apply your makeup.

If you have large pores or fine lines, you need a “pore filler”      A “filler” is usually a bit different from your average primer.  Often you’ll find they’re a bit thicker, and often have a flesh-toned tint to them, rather than being clear or white.  These are the types of primers you will press into the skin in order to fill significant texture, rather than just massage on like a moisturizer.

Silicone in primer can cause makeup to slide around more     Silicone is the magic ingredient that fills in giant, out of control pores (amongst other issues).  You can tell if your primer has a lot of silicone in it simply by feeling it; if it feels slippery when you blend it out, almost like liquid plastic or velvet, it contains silicone.  Silicone sits on top of the skin, and creates a barrier between your skin and your makeup.  If you naturally produce a lot of oil throughout the day (or even if, like me, you really aren’t that oily) you’ll find that the primer and oil do not mix well, and your makeup will slide around much more than if you had gone without your primer.

Primers work magic with powder foundations      So who needs a primer all over their face?  If you love powder foundations, mineral or otherwise, then primer is perfect for you.  Primer gives powders something significant to stick to, and will help you get better coverage.  Primer can also help prevent powders from oxidizing and changing color on your skin, because they have a different pH.

Moisturizer will do more for your skin than a primer will        Beyond the obvious skincare benefits, moisturizers usually contain glycerin, or other similar ingredients, which actually help your makeup to stick better to your skin!  Moisturizer also helps to plump up the skin, and will instantly and significantly reduce the appearance of lines and pores.  Most moisturizers do not contain silicone, and will allow your skin to breathe more easily.   You will also need to use less makeup on top of moisturizer, because it will help your foundation blend out easily.

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