“Do primers actually work? Do I really need one?”
On the shop floor, it was one of the questions I heard most. Countless women, standing at the counter, holding a primer they’d been told would change everything, and quietly wondering whether it was just one more step to buy.
My answer was always the same: it depends on what you need it to do.
A primer isn’t a magic step, and it isn’t a pointless one either. It’s a tool with a purpose. Once you understand that purpose, the question of whether you need one answers itself.
What a primer actually does
A primer sits between your skincare and your makeup. Its job is to create the right surface for your foundation, and to help it last.
I like to put it simply: a primer protects your skin from your makeup, and it protects your makeup from your skin.
It protects your skin by creating a light layer between your complexion and the products on top. And it protects your makeup from the things your skin does naturally through the day, like producing oil, losing moisture or showing texture, all of which can cause foundation to slide, separate or fade.
Depending on the formula, a primer can:
- Hydrate, giving dry or dehydrated skin a supple base, so foundation doesn’t cling to dry patches.
- Absorb oil, helping oily skin stay matte for longer.
- Smooth, softening the look of pores, fine lines and uneven texture.
- Grip, creating a slightly tacky surface that helps foundation stay put.
- Colour correct, using tinted formulas to neutralise redness, dullness or uneven tone.
Do you need one?
Not always.
If your skincare is right, particularly your moisturiser, you may already have the base you need. As I’ve written before, great makeup starts with great skincare. A well-chosen moisturiser can do a lot of what a primer does, and for some skin, it’s enough on its own.
A primer earns its place when there’s a specific job your skincare isn’t doing. If your foundation slides by midday, clings to dry patches, settles into pores or simply doesn’t last, that’s where the right primer can help.
So rather than asking “do I need a primer?”, it’s more useful to ask: what do I need my base to do that it isn’t doing already?
Choosing a primer for your skin type
This works in much the same way as choosing a moisturiser. Start with your skin type, then consider what you want the primer to fix.
- Dry skin needs a hydrated base. A hydrating primer helps foundation glide on smoothly, and stops it from clinging to dry patches or looking flat by the afternoon.
- Oily skin needs something that absorbs oil through the day. A mattifying primer helps control shine, so foundation doesn’t slide or break up around the nose and forehead.
- Combination skin often does best with more than one. A mattifying primer through the T-zone, and a hydrating one, or simply your moisturiser, on the cheeks.
- Balanced skin has the most freedom. Choose based on what you’d like your makeup to do: last longer, look smoother or add a little glow.
- Sensitive skin is best kept simple, with fragrance-free formulas and as few ingredients as possible.
Primer and foundation need to work together
This is the part that’s most often missed, and it’s usually the reason a primer “doesn’t work.”
Primers and foundations generally fall into three families: water-based, silicone-based and oil-based. When the primer and foundation don’t sit well together, the result can be pilling, where makeup rolls into little flakes on the skin, or foundation that separates, slides or looks patchy.
The simplest rule is to pair like with like:
- Water-based primer under water-based foundation.
- Silicone-based primer under silicone-based foundation.
- Oil-based primer under oil-based or cream foundation.
Oil and water are the least likely to work together. An oil-based primer under a water-based foundation can make it separate or slide, so it’s the pairing most worth avoiding.
To check, look at the first few ingredients on each:
Silicone-based: ingredients ending in -cone or -siloxane, such as dimethicone, near the top of the list.
Oil-based: oils listed early, such as squalane, jojoba or other plant oils, and a slippery texture.
Water-based: water listed first, with no silicones or oils near the top.
Where primers go wrong
In my experience, when someone tells me a primer doesn’t work, it’s almost always one of these:
- The wrong primer for their skin type. A mattifying primer on dry skin can emphasise flakes and make foundation look patchy. A rich, hydrating primer on oily skin can make foundation slide even faster.
- The wrong primer for their foundation. A mismatch between formulas, especially oil and water, is one of the most common causes of pilling and sliding.
- Too much product. A primer only needs a thin layer. More doesn’t mean better. It usually means pilling.
- Not enough time. Applying foundation before skincare and primer have settled can cause everything to move around.
- Expecting it to fix skincare. A primer can’t make up for dehydrated skin or a moisturiser that doesn’t suit you. Get the base right first.
The frustrating thing is that choosing the wrong primer can create the very problem you bought it to solve. Which is exactly why understanding the purpose matters so much.
How to apply it
- Start with your skincare, and give it a few minutes to settle.
- Use a small amount, about the size of a pea for the whole face.
- Press it in, rather than rubbing, especially with smoothing primers.
- Apply only where you need it. Mattifying primer can go on the T-zone alone.
- Give it a minute before applying foundation.
Once you understand what a primer is for, choosing one becomes much simpler. You’re no longer buying the one everyone’s talking about. You’re choosing the one that does the job your skin actually needs.
Find your match
Hydrating primers
Best for dry, dehydrated or mature skin. Look for hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. They give foundation a supple base and help prevent that dry, cakey look.
Mattifying primers
Best for oily skin, or the T-zone on combination skin. Look for oil-absorbing ingredients, and lightweight, non-greasy textures. They help control shine and keep foundation in place for longer.
Smoothing primers
Best for visible pores, fine lines and uneven texture. Often silicone-based, so pair them with a silicone-based foundation. They create a soft-focus finish and a smoother surface for foundation.
Oil-based primers
Best for very dry or mature skin, and for a radiant, dewy finish. They nourish the skin and give foundation a soft glow. Pair them with oil-based or cream foundations, and avoid them under water-based formulas, which can separate. Not usually the best choice for oily skin.
Gripping primers
Best for anyone whose makeup fades quickly, or for long days and special occasions. Their slightly tacky finish helps foundation stay put.
Colour-correcting primers
Best for redness, dullness or uneven tone. Green neutralises redness, while peach or apricot tones help brighten dullness and darker areas. Use them only where you need them.
The short edit
The essentials:
A primer protects your skin from your makeup, and your makeup from your skin. Choose it for your skin type, and match it to your foundation’s formula.
Ask yourself:
What do I need my base to do that my skincare isn’t already doing?
Worth knowing:
If your makeup pills or slides, check your primer and foundation are from the same family: water, silicone or oil. Oil-based primers under water-based foundations are the pairing most likely to go wrong.
