A good primer can make a world of difference to your makeup routine. The right match is capable of doing everything from erasing oversized pores and reducing redness to setting your makeup, soaking up shine, and even protecting your skin from damaging environmental agressors. But the difference between separating the best blurring primers from the not-so-great depends on choosing a formula that works for your specific skin type.
For instance, if you have dry skin, the wrong primer can leave you with flakey patches, resulting in the opposite effect that blurring primers are meant to provide. To keep your skin hydrated, look for a product that markets itself as a primer and moisturizer in one. Or, keep an eye out for multiple moisturizing ingredients in the formula, like hyaluronic acid, coconut water, and aloe.
On the opposite end of the skin spectrum, oily and acne-prone types have entirely different concerns. Overall, you'll want something that's oil-free and, ideally, has mattifying properties to help keep shine at bay. If you're prone to breakouts in addition to being oily, you can look for a primer that contains acne-fighting ingredients like tea tree oil or salicylic acid.
To help give your face a flawless finish, here are five of the best blurring primers to try.
Loaded with good-for-skin antioxidants, vitamins, and fatty acids, this primer does so much more than just smooth out your skin. In addition to blurring pores for a Photoshop-like finish, this primer moisturizes, illuminates, and oh-so-subtly color-corrects your skin. The formula, which can be used as a primer, serum, or face oil, contains blurring micro-pearls that help balance your complexion, while ingredients like coconut, olive, and shea oils, plus glycerin, provide a smooth, soft base. The effect is dewy and radiant, but never shiny. Use it on its own after moisturizing or follow up with foundation or powder.
For a drugstore fix, the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer is a tried-and-true pick that'll set you back only $5. Where large pores are the primary concern, Maybelline creates an even canvas that leaves pores practically invisible (temporarily, of course). The lightweight formula can be used under your favorite foundation or on its own to create a skin-smoothing effect on makeup-free days. While the primer promises to keep skin moisturized all day, it also provides a matte finish, so skin never appears greasy and makeup stays locked in place.
Formulated with a unique blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and super-foods, this primer from TULA works to simultaneously blur pores and moisturize skin, creating a smooth, flawless base for makeup application. It also helps reduce redness and even out skin tone, all while imparting a radiant glow, thanks to the warm-hued "glow particles" the brand included in the formula. With a coat of this primer, you might even find yourself forgoing makeup altogether.
Yes, the Aritaum Pore Master primer helps blur the appearance of pores, even out skin tone, and prep your face for makeup application: but its sebum-regulating formula also helps soak up shine and minimize oil production, so oily skin types stay matte throughout the day. This also helps prevent the rest of your makeup from sliding off your face after just a few hours, making this one must-try primer for all the oily-skinned shoppers out there.
In addition to blurring pores and imparting a radiant effect on skin, this Korean beauty primer from cult-favorite brand Etude House also offers sun protection with a an SPF of 33 PA++. Skin will look smoother and brighter, while enlarged pores will look less noticeable. If you find most makeup products with SPF are typically heavy, know that the lightweight formula was created to feel breathable on skin.
For on-the-go touch-ups and more targeted application, there's this blurring stick from Maybelline. Available in a translucent shade and two tints (light/medium and medium/tan), this primer helps immediately blur pores and even out skin tone wherever you choose to apply it. This is one product you'll always want to keep in your bag.
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