These Makeup Primers Carry Me Through 10 Hour Work Days
- Zoom meeting face card, never denied.
In recent years makeup primers have been seen as an “unnecessary step”, too expensive, and overall useless. But I disagree.
Makeup primer as that barrier between your skin and your makeup, which helps to make your makeup last much longer and your skin look smoother.
For me, that’s usually a 10 hour work day; a mix of in-person AND virtual meetings.
A good primer will make a huge difference in how your makeup looks, even if you didn’t see the NEED for it before.
Best Drugstore Makeup Primers
There are tons of good makeup primers at the drugstore, but these stand out above the rest!
NYX – Plump Right Back Electrolytes Plumping Primer Serum
I don’t hear enough beauties talk about the NYX Plump Right Back Electrolytes Plumping Primer Serum ($17), face primer, but it’s one of my favorite drugstore primers.
It’s still a grippy gel primer, but it’s a little thinner than the ELF Power grip and feels more lightweight on the skin.
Plus it absorbs pretty fast, which is a good thing (no wait time).
It also includes some fun vitamins and what they call “electrolytes” like hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, Pro vitamin B5, magnesium and potassium.
ELF – Power Grip Primer + 4% Niacinamide
I’m a sucker for anything that has the little addition of skin care benefits and the ELF Power Grip Primer + 4% Niacinamide ($10) is one of my favorites.
I like the original power grip, but this one has 4% niacinamide which is supposed to help even out your skin tone and brighten as well as grip makeup.
This primer works really well if you want something that lasts all day.
It gives your skin that sticky base, but it also has a little bit of a glowy finish that somehow doesn’t make you oily or greasy at the end of the day.
NYX Bare With Me Aloe & Cucumber Extract Primer & Setting Spray
Don’t sleep on primer water sprays. It seems like they don’t do much, but they definitely make a difference when I need that extra shot of hydration.
The NYX Bare Wit Me Primer Spray ($10) is my go-to when my face is feeling a little dry (after cleansing or during winter months), or I used too much powder and need to bring some life back into my face.
I can use it at any time during my skincare or makeup routine, and that’s really why I love it.
Best Prestige Makeup Primers
These primers take blurring and smoothing to the next level!
Hourglass – Vanish Airbrush Primer
The Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer ($58) is a very thin, smooth formula that gives the skin an airbrushed look.
It really does blur the skin in a way that I think is loved by other products like setting sprays and pressed powders,
This stuff is expensive, but Hourglass isn’t lying when it describes the primer as airbrushed and flawless.
Smashbox – Photo Finish Control Mattifying Primer
So maybe you don’t like that silicone texture primer like the original Photo Finish Primer.
Smashbox also has another line of photo finish primers, this one being the Smashbox Photo Finish Control Mattifying Primer with salicylic acid ($42).
I continue to use this even if I’m not having a flare up or feeling like my skin really needs a lot of oil control.
It’s a very thin consistency that sort of dries down to a silky smooth finish.
It’s a formula that I think a lot of beauties would like, oily skin, acne prone skin, and combination skin beauties (like me!)
Bobbi Brown – Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer
Maybe it’s the millennial in me, but I still go back to that Bobby Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Moisturizer & Primer ($69).
It’s a moisturizer and primer in one, plus it’s got vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.
It primes the skin with a nourishing feel that sits somewhere between hydrated and even.
The perfect base for makeup!
Smashbox – Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer
I love this stuff.
It’s one of the OG makeup primers from the beauty guru era and it still hits!
The Smashbox Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Primer ($42) really adds a layer of smoothing and blurring to the skin, no matter what type of makeup you put on top including sheer coverage, or tinted SPF products.
If I know I’m going to be out all day, at an event or I’m going to have a really long work day, I put on this primer for sure every time.
Bobbi Brown – Vitamin Enriched Eye Base Primer
It’s one of the only under-eye primers that does something for me.
The Vitamin Enriched Eye Base Primer ($64) adds hydration and doesn’t make my under eyes crease like crazy.
It is expensive, but a little goes a long way, so definitely try a mini size. It will last you a while.
Milk Makeup – Hydro Grip Eyeshadow and Concealer Primer
I don’t hear anybody talking about the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Eyeshadow and Concealer Primer ($25).
It hydrates and grips onto eye shadow, with a thin lightweight formula.
The formula is so thin that it almost feels like nothing is on your eye, which I love.
Even with cheap eye shadows on top and it really holds the eyeshadow all day (8+ hours).
Supergoop! – Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
If you’re looking for a primer and sunscreen coverage, you have to try the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen ($38).
It is an OG Holy Grail for a reason; absolutely invisible finish, and no white cast.
It has a silicone smooth texture and natural finish that really works for all skin types.
I love this stuff, especially when my skin is looking a little uneven. The texture of Unseen Sunscreen smooths that out, and adds some life back into my skin on dry skin days too!
My Favorite Makeup Primer Right Now
You will love this one!
NYX – Blur Screen SPF 30 Blurring Makeup Primer
I am so impressed by the NYX Blur Screen SPF 30 Blurring Makeup Primer ($14).
It’s a 3-in-1 blurring primer, that also grips your makeup and of course has SPF 30.
It’s thin but smoothing, and helps my makeup last all day.
I’ve been wearing it on no makeup days too!
It settles into the skin without a tacky layer and smooths my skin.
The best part? It doesn’t change or get shiny throughout the day. It just says blurred!
Try A Makeup Primer if…
The purpose of all makeup primers is to act as a barrier between your skin and your makeup, this helps extend the wear of your makeup.
There are many different formulas of makeup primer to suit your skin type and personal skin needs.
Try a makeup primer if:
- Your makeup doesn’t last all day (ie. while you’re at school or work).
- You are concerned about foundation “clogging” your pores or causing irritation.
- Your skin type is “too oily” or “too dry”.
- You have a specific skin concern you would like to correct (ie. redness, fine lines, textured skin).
- Or you want a flawless base for makeup that lasts a long time.
This post is all about the makeup primers that carry me through long days, whether I’m working from home or out all day and I love them.
