What Is a Face Makeup Primer + What Does It Do?

Wondering what is a face primer and what it does? Often a skipped-over step in our beauty rituals, makeup primers actually have a lot of benefits you might be missing out on. A primer makes a huge difference in the look and wear of your makeup. If you’re dealing with smudging, creasing, or disappearing foundation throughout the day, add a face primer to your morning product lineup and you’ll notice the benefits instantly.

 

What is a Makeup Primer?

OK, so first up, what is makeup primer? Like an IG beauty filter, but make it IRL. Face primers prep skin ready for smooth foundation application. Think of your skin and makeup like canvas and paint. You can apply paint directly to your canvas/skin, but priming it first increases the longevity of your work and makes the surface easier to work on, so you won't have to use as much paint aka foundation. And, less foundation makes for a more natural second-skin finish. It’s a win-win situation. 

But the benefits to adding a primer to your makeup kit don’t end there. Primers can also target specific skin concerns such as oily and shiny skin—meet our Mattifying Primer, texture or visible pores—our Blurring Primer will be a game-changer, dull and uneven skin—you'll love Illuminating Primer, or dry skin—hello Hydrating Primer. Helping to target your skin concerns while smoothing the way for your most flawless foundation ever, primers help extend makeup weartime, meaning your look stays fresh and in place for longer. 

Reducing the appearance of pores and hyperpigmentation, filling fine lines, color-correcting, and protecting skin from damaging environmental stressors like free radicals, finding the right skincare-powered primer for your skin’s needs will make the world of difference.

"If you love your foundation and you want something that will really elevate the experience of that makeup, extend the weartime and help make your skin look fresh throughout the day, these primers deliver all that and so much more," shares Anna De La Cruz, Glo's VP of Product Development.

 

Best Makeup Primer For All Skin Types

Forget everything you thought you knew about primers of the past. "Redefining priming, our four new Solution Primers are loaded with skincare ingredients to target specific concerns," shares Anna.

Great for your skin, magic for your makeup, the Solution Primers are expertly tailored to your skin’s specific needs, from mattifying to hydrating, illuminating to blurring, in finishes ranging from modern mattes to dewy radiants. And, the best part? You can mix and match different primers, depending on what your skin needs, when it needs it.

"This isn't about looking like you have a heavy face of makeup. Whatever your foundation coverage preference is, by adding a primer as your starting step after applying your skincare, you're creating a cared-for, nourished base that will help your foundation apply so much more seamlessly and look its very best. And, these primers are so versatile, even if you don’t want to do a full face, you can strategically place them across areas of your face to target specific concerns such as shine in the T-zone or dry patches on your cheeks."

5 Different Types of Makeup Primers

1. Illuminating Primer

One of the most versatile of our Solution Primers, Illuminating Primer delivers instant radiance and is loaded with vitamin C to brighten and even skin tone under your makeup. Squalane and jojoba oil help target pigmentation while conditioning skin, allowing for a silky smooth application. And, ethically-sourced mica imparts a sheer peachy tone for a glass skin effect. Bringing luminosity to every skin type; “You can also mix it with your liquid foundation to level up your luminosity.”

 

2. Blurring Primer

Large pores, fine lines, and textural concerns begone with this blurr-fect primer. Not just a pretty face, Blurring Primer delivers major blurring action, filing fine lines and smoothing texture to create a silky semi-matte finish. 

“We really like using silicone for its support of the skin barrier. We used a larger size, separated molecule for this so it easily allows your skin to breathe. So, it gives you the feel you want, but it won’t break you out,” explains Anna. 

Powered by skin-strengthening ceramides too, it actually helps improve skin’s barrier and texture over time.

 

3. Mattifying Primer

Instant mattification? Yes please! Mattifying Primer is a weightless, shine-eliminating primer that clears and purifies skin, and help makeup grip in place, imparting a modern matte velvet veil. Powered by niacinamide to balance and decongest skin, tea tree and mushroom extract to purify and calm, and aloe vera and caffeine to hydrate, soothe, and brighten skin, it boosts skin’s health under your makeup. 

“If you struggle with oiliness, you’ll be looking for a primer that won’t clog pores and that will not only target shine but also help hydrate skin too,” says Anna. “We made this formula especially soothing and balancing to provide weightless skin prep.”

 

4. Hydrating Primer

If you struggle with your makeup clinging to dry patches or generally just have skin that’s in need of added hydration, Hydrating Primer will be a tall glass of water for your beauty kit. Cushioning and calming with hyaluronic acid and botanicals like gardenia and mango extracts, it locks moisture into skin, providing a plumped and nourished prep for your foundation. “It gives a beautifully dewy finish too,” adds Anna. 

 

 

5. Oil-Free Tinted Primer SPF 30

Oil-Free Tinted Primer SPF 30 is our new and improved take on our best-selling Tinted Primer. Its all-mineral sunscreen base offers lightweight protection and a smooth, even finish, ideal if you're already a fan of mineral-based formulas or curious about what mineral makeup is. A true multitasking makeup-skincare hybrid, along with boosted priming power to extend your makeup weartime and promote a smoother complexion canvas, we’ve loaded it with skin-nourishing and balancing ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide, and salicylic acid. It’s now formulated to be a reef-safe all-mineral sunscreen. And, if that wasn’t enough the tint range is now expanded for even more color-correcting coverage.

You can wear it solo for soft-focus coverage or layer under foundation to even out your tone and extend wear, especially once you’ve nailed how to color match foundation for your complexion.

Perfect for all skin types, it creates a soft-focus skin filter effect, so you can wear it solo, add concealer for a barely-there makeup look, or layer on before your foundation for a smoother application and to keep your makeup looking its best, for longer. 

And, you can also find primers for your eyes too. Shadow Primer makes the perfect prep for your eyeshadow, while Essential Eye Base is a multitasking eye tint and primer in one. 

What Does Makeup Primer Do?

Primer fills in fine lines and blurs imperfections, and with a smooth, even surface, your products will apply more easily. Since you’ll need to use less makeup to get the same coverage, you will save on product and pennies in the long run. Plus, primers create superior surface adhesion, so your makeup stays in place and lasts longer, especially in extreme weather temperatures and conditions. Hot and humid in the summer or cold and dry in the winter, primer is going to be your new BFF.

Tinted Makeup Primer vs Tinted Moisturizer

You may be wondering what the difference is between a tinted moisturizer like our C-Shield Anti-Pollution Moisture Tint and a tinted primer like Oil-Free Tinted Primer SPF 30 and which one might be right for your skin. 

Think of C-Shield Anti-Pollution Moisture Tint as a skincare-makeup hybrid—it is a skin-conditioning moisturizer loaded with vitamin C and SPF to help protect against blue light and sun damage, and has a sheer mineral makeup tint to even out skin tone. It has a dewy, radiant finish and can be worn instead of a foundation for a more natural no-makeup-makeup look. 

Oil-Free Tinted Primer SPF 30 on the other hand is a makeup-skincare hybrid. Think elevated priming power, with color-correcting mineral tints to even out skin tone in a semi-matte finish, with added skincare benefits including vitamin C and skin-balancing niacinamide and salicylic acid, plus SPF 30. Wear it under your foundation to create a smoother canvas and boost makeup weartime. 

Does Makeup Primer Really Make a Difference?

Absolutely! A good primer can make all the difference to the smoothness and evenness of your complexion. If you’re looking to achieve a super natural, your-skin-but-better look, adding a primer will be your go-to. 

How To Apply Makeup Primer

1. First, apply your daily moisturizer and allow it to absorb into your skin, so you're working with a hydrated surface. If you have dry skin, you may wish to add HA-Revive Hyaluronic Drops to your moisturizer for an added hydration boost.
2. Then, put a pea-size amount of your face primer on a dome-shaped foundation brush and apply a light layer all over the face starting with the T-zone (nose, forehead and chin). The dome-shaped brush gives the same pressure as a touch of the fingers.
3. If you use a transparent formula, follow with your foundation application. If you use a tinted primer, wear it alone as an alternative to foundation or layer with a base for extra coverage. Enjoy the all-day wear.

What Brush Should I Use to Apply Makeup Primer?

We recommend using a dome-shaped brush, but you can also use your fingers or even a makeup blender sponge depending on your preference. Applying primer with your fingers will help warm the product so it melts into your skin. If you’re using a sponge, spritz it with a hydrating mist first then stipple the primer onto your complexion. 

Can You Use a Primer Without Makeup?

Yes, for minimalist makeup days or if that’s just your general vibe, you can use a primer without makeup as skincare-makeup hybrid. Perfect for your no-makeup-makeup look, adding a tinted primer after your skincare and heading out for the day will give you a smoothed complexion, with flexible and customizable coverage, while neutralizing any unwanted color issues or blemishes. 

And, if you’re using a tinted face primer with SPF that will also help protect your skin from premature aging caused by free radical damage. If your primer doesn’t have SPF in it, be sure to layer on a sunscreen after you moisturize and before you add your primer. 

Prime Your Way to Better Makeup Days

Whether you're going for a full face or a barely-there glow, a good primer sets the stage. From extending wear to smoothing texture and supporting your skin, Glo Skin Beauty’s primers are designed to make your makeup—and your complexion—look its very best every day.

For perfected, even skin, get your concealer game strong with our pro tips.