Long-Lasting Makeup Starts With These Expert-Approved Primers (2025)

Moisturizing, plumping, and designed to make the skin glow, Chanel’s La Base Illuminatrice provides a radiant foundation for makeup. The formula is infused with a Hydra Protect Complex that floods the skin with hyaluronic acid; it also nourishes the skin with a couple of antioxidant-packed algae extracts. But the primer’s secret sauce is in its blend of pearlescent particles and blurring powders, which give the skin a silky-smooth texture while whisking away the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Key ingredients: Hydra Protect Complex, blue microalgae, red algae, pearlescent particles, blurring powders

Who it’s for: Dry or mature skin

Size: 1 fl oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.4/5 stars

Our expert says: “For dry skin or mature skin, look for a glowing primer that helps boost the glow with your makeup. My favorite is Chanel La Base Illuminatrice Glowing Makeup Primer. The super-fine, light-reflective sheen in it helps bring out your glow through the makeup, even when you feel like your skin looks dry or dull. It’s the perfect quick fix to achieve that inner radiance.” —Nick Barose

Another beloved primer in Barose’s kit? Make Up Forever Shine Control, which is one of his secret weapons for mattifying an oily T-zone. Designed to absorb excess oil, the primer creates a velvety base for foundation and can also extend makeup’s wear. In fact, according to the brand, the product can stay fresh on the skin for up to 20 hours.

Key ingredients: Ginseng, lactic acid, maca root extract

Who it’s for: Combination or oily skin

Size: 1 oz

Sephora rating: 3.9/ 5 stars

Our expert says: “For oily skin, look for a longwearing shine-control primer that will diminish oil and shine on your skin so your makeup doesn’t turn greasy. My favorite is Make Up For Ever’s Shine Control Primer. This helps keep the oil and shine away, especially on the T-Zone. It makes your skin look velvety matte but not dry.” —Nick Barose

For a primer that doubles as sun protection, Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer is a solid option. Infused with airbrush polymers to blur and smooth the skin, the featherweight primer also has hyaluronic acid to hydrate, vitamins C and E to brighten, and SPF 50. Plus, the formula is imbued with a touch of Charlotte-exclusive magic via Collalift 18. The patented ingredient refines pores, tightens the skin, and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, airbrush polymers, Collalift 18, UV A/B filters, Citystem

Who it’s for: All skin types

Size: 1.0 oz

Charlotte Tilbury rating: 4.4/5 stars

Our expert says: “This two-in-one primer with SPF is perfect for everyday wear since you can use it as a primer to keep makeup on for long hours while getting the sun protection. With this product, you can avoid layering SPF on top of makeup primer on top of moisturizer—too many layers can get cakey!” —Nick Barose

This under-the-radar find is a hush-hush favorite amongst industry pros like Barose. The pink compact holds a clear balm that eliminates shine and blurs pores, fine lines, and wrinkles as it’s tapped onto the face with a sponge. The Face Defender can be applied under or on top of makeup—but the one thing you shouldn’t do with the product, according to the brand, is dig into it with your fingers. Though it may look like there’s nothing on your sponge as you tap it into the translucent balm, trust us, it’s there. Pro tip: Tap the balm along the lipline to keep lipstick in place.

Key ingredients: Silicone, dimethicone crosspolymer, silica

Who it’s for: Oily skin

Size: 0.46 oz

Amazon Rating: 3.7/5 stars

Our expert says: “For textured skin with large pores and fine lines, look for a smoothing primer that helps fill in texture so your foundation goes on extra smooth. My favorite is Mally Beauty’s The Face Defender.” —Nick Barose

Ermahn Ospina, a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Whitney Cummings and Walton Goggins, lists Ilia’s True Skin Radiant Priming Serum as one of his top picks. He particularly likes it for those with sensitive skin. Known for its ultra-breathability and skin-nourishing properties, the vegan formula has hibiscus extract for antioxidant protection, beta-glucan to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and the tree-resin extract mastic to mattify the skin.

Key ingredients: Aloe leaf juice, hibiscus extract, beta-glucan, mastic

Who it’s for: Sensitive skin

Size: 1 oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.4/5 stars

Our expert says: “This primer's clean silicone-free, ultra-breathable formula makes it ideal for sensitive skin. Shake it well before use, apply using your fingertips, and tap onto the skin. Let it dry for a couple of minutes before applying foundation.” —Ermahn Ospina

This makeup-artist-designed primer is an insider’s pick for balancing uneven texture. Made with a blend of skin-loving ingredients, the primer is packed with botanical extracts and antioxidants that pamper and soften the complexion. It has hyaluronic acid for hydration, vitamin E for moisture, and aloe vera for added moisture and a soothing touch. The luxe primer has a silky texture, designed to smooth out fine lines and blur enlarged pores as it glides over the face.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, aloe vera

Who it’s for: Uneven or dry skin

Size: 1 fl oz

Bluemercury rating: 5/5 stars

Our expert says: “Designed and created by professional makeup artists, this weightless primer glides onto the skin to help smooth skin texture and blur the appearance of pores. Wear it on its own, or pair it with your favorite foundation for a flawless base. Expert tip: Ensure your skincare has fully settled in, waiting a few minutes before applying your primer. I also love to mix the Sensual Skin Primer with the Sensual Skin Enhancer to create a sheer, hydrating skin tint.” —Drita Paljevic, head makeup artist at Kevyn Aucoin Beauty

Rogelio Gonzalez, a hair and makeup artist at Red Market Salon in Bal Harbour, Miami, says that Gucci’s luxurious primer is worth the splurge. As someone who lives in Florida, Gonzalez is familiar with humidity, and he says that this mattifying primer stands up on even the muggiest of days. Enriched with hyaluronic and salicylic acids, the product is a rare combo of mattifying and comfortable to wear. “Unlike many matte primers that can feel tight, this one has skincare-forward ingredients that still maintain hydration, so it's not harsh on combo or slightly dry areas,” he says.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid

Who it’s for: Oily or combination skin

Size: 1.0 fl oz

Nordstrom rating: 4.5/5 stars

Our expert says: “Gucci Sérum de Beauté Matte Primer helps reduce shine and controls sebum throughout the day without over-drying. It’s great for high humidity or long-wear makeup looks.”—Rogelio Gonzalez

According to Gonzalez, this vitamin-packed classic is a workhorse when it comes to flooding the skin with benefits. “This is more of a rich cream-meets-primer hybrid,” he says. “It’s packed with shea butter and vitamins B, C, and E to nourish and protect the skin.” At the same time, it creates a smooth and creamy base for makeup. “Because it’s both a moisturizer and a primer, it’s great for simplifying your prep routine, especially in colder climates or for early-morning glam sessions,” he says. And if you do have a wee-hours call time, good news: The cream has a peppy, grapefruit-geranium scent designed to energize.

Key ingredients: Shea butter, vitamins B, C, and E

Who it’s for: Dry skin

Sizes: 1.7 oz (standard size), 3.38 oz (value size), 0.50 oz (mini size)

Sephora rating: 4.6/5 stars

Our expert says: “This eliminates dry patches, which helps with more even makeup application. This is especially important for foundations with fuller coverage or matte formulas.” —Rogerio Gonzalez

Makeup expert and Laura Kay London founder Laura Kay has combination skin, and says that primer can be beneficial for those with her skin type. “In fact, I swear by it!” she says. One of her top picks is Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r primer, which she deems “perfect all-around.” Suited for all skin types, including combination, the pore–blurring primer tamps down unwanted shine, and it has a lightweight texture that instantly sinks into the skin.

Key ingredients: Water, dimethicone, glycerin, coral powder

Who it’s for: All skin types

Size: 1.08 oz

Ulta rating: 4.2/5 stars

Our expert says: “This works well across different skin types, and it’s good at blurring imperfections and controlling shine. It has a lightweight formulation that helps makeup stay in place while giving your complexion a lovely, radiant look.” —Laura Kay

A true OG in the face-priming game, Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer has been a cult classic since its 1996 launch. Designed to help makeup glide on seamlessly and stay in place for hours, the clear, velvety formula has vitamins A and E to moisturize the skin and create a more even tone. Easy to blend, the vegan primer fills in fine lines and pores for a satiny complexion.

Key ingredients: Vitamins A and E

Who it’s for: Dry skin

Sizes: 1 oz (standard size), 1.7 oz (value size), 0.34 oz (travel size)

Nordstrom rating: 4.7/5 stars

Our expert says: “This primer goes on smoothly and really helps to blur out any uneven bits. I love how it gives you that soft-focus finish and makes your foundation glide on flawlessly. Many consider it iconic.” —Laura Kay

If you want a mug that looks even better throughout the day, this water-to-powder serum—confusing, we know, but makes sense when you actually use it—is the absolute truth. Perfect for oiler skin types, it fuses kaolin clay along with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to absorb oil so your makeup stays fresh longer.

Key ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid

Who’s it for: Oily, combination skin

Size: 1.01 oz

Sephora rating: 4.2/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I saw one TikTok video of a woman praising this serum primer for keeping her makeup in place for eight-plus hours and immediately ordered it. Feather-light and durable, this primer saps up excess oil to create a matte base that doesn’t look cakey or casket-ready. When coupled with Danessa. Myricks’ other reliable formula—Yummy Blurring Balm—my makeup is ready for whatever my day has in store.”—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor

Nick Barose is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Priyanka Chopra and Lupita Nyong’o.

Rogelio Gonzalez is a hair and makeup artist at Red Market Salon in Bal Harbour, Miami

Laura Kay is a makeup expert and the founder of Laura Kay London.

Ermahn Ospina is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Whitney Cummings and Walton Goggins.

Drita Paljevic is the head makeup artist at Kevyn Aucoin Beauty.

“To choose a face primer based on your skin type, you have to consider your skin needs,” Ospina says. Below, he breaks down his recommendations based on skin type:

For dry skin: “Look for a hydrating primer with ingredients like Hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E.”

For oily skin: “Look for a mattifying primer that has ingredients like silica and salicylic acid. The Make Up For Ever primer is perfect for oily skin. It controls the excess of oil and shine, and it gives you a matte finish.”

For sensitive skin: “Look for a water-based primer. This is a great choice for sensitive skin that gets red easily. A water-based primer is less likely to cause irritation and is also hydrating. Those with sensitive skin should also look for a primer that is alcohol and fragrance-free.”

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