12 Best Face Primers of 2025 to Lock in Your Makeup All Day

Key ingredients: peptides, mimosa flower extract, ceramides | Who it's good for: people looking to blur fine lines | Finish: satin

Best Glowy: Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer

Why it’s worth it: Silky without sacrificing the soft stickiness key to an incredible makeup primer, Armani’s Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer checks all the boxes. The skin-care/makeup hybrid formula boosts radiance, moisturizes swiftly, and amps up the wear time of your favorite products. Pair it with Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation for a seriously glowy moment.

Tester feedback: "True to its name, this primer really does make my skin look more luminous. In my mid-30s, I've been dealing with both large pores and fine lines, so I love that this multitasking formula can handle both with ease," says interim shopping director Deanna Pai. "It feels smooth (but not greasy) and leaves my skin looking airbrushed, especially when layered under foundation."

Key ingredients: shea butter, rice bran, glycerin | Who it's good for: everyone | Finish: glowy

Best Moisturizer: Merit Great Skin Priming Moisturizer

Why it's worth it: Few things tickle Allure editors more than versatile formulas OR products, so when we got our innovation-loving hands on Merit's Great Skin Priming Moisturizer, we were pumped. This cream is super lightweight, packed with hyaluronic acid to soothe and lock in hydration, allowing makeup to go on smoothly sans pilling. It's non-comedogenic and fragrance-free, meaning it's safe for people with sensitive skin.

Tester feedback: “I've been a fan of Merit's take on skin care since they dropped their first serum in 2022, and the Great Skin Moisturizer is a worthy addition the brand's truly great lineup of products," says commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann. "I keep this priming moisturizer in my makeup bag and use it pretty much daily as a prep step. It adds a layer of silky hydration to my skin that plays great under makeup, but it also contains a biomimetic emulsifier that creates a blurred, suede-y finish that's perfect for makeup free days."

Key ingredients: glycerin, hyaluronic acid | Who it's good for: people with sensitive skin, dry skin | Finish: blurring

Best With SPF: Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50

Why it's worth it: What's better than a hydrating primer? A hydrating primer that contains SPF, of course. Charlotte Tilbury's Invisible UV Flawless Primer has a little something for every skin type: vitamins C and E for brightening, hyaluronic acid for moisture, and a combination of UVA and UVB filters to protect skin from sun damage and pollutants. Since this formula reduces flashback, it's a good pick for photo-forward events like weddings.

Tester feedback: “My biggest beauty flaw is that I constantly forget to apply sunscreen (a total skin sin, I know), but I don't have to fret about that when I have Charlotte Tilbury's Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50 in my makeup bag,” says commerce writer Jennifer Hussein. “Not only does it provide sun protection, but it also grips my complexion products in place all day long while feeling totally weightless on my skin.”

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, camellia oil | Who it's good for: people who want a one-and-done | Finish: radiant

Best for Combination Skin: Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum

Why it's worth it: The Best of Beauty-winning Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum is a weightless, moisturizing pick that won't bug naturally oily skin. Its ceramide hydration gel balances sebum production without sacrificing hydration or radiance (that's the diamond mineral powder at play). Miami-based makeup artist Natalie Dresher calls it one of her favorite makeup primers for its ultra-light texture and glowy finish. Pair it with your makeup or wear it solo for a dewy look.

Tester feedback: "When my skin needs an extra wake-up call, I love reaching for the Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum to prep my complexion before makeup," commerce editor Sarah Han says. "As someone with combo skin, I can't deal with overly heavy or silicone-y primers, so this lightweight serum is so ideal—it leaves my skin looking extra hydrated and radiant, but not greasy."

Key ingredients: ceramides, diamond mineral powder | Who it's good for: people with oily and combination skin | Finish: radiant

More face primers we love:

Best for Large Pores: Tatcha The Liquid Silk Canvas

Why it's worth it: A perfect makeup look calls for a perfectly primed canvas, and Tatcha's The Liquid Silk Canvas Primer delivers just that. Naturally, it's packed with Tatcha's signature Hadasei-3, a magic trio of rice, green tea, and algae that adds up to a hydrating, silky formula ready to blur and lock in your product. The primer is inspired by bintsuke, a soft wax geishas use on their faces to prep for long-wearing makeup. If it isn't The Liquid Silk Canvas, you might be into, don't overlook the balm version, which celebrity makeup artist Courtney Hart calls her "go-to" for people with more prominent pores.

Tester feedback: "It glides on smoothly and keeps your makeup in place all day long. Put this on after your moisturizer and right before foundation so that you're setting in your base makeup," former Allure editor Audrey Noble explained.

Key ingredients: rice, green tea, algae, silk extract | Who it's good for: everyone | Finish: silky

Best for Dry Skin: Make Up For Ever Step 1 Hydra Booster Primer

Why it's worth it: A veteran Allure Best of Beauty winner, the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Prima Hydra Booster Primer is a staff favorite. Because it has the texture of a serum, you can easily mix this product into your moisturizer or foundation for a seamlessly natural finish. Glycerin doles out serious hydration with an assist from hardworking ginseng, which reduces redness, brightens up dull skin, and softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Tester feedback: "This product feels more like a hydrating serum than a typical primer and gives my stressed complexion a much-needed wake-up call every morning," commerce editor Sarah Han says.

Key ingredients: ginseng, glycerin | Who it's good for: people who need extra moisture | Finish: radiant

Best Grip: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

Why it's worth it: Milk’s Makeup's Hydro Grip Primer is the next best thing to supergluing our makeup to our faces—and thank goodness for that. This Readers' Choice Award-winning primer uses blue agave extract to form an invisible film on the face that sticks to makeup for an all-day hold. The formula also features skin-loving ingredients like hydration-boosting hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and aloe.

Tester feedback: "If primer is a non-negotiable for you and dry, indoor heat also tries to ruin your life (or you just have dry skin), this is a lovely primer that will act as extra hydration while holding onto your makeup all day, kind of like if your hyaluronic acid serum had extra makeup-gripping powers," Allure contributor Sable Yong previously told Allure. "It's a refreshing change from the spackle-like reputation of most makeup primers."

Key ingredients: blue agave extract, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide | Who it's good for: everyone | Finish: satin

Best Multitasking: Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

Why it's worth it: Is there anything the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré can't do? This rich, shea butter-infused cream is a beloved makeup artist staple that goes above and beyond a traditional primer by moisturizing and blurring foundation. "You massage it in, and the skin takes on a beautiful tone without looking greasy," makeup artist Rafael Pita previously told Allure. That's not all, though; You can also use it as a non-stripping cleansing milk, nourishing face mask, and soothing post-sun care.

To use as a cleanser, apply a generous amount onto the skin like a makeup-removing solution. As a face mask, apply a thick layer onto the skin for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.

Key ingredients: beeswax, aloe vera, and shea butter | Who it's good for: people who want a fast-absorbing option | Finish: radiant

Best Depuffing: Refy Glow and Sculpt Face Primer

Why it’s worth it: Our ears perked up when we caught wind of the rollerball applicator on Refy’s Glow Primer, which depuffs as it imparts the silky, skin-care-forward serum formula. The base is shimmer-free, perfect for people who want an especially natural look, all while maintaining the grippy power of your favorite primer. You’ll find niacinamide, vitamin E, and glycerin in the ingredients list to help brighten your complexion, minimize any redness, and replenish hydration.

Key ingredients: niacinamide, vitamin E, glycerin | Who it's good for: people who want a sculpted look, people who don’t want shimmer | Finish: natural

Best Drugstore: E.L.F. Liquid Poreless Putty Primer

Why it's worth it: Coming in at just $10 is E.L.F.'s Liquid Poreless Putty. It won 2023 and 2024 Allure Best of Beauty Awards for Best Matte Primer and continues to be a budget-friendly fave for its pore-minimizing abilities and major makeup grip. You'll also find familiar skin-care ingredients in this formula, like moisturizing squalane and calming resveratrol. Let this formula sit on your skin for roughly 30 seconds before going in with your base makeup.

Key ingredients: dimethicone, squalane, resveratrol | Who it's good for: anyone looking to mattify their skin and fill in pores | Finish: matte

Frequently Asked Questions

"Face primers can help prep the skin, smooth uneven texture, even the skin tone, and may help makeup last longer," says Dillon Peña, makeup artist and founder of Leland Francis. When shopping for a primer, keep your skin concerns in mind to get more out of the primer than just grippiness. Oil-prone? Look for a lightweight mattifying or oil-controlling primer that employs ingredients like silica or salicylic acid, says Peña. People with dry skin should seek creamy, hydrating, or plumping primers formulated with hyaluronic acid or glycerin. If you have redness, Peña suggests opting for a color-correcting primer with a green tint to help neutralize. (Soothing ingredients like aloe or green tea can also help.) Enlarged pores will fare well with a thicker, balm-like, or silicone-based primer that can help smooth the appearance.

Makeup artist tip #1? Allow the primer to dry fully for around a minute before you put on your makeup. "The trick with any primer is to make sure it's applied in a small dime-to-nickel-size amount and fully blended in first [before going in with foundation]," makeup artist Allan Avendaño previously explained. "Applying lightly and sparingly is my go-to rule," he adds.

Makeup artist Vincent Oquendo also recommends starting small. He previously explained that someone with dehydrated skin who tends to absorb makeup more quickly can handle a quarter-size dollop of primer. In contrast, someone with oily skin should stick to the bare minimum because it sits on the surface longer.

Always apply primer with clean fingers so your makeup absorbs fully and isn't sullied by outside grime. To keep your makeup from pilling, align your primer and foundation bases—for example, your best bet is to use a water-based primer with a water-based foundation, or a silicone-based primer with a silicone-based foundation.

• Rafael Pita, a makeup artist based in Paris
• Courtney Hart, a makeup artist and men's groomer based in Los Angeles
• Dillon Peña, a makeup artist based in New York City and Los Angeles
• Allan Avendaño, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles
• Vincent Oquendo, a makeup artist based in New York City
• Natalie Dresher, a makeup artist based in Miami

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best makeup primers, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and professional makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

We've got all the tips on how to make your primer work the hardest:

• The Ultimate Guide to Makeup Primer and How to Use It
• The 13 Best Primers for Mature Skin, According to Makeup Artists
• 15 Best Primers for Oily Skin to Minimize Mid-Day Sheen

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