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After years of glassy, ultra-dewy skin, there has been a noticeable shift in the way that we’re all wearing our base makeup this year, and that includes the best primers. Autumn/winter 2026 has ushered in a more diffused approach to skin, with blurred, soft-focus finishes that look polished without looking heavily made up. And we’ve seen the effect across red carpets too, with celebrities stepping out with skin that looks smooth and luminous while still retaining a sense of real texture. Because of this, I’ve found myself gravitating away from “no-makeup makeup” looks, packing away my skin tints and embracing more velvety foundations and concealers. However, while I used to see makeup primer as an optional extra, my skin has changed and so has the way that my makeup wears.
Now that I’m 37, my once excessively oily skin is now simultaneously prone to shine and dehydration, meaning that carefully-applied foundation can fade, cling to texture and generally look less fresh as the day goes on. So while, for a long time, I saw makeup primer as an optional extra—something that I’d reach for before a big event but rarely bothered with every day—it now feels like a necessary step in keeping my natural-looking base intact.
What Is a Makeup Primer?
From hydrating options that smooth over dry patches (see our guide to the best primers for dry skin) to oil-controlling primers designed to stop your makeup from going patchy by lunchtime, these products offer so much more than just longevity. “Primers are brilliant if you need your makeup to last or simply want to blur any imperfections, and are especially good in areas like around the nose,” explains celebrity makeup artist Tania Grier. “Anyone can use them as long as you match them to your skin type, and there are lots of options on the market for dry to oily skin.”
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How to Use a Makeup Primer
As someone who loves to keep my makeup routine as simple and streamlined as possible, adding a primer was never high on my agenda. However, I almost think of it as the last part of my skincare routine. After applying my SPF, I tend to apply a small, pea-sized amount of primer using my fingertips and focusing specifically on areas like my forehead, chin and nose where makeup tends to fade first.
“I wouldn’t say they are essential for most people, but a good primer definitely has its place, and I always have a selection in my pro kit,” says Grier. “For brides, it really will lock that makeup in for the duration of the day and for any events lasting more than a few hours, I’d recommend a primer just to keep makeup in place, especially in a sweaty nightclub or on a vacation in a humid environment.”
The Best Natural-Looking Makeup Primers
1. Vieve Skin Nova Instant Radiance Primer
Pros
- Instantly boosts radiance
- Can wear alone or mix with foundation
Cons
- Might be too glowy if you’re used to a matte base
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
I would have avoided a radiance-boosting primer like the plague a decade ago when my skin was a whole lot oilier than it is now. However, I’m now 37 and for the past few years I have had one aim for my makeup, and that’s to transform my rather dull and tired-looking skin into something bright and glowy, and Vieve’s Skin Nova does just that. It became a staple in my makeup bag after having my first child when I’d wear it alone to add instant radiance, but now that I’m back into wearing a little more makeup on my face, it acts as a glow-boosting prep step. Infused with beta-glucan, niacinamide and rose water, it has a lovely skincare-meets-makeup quality that makes my skin look fresh before I’ve even applied foundation, and I love that it adds a layer of hydration as well as extending the longwear of my makeup.
2. Prada Refine Blurring Extending Primer
Prada
Refine Blurring Extending Primer
Pros
- Gently exfoliates and smooths skin
- Minimises shine without totally mattifying
Cons
- Won’t suit very dry skin types
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
If I’m going to use a makeup primer then I want one that does so much more than just helping my makeup to stick to my face for longer, and Prada’s Refine Blurring Extending Primer is the perfect example. Aiming to improve the actual texture of the skin through a blend of exfoliating acids (salicylic and lactic, to be precise), it reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores to create a really smooth canvas for whatever you apply on top. I’d say it’s particularly good for combination skin that can be both dry and oily, as well as anyone like myself who has quite uneven texture. Combined with a layer of skin tint or concealer, the result is velvety-smooth, soft matte skin that looks so expensive.
3. Airyday Pearl Glow SPF50+ Dreamscreen
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Appealing to those like me who want to keep their morning routine as streamlined as possible, this ticks off my daily sunscreen step while also doubling as a brightening primer. While it comes in two other shades—bronze glow and golden glow—pearl glow is my finish of choice, as it adds a luminous glow to my pale skin without any obvious shimmer or glitter. I’m always impressed by how fresh-faced I look just with this on, but I love how it shines through any product that I apply on top too for some extra dewiness.
4. Maybelline Grippy The Serum Primer
Maybelline New York
Grippy Serum Makeup Primer
As the name suggests, this is a dedicated gripping primer best suited to long days, special occasions or hot weather—any time when you really want your makeup to stick around for most of the day. It initially feels more like a hydrating serum than a primer, thanks to that niacinamide-infused formula that brightens and smooths, but once you’ve smoothed it into your skin, it transforms into a slightly sticky-feeling layer. I was hesitant at first, but it’s this tackiness that really helps any makeup that you apply on top to adhere and stay in place all day. The key is to leave it on the skin for 20 seconds to allow that serum-to-grip transformation to take place, but the pause is more than worthwhile for the longevity that it offers.
Pros
- Lightweight serum texture
- Really helps makeup cling
5. Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer
Tatcha
The Liquid Silk Canvas Primer
Now that I’m in my late 30s, I’m finding that my makeup just isn’t sitting on my skin in the same way that it used to. And on occasions where I do apply a full face, I often step back and look in the mirror to find that the products are clinging to patches and exacerbating things like pores and uneven texture, rather than disguising them. However, when I reach for this primer, I find that any products I apply on top glide on like a dream—and Grier rates it too.
“This is the primer that I pick up most in my kit as it suits most skin types, blends quickly, smooths pores and works well under all my foundations,” says Grier. “It’s also great when I need to lock that makeup down for endless hours. I had a client who flew in from Malaysia for a photo shoot and, due to her timings, we needed the makeup to last from 8 am until 8 pm, and I wouldn’t even be able to see her for touch-ups. She messaged me the next day to say her makeup did not move an inch, and the only thing she reapplied was her lipstick. Now that’s a good primer!”
Pros
- Versatile, longwear formula
- Protective skincare benefits
Cons
- It’s very expensive for a primer
6. Armani Luminous Silk Illuminating Primer
Armani
Luminous Silk Glow Extending Primer
Pros
- Gives skin a post-facial glow
- Wear it alone or mix with foundation
Cons
- Doesn’t offer much in the way of shine control
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
Armani’s iconic Luminous Silk foundation has always been one of my go-to bases. In fact, the finish is so delightful that I wore this exact foundation on my wedding day. The primer feels very much in keeping with that luxurious, radiant finish, but what makes it particularly appealing is how hydrating it is too. The water-based formula is beautifully lightweight and means that it works just as well on oily skin as it does on dry skin and makes a surprisingly big difference to how foundation sits on top. Best of all, though, it instantly gives skin that covetable lit-from-within glow, and it really lasts.
7. YSL Touche Éclat Blur Primer
Yves Saint Laurent
Touche Éclat Blur Primer
Pros
- Blurs uneven texture and large pores
- Adds a natural glow
Cons
- Doesn’t offer major oil control
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
While the obvious benefits of a makeup primer are what it can do for any products that you apply afterwards, there’s something very appealing about a primer that makes your skin look better before you put any other makeup on. YSL’s Touche Éclat Blur Primer does exactly that—adding a subtle luminosity to skin and diffusing any uneven texture. I wasn’t sure about the gel texture, but it blends effortlessly into skin, creating a smoother, more even-looking base with a touch of trademark YSL radiance. If you find that illuminating primers tend to be a bit too shiny, and mattifying primers too drying, then this is the perfect in-between option that leaves skin looking refined and softly lit in the best way.
8. ILIA The Base Face Milk
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
I skipped primer for far too long, as I thought it meant adding yet another product to my morning routine, but ILIA’s The Base Face Milk takes a slightly different approach to priming. It’s effectively really a hydrating skin-prep step rather than a traditional primer, and that’s exactly why I think it will appeal to anyone who finds that their foundation looks worse when their skin is dehydrated.
Walking the line between lightweight moisturiser, milky toner, and hydrating primer, it drenches skin in squalane, glycerin and several forms of hyaluronic acid to really plump and hydrate your complexion. While it won’t give you that obvious gripping or pore-blurring effect, if you have dehydrated skin and your foundation tends to catch on dry patches or emphasise texture, then this is a beautiful starting point.
9. Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
This is much closer to the kind of primer I used to gravitate towards in my 20s, when oil control was my biggest concern. However, there’s one key difference: this has a silky, weightless texture that makes my skin feel smoother rather than some of the thick and chalky primers that I tried in my younger years. On my combination skin, I find it particularly useful through the centre of my face, where foundation can start breaking down first, while I’d probably use less on areas that are feeling dehydrated.
The formula uses microspherical powders to blur the appearance of pores and fine lines while absorbing excess oil, so it’s a good choice if texture and shine are your main makeup frustrations. Plus, I love the translucent finish, which takes down shine without making my complexion look completely matte. I wouldn’t necessarily choose it on a day when my skin is feeling parched, but for a long-wear base or a more polished finish, it has a very useful role.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products over the years—spanning skincare, makeup, hair and nails—and work closely with trusted experts including dermatologists, makeup artists and leading industry insiders to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
