Make-up primers were once only used by a select few, such as actresses and models who needed their make-up to stay luminous for an extended period. Then in the early 2000s brands such as Smashbox introduced them to the mainstream, and many consumers jumped on board the new trend.
Whilst some people swear by them, others find them a waste of time and effort. The jury is out on if we really need them as part of our make-up routine or if a good skincare routine can do the job of priming our skin.
What is a Make-up Primer?
There are a large variety of cosmetic primers designed for different areas on your face and that target different needs and occasions.
- The most common is the foundation primer. It is usually a cream, gel or spritz that is applied underneath your make-up to help smooth your skin and minimise pores which can help improve coverage and lengthen the amount of time foundation and powder stays looking fresh on your face.
- Eyelid primers can help smooth the colour of your eyeshadow, reduce oiliness, and even add a shimmer.
- Mascara primers can help to prime the lashes by lengthening and thickening them to give a fuller look.
- Lip primers can help to improve the evenness of lipstick or lip-gloss and give your lips a longer lasting flawless appearance.
In addition to catering to different areas on your face, there are a huge variety to suit both your skin type and lifestyle. A few examples are hydrating, matt, colour correcting, sweat resistance, added SPF, paraben free, nourishing and pore minimising. You can also choose between water-based, and silicon-based primers, with common ingredients including cyclomethicone and dimethicone.
The price tag of primers starts at around $10 and can exceed $100.
The conversation on primers
Whilst many people love using primers, there are plenty who don’t. You can read up on conversation forums to get a good understanding of some of the common complaints. These quotes highlight a few of the issues that you may relate to:
- I've tried it a few times, and it does terrible things to my foundation.
- It makes my skin look very textured, and makes the foundation look very dry.
- I feel like my face looks far smoother without the primer.
- For some reason make my face look either a different colour shade, or like I’ve really ‘caked on’ foundation, and therefore adding to the dryness/fine line problem.
If you’re someone who hasn’t fallen in love with primers and have experienced some of these pitfalls, you may find it useful to follow a few simple rules:
- Use it sparingly. Don’t lump it on.
- Don’t apply make-up too soon afterwards. Wait at least a minute until it dries
- Find the primer that is right for your skin type. If you have dry of combination skin opt for hydrating or illuminating primers. For oily skin, use matt oil-free primers.
- Choose a primer that works well with your foundation. If they don’t work nicely together you can end up with a thick, caked-on mess.
Do You Really Need One?
If you have a thorough skincare routine, that encompasses cleansing, hydrating, and protecting your skin, chances are you don’t really need a primer. One factor that can really help your skin glow, is opting for probiotic skincare products.
AMPERNA® is the first Australian brand to bring you a full range of probiotic skincare products. The hero ingredient, the active probiotic complex Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, helps to support the skin barrier and is gentle enough to use on even the most sensitive skin. AMPERNA® has recently extended the range with three new Pro+ Bio products, each containing a Bioferment Oligopeptide Complex. This is a Yeast Ferment Extract & Soy Amino Acid which helps to stimulate skin renewal and actively help refine & restore skin texture and radiance safely. By using these products and a holistic routine, you may find you don’t need to invest in a primer.
Sources
https://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Makeup-Primer
https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/foundation-primer-is-it-worth-using.967906/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primer_(cosmetics)
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/fashion/use-of-primers-increases.html
https://www.makeup.com/makeup-tutorials/face/tutorial-how-to-apply-primer-like-a-pro
