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Reader question: What is the best drugstore brand for base/primer? @jholley2005
We all love makeup and a good deal (see our concealer roundup from last week), so let's talk drugstore primers. Primer may seem like a skippable step, but the makeup pre-game is arguably the most important consideration to take in your routine. Just like you would apply a base coat on your nails pre-polish (well, I hope so), primers give your foundation and concealer an even surface to grip onto so that makeup goes on evenly and lasts longer. Not to mention that many primers are also boosted with ingredients that make applying makeup better for your skin than going without.
Oh, and here's the best part-you don't have to shell out big bucks to reap the benefits. Case in point: These six primers, which I've tested against even the most expensive alternatives to affirm they're the real deal.
Dubbed by fans as "Photoshop in a bottle," Maybelline's aptly named formula smooths over pores and bumpy patches like an imperfection eraser.
If your oily pores ruin your perfectly blended makeup throughout the day, this primer will be a foundation-saver-it mattifies skin and controls shine for up to 8 hours, so your foundation looks the same at happy hour as it did at your 11 a.m. meeting.
This serum-to-primer hybrid is infused with purified hyaluronic acid to give three major benefits: intensely hydrate, plump up your complexion (i.e. younger-looking skin), and bestow the *glow*.
Calling all skincare and makeup minimalists: This drugstore primer moonlights as sunscreen with SPF 30 to provide UV and foundation protection.
The last thing you want on an acne-prone complexion is a thick formula that sits on your face (read: clogs up your pores). This one has a gel consistency that absorbs quickly and leaves behind a matte, never sticky finish.
If you're familiar with color correcting (using complementary colors to cancel each other out), then you should know that green will neutralize any red you're trying to hide. This one from NYX cancels out any redness caused by rosacea, acne, and broken capillaries while prolonging the wear of your foundation.
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