Which is the Best Primer for Your Skin Type?

Using a primer to prep your skin is the best way to ensure you makeup applies smoothly and looks perfect all day long.

With so many different formulations with various textures and finishes, there really is a primer for every single skin type and concern.

To help you find your perfect primer, we have tried and tested various formulas and selected our favourite primer for every skin type.

Our Top Picks of the Best Primer for Your Skin Type

Whether you need a radiance boost or a primer which will even out skin texture, you are sure to find your dream product in our edit.

• Dry skin: Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer
• Oily skin: Illamasqua Matte Veil Primer
• Combinations Skin: MAC Prep + Prime Fix+
• Dull skin: Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Radiance
• Textured skin: benefit Porefessional Pore Minimising Face Primer
• Sensitive skin: bareMinerals Good Hydrations Silky Face Primer
• Mature skin: Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer

Best Primer for Dry Skin

Combining the hydrating effects of a moisturiser with the makeup prolonging benefits of a primer, Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer is the dream priming product for dry skin. Silky and weightless, the primer absorbs instantly, smoothing over dry patches and plumping the skin for a luminous, healthy-skin finish.

Best Primer for Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, choosing a mattifying primer is the best way to ensure your makeup stays in place all day without breaking up or moving around. With a cream-gel formula, Illamasqua Matte Veil Primer provides long-lasting oil control and creates a silky-soft skin texture with a shine-free finish.

Best Primer for Combination Skin

A cult favourite in the beauty world, MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ is the ideal lightweight primer for combination skin. The refreshing facial mist instantly hydrates the skin but also creates a smooth, soft-matte base which makes the perfect canvas for makeup application. Enriched with soothing Green Tea, Chamomile and Cucumber, the water-based spray revitalises and protects the skin from external aggressors.

Best Primer for Dull Skin

Dull, lack-lustre skin often needs a radiance boost before makeup application in order to achieve the dream lit-from-within appearance. With ultra-fine pearl pigments and UV protection, the Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Radiance SPF35 smooths over the skin and creates a gorgeous glow whilst protecting against sun damage, providing a healthy, glowing base to add foundation to.

Best Primer for Textured Skin

Many of us struggle with uneven skin texture and seek products which promise to smooth and hydrate the complexion to enhance flawless makeup application. Helping to reduce the appearance of pores and create a smooth canvas for makeup, benefit POREfessional Primer has long been a holy-grail primer for many beauty editors and influencers. Oil-free and enriched with Vitamin E, the silky formula glides over the skin and lays down an invisible, smoothing shield.

Best Primer for Sensitive Skin

As some makeup products can aggravate sensitive skin types, it is important to choose a primer which has been designed with sensitivity in mind if your skin is easily irritated. Non-comedogenic and free from parabens, sulphates and fragrances, bareMinerals Good Hydrations Silky Face Primer smooths the skin and calms any redness to perfectly prep sensitive skin for makeup.

Best Primer for Mature Skin

As we get older and our skin matures, fine lines and wrinkles can make smooth makeup application harder to achieve. Lightweight and hydrating, Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer glides onto the skin, smoothing over uneven skin texture and fine lines for a perfected skin finish. With skin-balancing technology, the primer works for both oily and dry mature skin types.