The 12 Best Makeup Primers of 2024

Best Overall

Tatcha The Silk Canvas Face Primer

View On Amazon $54 View On QVC $54 View On Ecosmetics.com $54

This primer takes the cake as a universal crowd-pleaser, with a balm-like texture that works great on all skin types. It blurs and smooths away the look of imperfections, and contains three different forms of silk that impart a perfectly glowy finish that still looks natural. In short, it leaves your complexion looking—and feeling—silky smooth, all while upping the longevity of your makeup, too.

Size: .7 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Hydrolyzed silk, silk powder | Contains Silicone: Yes

Best Drugstore

NYX Professional Makeup Marshmellow Smoothing Primer

View On Amazon $17 View On Macy's $17 View On Beautybay.com

Per the namesake ingredient, this does in fact boast a whipped and airy texture that makes it a joy to apply. While it has a subtle lavender tint immediately out of the bottle, it dries down totally clear on all skin tones. Best of all? It offers a whopping 10 different benefits, everything from ensuring makeup stays put (for up to 16 hours) to hydrating to soothing to blurring fine lines…and more.

Size: 1.01 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Marshmallow root extract | Contains Silicone: No

Best for Oily Skin

Neutrogena Shine Control Primer

View On Amazon $15 View On Walgreens $5 View On Riteaid.com $19

There’s arguably no skin type that can benefit from a primer more than the oily set; excess oil can up the likelihood of makeup meltdown, not to mention that a primer can also help tamp down unwanted sheen. This affordable, oil-free pick does exactly that, relying on rice protein to help absorb excess oil and leave your complexion perfectly matte for up to eight hours.

Size: 1.01 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Rice protein | Contains Silicone: Yes

Best for Dry Skin

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer

View on Sephora View On Milkmakeup.com $20

Even though primer is more often thought of as a good pick for oily skin, it can also be a great way to add an extra layer of hydration for those with dry skin. The key is choosing the right formula, and this one fits the bill. It relies on a litany of hydrating ingredients—hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, aloe water, cannabis seed extract—to give parched skin a hefty dose of moisture, all while locking makeup in place for up to 12 hours. The beautifully radiant finish is just the icing on the cake.

Size: 1.52 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, aloe water | Contains Silicone: No

Best for Acne-Prone Skin

e.l.f Acne Fighting Putty Primer

View On Ulta $12 View On Walmart $12 View On Target $10

As a general rule of thumb, it’s not always the best idea to apply tons of makeup on over blemishes; it can end up clogging your pores and only exacerbating the situation. But here’s a good exception to the rule. There’s actually acne-fighting salicylic acid mixed right into this creamy primer, great for dissolving excess oil and keeping pores clear. Anti-inflammatory zinc helps calm redness, while the green tint helps to camouflage and counteract it.

Size: .74 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Salicylic acid | Contains Silicone: Yes

Best for Mature Skin

Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer Illuminating

View On Neiman Marcus $47 View On Sephora $25 View On Ulta $47

“This has a stunning, illuminating finish that works on anyone,” says Rivero of one of his favorites. That being said, it’s an especially good pick for mature skin, which tends to be duller and lack radiance. It also contains a light-reflecting complex that works to magically blur away the look of fine lines and imperfections.

Size: 1.7 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Micronized pearls | Contains Silicone: No

Best Splurge

La Mer the Perfecting Primer

View On Neiman Marcus $100 View On Sephora $100 View On Macy's $100

Rivero lauds this for being “super hydrating and luminous.” It has a soft-focus finish that’s neither too radiant nor too matte, but rather acts like a real-life Instagram filter, blurring and diffusing any thing you don’t want to call attention to.

Size: 1.4 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Algae extract | Contains Silicone: Yes

Best Color-Correcting

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Color Correcting Primers

View On Sephora $39 View On Macy's $39 View On Makeupforever.com

Even a standard primer offers a multitude of benefits, but this color-correcting formula really ups the ante. It comes in four colors, each of which help address four different issues. The orange counteracts ashy tones in deeper complexions, yellow balances out sallowness, pink combats dullness, and green knocks out redness. Prep skin with one of these and you’ll be amazed at how much less foundation and concealer you need.

Size: 1 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Ginseng  Contains Silicone: Yes | Shades: 4

Best Clean

Exa Beauty Jump Start Smoothing Primer

View On Credo Beauty $34 View On Ulta $34 View On Exabeauty.com

For those in search of a squeaky-clean, non-toxic pick, this is it. It’s free of over 2400 different chemicals, instead boasting a water-based formula that’s packed with antioxidants (from ingredients like raspberry seed oil and cocoa powder). It also has the subtlest of peachy-pink tints that blends beautifully into all skin tones, adding a touch of brightness before you even start applying makeup. 

Size: 1.1 oz. | Additional Ingredients: CoQ10, antioxidant blend  Contains Silicone: No

Best for Prominent Pores

Il Makiage No Filter Poreless Base Smoothing Primer

View On Ilmakiage.com

The hard truth of the matter is that there’s nothing you can do that will *actually* change the size of your pores. But there are plenty of things you can do to make them look smaller and less noticeable, including use this primer. According to Rivero, it’s incredible for minimizing the look of pores; it also helps control shine and has a gorgeous, velvet-like finish.

Size: .84 oz. | Additional Ingredients: N/A | Contains Silicone: Yes

Best for Sensitive Skin

Kjaer Weis The Beautiful Primer

View On Credo Beauty View On Bluemercury.com $55 View On The Detox Market

Rivero says this works well for even those with the most sensitive of skin. It’s both silicone- and fragrance-free, relying on a bevy of natural ingredients that hydrate and nourish, all while leaving skin looking radiant and helping makeup stay on longer. Also nice: The bottle is made of recyclable glass, and the pump and cap from recycled plastic.

Size: 1 oz. | Additional Ingredients: Mica, lavender water | Contains Silicone: No