Prime Position! What make-up primer is for you?

This week it seems every brand from Rimmel to Estee Lauder are launching new make-up primers! With so many primers on the market it is hard to understand what the real benefits of each are. From illuminating to skin smoothing, there are numerous types and brands all offering different advantages, so which one is for you? This week I will discuss different types of primers to help you find the primer that is right for your skin type!

• Tired Dull skin – Illuminating

If your skin is currently dull and lackluster and you want to start beaming into the summer months, then you need an illuminating primer! Illuminating primers are best used when mixed into liquid foundations and give a fresh dewy glow, use a foundation brush for application to give an added airbrushed effect. This should then be followed with a light powder and if possible a cream blush, again adding to the fresh morning glow that you want to achieve with this look. Go easy on the eye make-up, add lashings of mascara and a natural lip gloss. This look can be seen beautifully on the left as worn by Kate Bosworth.

My favourite product for getting this dewy look is Clarins ‘Instant Light Complexion Perfector’. One pump of this light weight primer mixed in with your foundation or worn alone can help you achieve the look shown above. At the price of €27.45 it’s not a cheap option but it lasts weeks as this look is not for the everyday!

This product is available in 3 shades (00,02,03) with the original  (00) being the best to get the look outlined above. However one of the newer shades 03 has a tanned tint which makes it a gorgeous holiday must have, forwhen you already have a tan and don’t need a heavy foundation one pump of this primer makes you look totally glowing throughout your holiday, day and night!

• Open Pores/ Wrinkles – Smoothing

For both ageing and young woman, skin imperfections can be a cause for concern. Whether it is the beginning of the dreaded crows feet or acne scarring, we all long for smooth perfect skin. If you find you struggle with skin imperfections, especially those that cannot be simply covered with make -up smoothing primers are for you!

These primers can be used to fill in open pores, wrinkles and mask skin imperfections such as rosacea and discolouring. These primers should simply be used over your daily moisturiser and under your foundation and can be applied to either problem areas or the whole face with your foundation brush. Below you can see three of my favourite smoothing primers that suit everyone’s budgets!

L’Oreal Studio Secrets

Bourjois Smoothing Primer

Clarins Instant Smooth

• Oily/ Combination Skin – Mattifying 

If you suffer with oily or combination skin and dread the mid day T-zone shine, a mattifying primer is the one for you! By priming your skin with a mattyfing base it gives your make-up a matte look that should last all day. This primer should be oil free and applied to the whole face after you have applied a light day moisturiser.

The best mattifying base I have come across is No.7 ‘ Shine Free Make-up Base’ due to its all day lasting power and good price!  Priced at around €14 this primer offers long sufferers of shiny skin some relief.  It also contains light reflecting particles found in most illuminating primers that helps to disguise fine lines and flaws while ensuring a matte finish all day!