What is Facial Primer?

What is facial primer? Just like a paint primer on a wall, face primer is designed to create a smooth surface on your face prior to the application of makeup. It helps create a barrier between the skin and the makeup, protecting the skin while keeping oil or dryness of the skin from affecting the makeup application. It also helps create an even, all-over color tone so that makeup goes on evenly and stays put.

Facial primers are relatively new to the market, and some people confuse them with foundations. Foundation, which is used to create even color and complexion, does some of the things facial primer does, but it's a very different substance. A foundation is typically a cream or a powder and is tinted to a specific shade, and is designed to cover imperfections in the skin. A facial primer, however, is not meant to cover imperfections so much as to prepare the skin for the make-up that will do the covering. Most facial primers have a lotion-like consistency and are typically clear or very lightly colored. They come in a variety of options, from powders meant for oily skin to gels and liquids for dry or combination skin. They are usually meant to be applied with a makeup sponge or a soft cloth as using the fingers to apply them can result in uneven application. Facial primer can be used beneath foundations, liquid makeups, and lotions, or used on its own. It is also sometimes referred to as “makeup base” or “enhancer base.”