If you struggle to get your make-up to last the day and constantly have to contend with your foundation gathering in fine lines or sitting unevenly on top of areas of uneven skin, then a primer is a sensible investment. As well as helping your base stay in place, a good primer can help with oil control, boost radiance and deliver added skincare benefits like hydrating, plumping and protecting. Here’s our pick of some of the best primers for mature skin.
Our top picks:
Best for brightening skin: Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer, £38
Best for oil control: Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer, £57
Best for skin perfecting: Beauty Pie Wonderfilter Velvet finish Primer, £24
Best for fine lines: YSL Touche Éclat YSL Blur Primer, £35
Best for enlarged pores: Gucci Sérum De Beauté Fluide Soyeux, £41
Best for priming and setting: MAC Fix+, £16
Best for extra hold: Milk Make-up Hydro Grip Primer, £35
In this article:
- What’s the difference between regular primers and those for mature skin?
- What to look for in the best primer for mature skin
- How to use primer
Best for brightening skin: Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer
Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer
As skin ages it tends to lose its natural radiance. This primer, infused with hydrating ingredients like shea butter and glycerine as well as polymers and plenty of light-reflecting pigments, is ideal for adding a subtle glow to skin pre-base. Although you can apply it with the same brush as your foundation, it’s just as easy to smooth a pea-sized amount over skin with your fingers. While radiance is a given, it also blurs imperfections and leaves skin looking and feeling smooth.
Best for oil control: Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer
If enlarged pores and breakouts threaten to ruin your make-up application, this translucent primer is a daily essential. Micro-spherical powders blur the look of fine lines, enlarged pores and uneven texture, while also reducing excess shine. A refreshing gel formula, it also feels cooling on skin and so is ideal if skin feels irritated or sensitised before make-up application. Skin is left looking fresh not flat and is perfectly prepped for whatever else you want to apply afterwards.
Best for skin perfecting: Beauty Pie Wonderfilter Velvet finish Primer
Beauty Pie Wonderfilter Velvet Finish Primer
A modern matte primer that helps smooth out the appearance of skin. Perfect for minimising the look of fine lines and wrinkles which allow make-up to crease, this imparts an invisible, long-lasting finish that leaves skin looking softer and more perfected for hours. As well as containing the brand’s own TexturePerfect technology, it contains vita rose extract to soften and hydrate.
Best for fine lines: YSL Touche Éclat YSL Blur Primer
Fine lines can cause make-up to gather and give the appearance of an uneven skin surface. To negate that, this brightening, blurring formula uses light diffusing technology in a refreshing gel texture to smooth over and blur fine lines and leave a radiant, even finish. The formula also allows your make-up to glide on seamlessly and locks it in place for hours.
Best for enlarged pores: Gucci Sérum De Beauté Fluide Soyeux
Gucci Sérum De Beauté Fluide Soyeux
If you suffer from enlarged pores that threaten to ruin the finish of your make-up, this silky satin-matte finish primer helps to smooth, plump and diminish any blemishes or oversized pores. The finish is non-sticky, meaning make-up can be applied straightaway and the soft glow effect means that skin stays looking luminous and even, hours after you apply it.
Best for priming and setting: MAC Fix+
MAC Fix+
A bestselling primer and setting hybrid, this spray is a make-up artist favourite for a reason. Infused with vitamins, minerals and botanical extracts including green tea, cucumber and chamomile, the ultra-fine mist provides the perfect canvas to lock make-up in place and set it too. It can even be used throughout the day to refresh old make-up and bring your skin back to life.
Best for extra hold: Milk Make-Up Hydro Grip Primer
Milk Make-up Hydro Grip Primer
If you need your base to stay in place for hours on end, this gel primer is a great choice. It’s formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and blue agave extract which means that although make-up stays put, skin also stays feeling hydrated and plump too, so make-up won’t crease or get cakey. As well as being free from silicone it’s paraben-free, oil-free and fragrance-free and so is perfect for anyone with very sensitive skin.
What’s the difference between regular primers and those for mature skin?
Mature skin often has to contend with myriad issues when it comes to getting make-up to stay in place. As well as more pronounced fine lines and wrinkles, some may find their skin is drier and lacking in glow and vitality. Choosing the right primer for mature skin can help offset these issues and offer a long-lasting, smooth base on which to apply your foundation or tinted moisturiser.
What to look for in a primer for mature skin
Depending on what your skin needs, a good primer should firstly offer long-lasting hold to ensure that your make-up doesn’t slide off or fade during the day. If your concern is dry skin, then look for primers with added skincare such as hyaluronic acid to hydrate. If you suffer from uneven texture, niacinamide can help restore a smoother, more even appearance over time while blurring pigments will work in the short term to create a smoother canvas. If you want to add radiance back into your complexion, then look for a primer with light reflecting pigments and additional brightening ingredients like vitamin C which will help infuse skin with more luminosity.
How to use primer
Primers are designed to be worn as a first step in your make-up routine, so should be applied after your skincare but before your base layer of make-up. For best results apply evenly to skin either using your fingers, a brush or a make-up sponge and then let it sit for a few minutes. Once your primer has settled on skin, apply your foundation, tinted moisturiser or BB or CC cream as usual. If you opt for a spray primer, this can also be reapplied throughout the day to help refresh the look of your make-up.
