Primer 101: How to Create a Flawless Base for Your Makeup Look
The Importance of Skincare and Primer
Learn the basics of a perfect makeup base from a consistent skincare routine to using the right primer for your skin type. Find out how primer can fill in pores and fine lines, giving you a smoother canvas for even makeup application. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, these tips will help you achieve a flawless base that lasts all day.
How to Create a Flawless Base for Your Makeup Look
Cleanse, tone, moisturize, wear sunscreen.
That's not what you were expecting me to say, is it?
Well, the truth of the matter is when it comes to having makeup that looks good, you have to have skin that looks good.
Now I'm not talking about perfect skin. God knows that I don't have perfect skin. I have pores that ants could live in. So I'm just talking about healthy, clean skin.
If you are wearing makeup, and you are not in the daily habit of removing your makeup and practicing a skincare routine, well…
We already know that your makeup's not gonna look its best, and you're really doing your skin a great disservice if you're not taking care of it.
Now, I am a fan of really elaborate multistep skincare routines, but I totally understand that that is not for everyone.
So a simple routine is:
Cleanse
Tone
Moisturize
… although toners seem to be on the way out.
Most skincare nowadays is pH balanced to the point that you don't need a toner to rebalance the pH. You can just move straight from your cleanser to a serum to a moisturizer.
So really, I guess you should be alright as long as you're cleansing and moisturizing. If you have established a consistent skincare routine, that's how you're going to get the flawless base for your makeup.
Now that I've lectured you on skincare, let's move on to the makeup.
Are you still with me? You didn't stop listening when I mentioned skincare, did you?
All right. So I recently had the pleasure of being reintroduced to the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. Primer is a makeup product that is so common now, that it is totally taken for granted.
I'm not that old. I'm 42-years old, but I've been around long enough that back when I started wearing makeup as a teenager, primer did not exist as it does now. It was not a thing. And Smashbox was the first company to realize that if we have a smooth canvas - the canvas being the face in this case - the makeup is going to look immaculate.
They really changed the way we wear makeup, and they don't get nearly enough credit for that. So the next time you're applying a primer before you apply your makeup, thank, Smashbox. Put Smashbox in your makeup prayers because they really changed the way that we wear makeup.
When people tell you that your skin looks amazing (and you think it doesn't), you know it's because you applied a primer before you put on your foundation.
You can thank Smashbox. This is not sponsored, by the way. It's just something a lot of people don't realize, don't know, haven't spoken about, and I really just want to mention it.
Once we've established that you're practicing a consistent skincare routine, then we can move on to the makeup.
Now go get yourself a primer!
Primers come in a couple of forms. They have Silicon based primers. They have mattifying primers. If you’re brand new to makeup, I would say, just go for a silicone-based primer. As I said previously, I highly recommend the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. It really is one of the best, because it's the original.
What do makeup primers do?
They fill in fine lines and pores. I have humongous pores on my cheeks. I've always had them. Probably from over-exfoliating with a walnut scrub when I was a teenager, unfortunately. So all those little micro tears caused these really enlarged pores on my face.
I really benefit from using a primer that's silicone-based, because it does fill in my enlarged pores. Sounds kind of gross. It gives me a flatter, more smooth surface for makeup to slide across.
So first thing is: get yourself a good primer.
If you don't like silicone or you're allergic to silicone, there are different primer formulas out there. One I actually like. That's actually quite good. That's not a silicone primer is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Primer Broad Spectrum with SPF 15.
That one is water-based. You don't have to use the silicone ones to fill in your pores. They have all their little magic ingredients that will just make your skin smoother and moisturized, allowing for a more even makeup application.
When you use primer, you're just going to take a pea-sized amount.
That's literally all you need. I know people say that about every single thing on the planet - toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner - you really only need a pea-sized amount when you apply primer:
I like to just take a pea-sized amount of primer on the tip of one finger.
Then rub the tips of my fingers from both hands together.
Apply it by just smoothing it across my face.
Don't rub it in. You're not rubbing it in like moisturizer. Literally, just smooth it across your face. You're laying down the foundation for your base.
So now that you have cleansed, moisturized, and primed, now you can go in with your foundation and concealer…
Or concealer then foundation… But you know what? That's another topic for another day.
There you have it! Flawless makeup begins with skincare and using a good primer.
If you've made it this far in the newsletter, I hope this was helpful. I hope this brought you value.
If you have any questions that I did not address, feel free to comment or email me, and I would be glad to answer your questions to the best of my ability.
Do you use a makeup primer? What is your favorite primer? Do you prefer silicone-based, water-based or a different formula altogether?
Thank you so much for reading!
Heather N King
Wow that was super helpful!