Q&A for How to Apply Foundation Primer

Yes, you can mix foundation and primer. In fact, some makeup artists recommend doing this to make sure your face is covered properly without looking "caked on" and to ensure that your makeup lasts longer. It also helps you save some time during your makeup routine!

Primer is used to create a smooth surface on your face before adding makeup. It can also be used just on its own, to create the appearance of a smooth surface. Primer helps to reduce the appearance of pores, fine lines and other blemishes and it can help to even out skin tone. Another benefit is that it keeps your makeup in place, without smudging, so your made-up face will last longer.

If you like the effect that primer gives your skin (smoothing it out evenly, etc.), then it’s fine to wear it on its own. It’s often used to good effect for a natural or "no-makeup" appearance.

If you have a darker complexion and acne scarring, you might find that a primer with an orange tint will work best.

The best primer for someone with normal skin with a paler complexion would be one that has a brightening agent in it.

Primers are useful for oily skin and some skincare professionals advocate the use of primer as an essential part of an oily skincare regime. wikiHow does not recommend any one product over another, so the tip from us is to check the packaging for a guarantee from the manufacturer that the primer is "oil-fighting", "oil-reducing," or perfect for oily skin types. You could also ask for suggestions from friends, beauty forums online or social media contacts for specific brand names.

The proper order is to place moisturizer on your face first, followed by primer, and finished with your makeup. The process for applying moisturizer is explained in Part 2 above.

Primer is optional so you don't need it, but it could be good to have if you will be wearing makeup all day and you don't want to keep touching it up.

That is the purpose of primer, yes. The idea is to apply primer to fill in any creases and pores in your skin so that your foundation will go on more smoothly.

You should use primer first so that the concealer will have a good base to be applied to. The primer is supposed to be a base for all of your makeup.

No, they are not the same thing. Primer is sheer and goes on first. It helps smooth out your skin by filling in tiny pores and wrinkles. Concealer is like really thick or concentrated foundation. It is used to spot-cover imperfections, like pimples and under eye shadows.

I like the Smashbox Primer Water for every day and the Smashbox Photo Finish foundation primer for more full coverage days.

There are two different types of skin tone, the way you figure this out is: Going out into the sun and looking at your veins on your wrist; if they have a blue look to them, you have a cool skin tone, and if they are more green in colour, you have a warm skin tone.

It's not essential, but many people find it helpful. Primer gives a nice smooth base for your foundation so that it doesn't sink into your pores and lines. It also helps your makeup last longer.

Primers with a green tint are the best for redness. There are several brands that sell color-correcting/green-tinted primers, such as NYX, Smashbox, Clinique, etc. Just find the one that works best on your skin!

No, because primer fills your pores (but doesn't clog) so that your skin is nice and smooth to apply foundation and concealer. Concealer conceals the spots that need a little more help, like the name implies.

There are a lot of clear silicone-based primers that are good for all skin tones, such as Nyx's Shine Killer.

You can wear primer alone for a natural look. You can also set the primer with translucent powder to help it stay put.

The L'Oreal Age-Defying primers and skincare are great.

You can. There are special under-eye primers, but you can also use your regular face primer under your eyes if you want.

Of course! Primer will give your skin a smoother appearance, and because BB cream is very lightweight, it should look flawless.

Try the Benefit Porefessional Primer. It works great for all skin types, fills in pores and wrinkles, and covers acne and pimples.

Its best to use the primer first. A face primers purpose is to give your face a good, smooth canvas before applying any type of makeup!

Violet/purple-tinted primers can brighten dull skin (i.e. e.l.f. Tone Adjusting Face Primer - Brightening Lavender). Dark circles can be neutralized with color-correcting concealers with a red, orange, or yellow tint, depending on the undertones of your dark circles.

A mattifying primer will work best for your oily skin, as it removes the greasy sheen from your face. The uneven skin tone can be addressed with a medium to full coverage foundation that best suits your skin tone.

The best primer for acne-prone faces is an oil control primer or a mattifying primer. My favorites are the Smashbox oil primer and the Too Faced Peach Perfect primer. If those two do not interest you, you can use the BareMinerals Blemish Rescue primer.

Before. The primer should keep it on longer for the rest of the day. Rat way you don't have to reapply it every few hours.

Make sure your primer is the right kind for your skin and that is has fully set before you begin to apply your foundation. Applying your foundation with a beauty blender may help since you'd be patting the foundation on/into your skin rather than pushing it (and maybe the primer) around.

Sure! Do not feel obligated to wear foundation. BB cream is an excellent product to even out your skin color without using such a heavy product on your face. Just be sure to apply an even layer and blend out any harsh lines.

The order of application varies but generally, it goes moisturizer, primer, then color corrector (optional), foundation and concealer, then powders. The foundation will usually hide most things you're trying to conceal so you won't end up using as much product or adding unnecessary layers and making the face look heavy. If you're concealing under the eyes, use a lighter concealer after foundation to highlight as well as conceal.