Best Makeup Primers of 2024

As with many things in life, good makeup typically starts with a good foundation. And by foundation, we mean what you put on your skin as part of your routine before even getting to your actual base makeup — like your serum, moisturizer, and, most importantly, primer. It ensures everything that follows goes on smoothly and stays there, so you don’t end up wasting all of that time applying your powder, blush, bronzer, and highlighter.

Makeup primers are what makeup artists and beauty influencers alike rely on to smooth uneven texture, keep excessive oil at bay, and keep makeup products from creasing. They come in a variety of finishes, from matte to dewy, and are often packed with skin-loving ingredients that help improve your skin while you wear them. Some face primers even contain a light tint so you can wear them without makeup altogether.

Whether you want a mattifying primer to keep your skin looking fresh or a luminizing primer to attain that dewy glow, read on for professional makeup artists and beauty editors to reveal their go-to makeup primers.