6 Best Drugstore Primers

According to IPSY, makeup primer serves to strengthen the bond between your skin and the makeup you apply. So, if you've never considered using such a product, primer is definitely a great makeup product to consider for addition to anyone's routine. Believe it or not, drugstore primer can be just as good an option as the expensive, department store counterparts. But before deciding to run out and buy one, what exactly is makeup primer, and how can it benefit your skincare and makeup routine? Byrdie says primer is applied underneath makeup products like eyeshadow, concealer, foundation, lipstick, mascara, and even nail polish. In the end, it works to hold your products in place throughout the entirety of your day. Through sweat, humidity, and even rain, the best drugstore primer gives you a finish that lasts in even the worst conditions.

Beyond makeup preservation, however, Good Housekeeping says there are a number of benefits to be had from using makeup primer as a regular part of your daily makeup routine. With a variety of makeup primers on the market today, these benefits vary from product to product. Whether you're someone with dark circles, dry skin, redness, oily skin, or some other skin imperfections, there's a primer out there to benefit your skin type and skin tone. If you've never shopped for a makeup primer before, you'll be relieved to know that everyone from Maybelline to Urban Decay, Max Factor, and NYX Professional Makeup makes a priming product. According to Vogue, When you know what you need for your skin, in particular, you can confidently decide on the right primer for your daily makeup application.

Maybelline says, there are four different types of makeup primers. These include mattifying primer, hydrating primer, illuminating primer, and color-correcting primer. These products are not limited to the face itself – there are also primer options for eyelashes, lips, and eyeshadow as well. Getting into the benefits of makeup primer, it works great for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, in addition to correcting dry spots, open pores, spots, and uneven skin tones. When it comes to choosing a makeup primer to try, it's important that you shop according to your skin type and any issues you might be dealing with. Read on below to not only discover which makeup primers are ideal for your skin type, but which are the 6 best drugstore primers overall.

Finding Makeup Primer for Your Skin Type

From mature skin to combination skin and everything in-between, everyone is different. In turn, there's no one size fits all makeup solution out there. With so many options available today – it can be challenging trying to sift through the bounty of primers at your local drugstore. In fact, Bliss Egg says primer can be one of the more confusing products to shop for. Luckily, with the help of this guide, you won't have to do it on your own.

Makeup Primer for Mature Skin

Because mature skin has its own unique issues and requirements, it's important that you take them into consideration when shopping for any new makeup product. Why? Well, with the existence of fine lines and wrinkles, Woman's World says the best primer for aging skin isn't only going to keep your makeup in place. It will go above and beyond to soothe the appearance of imperfections while keeping makeup from creasing and traveling into those undesirable lines and wrinkles we mentioned. If you do happen to have mature skin, a makeup primer is especially useful for your skin type because the majority are actually formulated for older skin. With added ingredients like sunscreen and various moisturizing ingredients – it can actually protect your skin and give it a youthful appearance.

Makeup Primer for Oily Skin

From unwanted shine and acne to melting makeup, oily skin presents a bevy of challenges in terms of makeup application and skincare. When you decide to shop for the best drugstore primers near you, several factors must be taken into consideration. For starters, Harper's Bazaar says you definitely don't want anything that's going to add more moisture to your skin. A hydrating face primer, for example, isn't going to help your skin or maintain your makeup. Instead, look for a makeup primer that contains ingredients such as retinol, salicylic acid, clay, lemongrass, aloe vera, spearmint, hyaluronic acid, and various plant extracts. Providing a flawless matte finish, the best makeup primer for oily skin is gonna be on the more natural side.

Makeup Primer for Dry Skin

While dry skin might sound easier to manage than its oily opposition, this is far from the truth in reality. Much like the other skin types on this list, dry skin has an array of unique problems that make skin health and makeup application challenging. If I'm describing your skin, worry not – there are plenty of drugstore primers for you to choose from. Makeup.com says from hydrating dry patches to minimizing the appearance of blemishes and other imperfections, the best primer for dry skin will not only hold your makeup in place but also hydrate the skin and create a smooth canvas on which to express yourself. Furthermore, you want to stick with water-based products.

Makeup Primer for Sensitive Skin

According to The Zoe Report, a good makeup primer can make the difference between a fresh-all-day face and a smudged and faded look of exhaustion. On the other hand, if you have sensitive skin and you choose the wrong primer – you could find yourself worsening your existing problems while causing redness and irritation simultaneously. If you have sensitive skin and you're on the hunt for a dependable drugstore primer – you'll want to look for a product with more natural ingredients. Things like vitamins A, B, C, vitamin E, aloe vera, green tea, argan oil, calendula, jojoba, and hyaluronic acid all serve to help keep sensitive skin healthy and free from irritability.

Makeup Primer for Combination Skin

Are you one of the unlucky people dealing with a whole array of skin issues? If you answered yes and wish to create a smooth base for your makeup, choosing a primer for combination skin doesn't have to be difficult despite popular belief. Style Craze says from dark circles and large pores to dry spots, skin texture, oily skin, and redness – you need to find an all-in-one primer that truly supports your skin type. Look for a product that boasts oil control and pore protection for the best results.

Check Out the 6 Best Drugstore Primers Below

Now that you've identified your skin's needs and how you can best solve them through the use of a primer – you can officially start shopping. Rather than getting lost in the makeup aisle at your local drugstore, we took the time to review the 6 best drugstore primers so that you don't have to! Not only are these brands of the utmost quality, but they also provide top-notch customer service and affordable primer options perfect for every skin type. Trust us, once you start using primer regularly, you'll experience everything from longer-lasting makeup to healthier skin and less of a need to use large amounts of makeup products to achieve your desired outcome.

NYX Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Primer

Available for less than $12, NYX Professional Makeup Studio's Perfect Primer is the perfect option for anyone looking to appear camera-ready at all times of the day. In fact, entitled the 'Photo-Loving' primer, it comes in three different shades to help with a variety of different skin imperfections and other issues. Everything from dark spots and uneven skin tones to redness is easily corrected with this makeup primer, and its cream texture spreads thin for a completely weightless feel. All while providing the perfect smooth base for your makeup look, whether it be natural or more dramatic.

Perfect for getting rid of fine lines, wrinkles, large pores, yellow undertones, and redness, while adding illumination and a matte finish, this option is great for all skin types. And NYX is capable of taking you from foundation to finish with a complete line of photo-friendly products such as this. Finally, the primer formula itself is cruelty-free and totally vegan. Keep in mind, however, that while this product is a great option for the face – it doesn't work great for the eyelids so you might consider a different product if that's your goal. Otherwise, NYX offers the same high-quality maintenance as a more expensive primer but at a much lower price.

Touch in Sol No Pore Blem Primer

With a formula that contains green tea and collagen, this more natural makeup primer selection comes to us from a lesser-known brand. Don't let that fact deter you, because Touch in Sol's No Pore Blem Primer promises and delivers on an array of factors including pore minimization, sebum and shine control, hydration, smoothing, and much more. For $16, you get a 1-ounce bottle certain to last for the long haul, making it well worth the price. From dull and sagging skin to oily skin and moisture loss, this primer addresses pretty much every common skin type and challenge, making it great for anyone with combination skin.

Another major benefit to this makeup primer is its ability to leave the skin feeling fresh and silky both before and after your makeup is applied. With a microfiber makeup structure, this primer is easy to apply and offers maximum pore coverage. Because it has the ability to fill fine lines and smooth wrinkles, this priming product is additionally great for anyone with mature skin. Much like some of the other products on this list, this too has several variations from which to choose. So, no matter what your skin type, Touch in Sol likely has a primer for you. Check them out today to discover options for smoothing, pore coverage, redness, and deep cleaning purposes.

ELF Poreless Putty Primer

On sale for less than $9, ELF's Poreless Putty Primer is an excellent option for anyone with a need for hydration. Infused with an ingredient known as Squalane, this formula confidently provides just the perfect amount of moisture for any skin type – even those with oily skin can benefit. Additionally, the formula itself is free of things like phthalates, parabens, nonylphenol, and ethoxylates. Its cream texture comes from a vegan and cruelty-free composition that only needs 30 seconds to set before your makeup application for a dependable all-day hold.

Also available in several different variations, ELF's Poreless Putty Primer is a good purchase for anyone with dry, oily, combination, and acne-prone skin – all you have to do is choose one that corresponds with your skin type or any issues you might be looking to solve. With helpful ingredients like hyaluronic acid, kaolin clay, collagen, and salicylic acid, it's easy to see how it benefits such a broad spectrum of people. While this ELF primer is not focused on mature skin, it does offer wrinkle and fine line smoothing effects. Keep in mind, however, that it does not offer the complete fill-in effects found with some of the thicker, creamier primer products. If you do have more mature skin, you might want to consider going a different route with the makeup primer you choose.

Wet N Wild Prime Focus Primer Serum

Although it is commonly known as a cheaper and sometimes lower quality brand, this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, despite this misconception, Wet N Wild's Prime Focus Primer Serum makes our list of the best 6 drugstore primers available today. And with a price tag of less than $5, it's almost immediately apparent why it was chosen. However, that's definitely not the only reason. In fact, this makeup primer is one of the more lightweight and luminous products you'll find. Formulated with such skin-nourishing ingredients as rose water, camellia leaf, and green tea extract – it goes beyond prep and prime, helping to boost the overall health of your skin as well. Perfect for combination skin, Wet N Wild is also 100% cruelty-free and always has been!

Another undeniable positive when it comes to this product is its array of specific primers. With three different options, customers choose between a primer that hydrates, brightens, or refines pores. That way, you're getting exactly what you need to put your best face forward. While this is a solid product, we wouldn't recommend this particular makeup primer to anyone with sensitive skin for multiple reasons. First and foremost, each one is scented with fragrance. Secondly, it contains alcohol which can cause drying.

Milani Make It Last 3-in-1 Primer and Setting Spray

Milani's Make It Last 3-in-1 Primer and Setting Spray is a miracle product that provides long-lasting looks every day. Aptly tagged a 3-in-1 primer, this product lasts up to 16-hours when used as a primer and setting spray. That's right, as the first spray formula on our list, it has priming and setting abilities, in addition to color-correcting attributes. In turn, it could serve to replace several products within your daily regimen! Available for just $9, it can even be used without makeup to hydrate the skin and present a fresh, natural, and oil-free face. After all, Grove says primer is great without makeup as it soothes redness as well.

With 16-hours of hold power, we recommend Milani's 3-in-1 Primer to anyone who needs coverage from day to night. This vegan and cruelty-free makeup product provides a cooling and refreshing feeling along with the all-day radiance and longevity of your makeup. When it comes to ingredients, this Milani primer is in fact fragranced, and should probably be used by anyone with sensitive or easily irritable skin. Because according to Refinery 29, anyone with sensitive skin should avoid fragranced skincare as it may bother delicate skin.

Urban Decay All Nighter Longwear Face Primer

Coming to the last option on our list of the best drugstore primers, Urban Decay's AllNighter Longwear Face Primer is available for $36, making it the most expensive selection on our list. This lightweight and long-lasting makeup primer is worth every penny for several reasons including its great for every skin type and has unbeatable hydrating abilities. As another spray-type formula, this product is incredibly easy to apply and throw in your bag for travel. And while it does a lot to hydrate it does not weigh down the face or leave it feeling sticky. In fact, it has a velvety, sheer finish.

In terms of longevity, Urban Decay's All Nighter Long Wear Primer holds makeup steady for up to 8 hours, making it a medium hold primer that's perfect for the daily grind. Because of the wide array of diverse benefits, it's another solid option for anyone looking to simply hydrate and prep their bare face for those makeup-less days. Whether you prefer to blend with your fingers, a brush, or a sponge, this formula glides on almost effortlessly and should be applied from the center of the face out, using a circular outward motion for optimal results. Whether you have dry skin, oily skin, or combination skin, we cannot recommend this product enough!