Makeup 101 | Primer - Beauty With Lily

Overwhelmed with makeup and how it’s all supposed to be applied? This series for beginners will give you the basics, starting with makeup 101 primer!

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Welcome to the first part of my makeup basics series! I will be sharing all there is to know about makeup. Today’s post is makeup 101 primer — everything you need to know about makeup primers and which might be best for your skin type.

Makeup 101 | Primer

So, what is a makeup primer? When is it applied? What is the best primer for me? So many questions! A makeup primer is applied after your skincare and before you’ve applied any makeup on. There are a variety of primers, that I will touch on, for different needs. So let’s jump into the logistics.

What is the purpose of a primer?

There are different primers, for different purposes. But generally, primers are meant to even out any of your skin’s imperfections and help your makeup last longer. Once they’ve been applied, they may feel slightly tacky on the face. This helps your foundation “stick” and stay on your face better.

What types of primers are there?

So there are two types of primers, face primer and eye primer. Eye primer is used on your eyelids to help eyeshadows stay in place and prevent creasing. Today, I’ll be focusing on face primers…which comes in a variety of forms. So it’s important to find the perfect type of primer for your skin type.

Silicone Based Primers – help even out textured skin, leaving your skin silky smooth. These types of primers are good for normal and combination skin.
Moisturizing Primers – these types of primers have a few skincare benefits. They help hydrate your skin, so they are best for dry skin.
Sprays – primer sprays won’t help with skin texture or imperfections, but they provide the tacky feeling that helps makeup last longer. So these are great for all skin types.

There are even more categories of primers for even more skin concerns.

Pore Filling Primers – are typically silicone based and help give a smoother, silkier finish. They fill in your pores, giving you a flawless canvas. These types of primers are mainly used around your t-zone, where pores are the largest.
- My favorite pore filling primer is the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Primer, coming in close is the Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer.
Mattifying Primers – are great for those with oily skin. They help diminish oils from coming to the surface of your skin. If you have dry areas, concentrate this type of primer on your most oily problems.
- My favorite mattifying primer is the Make Up For Ever Mattifying Primer, along with the Murad Oil-Control Mattifier.
Illuminating Primers – if you have dry skin and want to have a glow-y finish, these are the types of primers to reach for. I wouldn’t recommend placing this ALL over your face, definitely avoid the t-zone, unless you have extremely dry skin.
- A good illuminating primer to try is the Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow.
Color Correcting Primers – these types of primers can be used on any skin type. And while most primers are clear and leave no color on your skin, these are tinted. They are used to counteract unwanted discoloration in your skin. So, if you have a lot of redness, a green primer will help balance that out.
- My favorite color correcting primer is the Maybelline FaceStudio Master Prime Blur + Redness Control Primer.