Functional Makeup Primers Are All About Enhancing Skin Health

Here’s the kicker, though: You don’t have to use a primer alongside a foundation at all. See, functional primers create a protective layer on your skin, a barrier not just for makeup but for the world around you. For example, Exa’s Jump Start Smoothing Primer comes loaded with antioxidants — namely, CoQ10 and fatty acids from raspberry extract — to help fight free radicals and protect your skin from environmental aggressors, such as pollution and blue light.

A standalone primer can also help lock in moisture and seal in all of your skin care — a concept Chan refers to as “daytime slugging.” She notes: “I learned this technique when I lived in Asia (where some days the pollution can get really bad). A lot of girls would wear primer everyday, even on no-makeup days, to prevent breakouts, dehydrated skin, or a weakened skin barrier from pollution. ”

“Blurring” continues to be a major buzzword, but today’s textures are even more swoon-worthy, as they rely on plant-based polymers to achieve a featherlight, satin finish. “Even as a professional makeup artist, I used to be skeptical of primers,” says makeup artist Alexandra Compton, product development manager at Credo. “I used to dislike them, especially the [cyclic] silicone-based primers that have that icky, almost suffocating feeling on the skin. Now, there are so many different types of primers to achieve different finishes for any skin type. ” Use primer under the eyes to hydrate the delicate area and prevent creasing, apply on the T-zone to strategically absorb oil and fill fine lines, or mix it with color corrector to create the ultimate “your skin, but better,” even-toned base, she explains.

Some priming formulas are so silky, in fact, that they even function as a skin tint replacement. “Many provide mattifying and blurring benefits to hide imperfections and minimize the appearance of pores,” says Zeichner. While they aren’t complexion products per se — they don’t actually leave a tint, and thus don’t have shade ranges — the calming, brightening, and mattifying botanicals help them disguise any blemishes, fine lines, or redness. In other words: They’re the ultimate skin care-makeup hybrids, perfect for days when you seek just a whisper of coverage. Chan shares the sentiment: “Our customers have noticed that they don’t need to cover up redness anymore with a skin tint to achieve an even, radiant skin tone.”