The Ultimate Guide to Using Makeup Primer

Is there anything more frustrating than looking at your face in the mirror and noticing that your makeup has started to fade in the middle of the day? Or even worse—that your lipstick or eye shadow has started to migrate to other parts of your face? Ugh, so not cool.

How can you avoid any of this from happening, though? Well, it’s time to turn your attention to makeup primer! You can find primers specifically for the face, eyes, lashes, and lips. Generally, primers are applied as the first step in your makeup routine to help create a smooth canvas on which to apply the rest of your products as well as to help keep your foundation, eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick in place. Primer—for face and eye makeup, particularly—can also be useful for those with oily skin who tend to have issues with makeup staying in place.

Ready to try some makeup primer for yourself? Here’s how to use the different kinds of makeup primer so that you can help prevent a midday makeup meltdown and create a more seamless makeup application routine for yourself. 

How to Use Face Primer

If you have fine lines or large pores, using a face primer before applying concealer and foundation can be particularly useful. The L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets™ Professional Magic Perfecting Base has a silky, lightweight formula that glides onto skin and helps smooth lines and hide pores. Plus, listen up oily ladies—it’s got a matte finish. After cleansing and moisturizing, apply the primer dot by dot and blend in a gentle circular motion over your entire face or to targeted areas (think: under your eyes to smooth over fine lines, on your nose and cheeks to minimize the appearance of pores and blemishes, and on your T-Zone for a matte result). You can wear the primer alone or under foundation for a smoother, more even application and wear.

Want to add some brightness to your face? Try the L’Oréal Paris Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer. This light-infusing primer can be worn under or mixed in with your foundation for a soft light illusion. You can also use it to highlight specific areas of your face for a sculpted effect. If you’ve decided to mix it into your foundation, apply the combo with a makeup sponge, like the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender, using quick dabbing and rolling motions to blend it in.

How to Use Eye Primer

Does your eye makeup tend to smudge pretty easily? Try using an eye primer first. Apply a tiny bit of a creamy eye primer onto your eyelids, gently patting it in with your ring finger. Using an eye primer to prep your lids can help create a smooth base and lock your look in place

How to Use Lash Primer

Yep, lash primer does exist—and if you can’t go a day without wearing mascara, you might want to consider adding this product to your beauty routine. The L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Primer is a lightweight primer that can help create an even base for mascara application. To use, place the brush at the base of your lashes and gently sweep up to the tip.

How to Use Lip Primer

Rocking a bold lip color is a great way to grab everyone’s attention—but chances are, you’ve probably spent a whole lot of time worrying about whether your lipstick has gotten on your teeth or looks patchy. So, before you swipe on your lipstick, use a lip primer to help smooth things out and make application easier. If you don’t have a lip primer on hand, you can also use an invisible lip liner or even concealer in a pinch. If you’re using an invisible lip liner, line your lips and fill them in before applying color. If you’re using a concealer, just dab a little bit of it onto your pout.