It's High Time for Prime Time - The Facts about Face Primer.

Hi lovelies!

I think it's high time I brought up a topic I've been wanting to write about for ages...the importance of wearing primer! Now we all know how strongly I feel about eye primers, I have gone on about it often enough through my eye makeup posts and even blogged about my favourite cult eye primer here, but I'd also like to share my thoughts with all of you on face primer.

(Image taken from Google Images).

Ever feel like you've done your makeup perfectly and sashayed out of your home looking like a supermodel, only to catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror at 3 pm and realise you look more like Lindsay Lohan after an all night bender? Well, all of that could be easily avoided by using a primer! Think of it this way, you wouldn't build your dream house on a foundation of quicksand, would you? Similarly, there isn't much point painstakingly applying your makeup every morning if you haven't used a good base underneath.

If you're new to a face primer, let me explain what it does. For those ladies with oily/combination skin (like moi), primer controls the amount of oil secreted naturally by your skin by placing a physical barrier between your skin and your foundation, thus preventing your makeup from sliding around and maintaining the matte or glowy finish of your foundation without turning it into an oil slick. This physical barrier also means that your foundation is less likely to sink into and clog the pores of your skin, which is good news for beauties prone to congested skin.

''But I don't have oily skin, I have dry skin'' I hear some of you cry. Well, no problems there, as a good primer also fills in fine lines to give your skin a more supple, even finish on which to apply your foundation. Simply put, primer helps your skin appear smoother and more even, and as a result, you will find that you need to use less foundation, making the foundation in your bottle last longer and therefore saving you money in the long run! Also, don't forget that not all primers are meant to mattify, there are also some that provide a dewy look.

"That's all well and good, but I don't use foundation". Good on you for having fantastic skin, but did you know that you can still use a primer regardless? It evens out the texture of your skin, and some primers even provide illumination, which means that your perfect skin will look even more flawless and give you an angelic glow!

Here is a recap about some important facts about primers:

• Everyone can benefit from a good primer, regardless of skin type, but particularly those with oily to combination skin.
• A good primer pampers your skin, prepares it for the foundation, and then keeps all your hard work in place by preventing your makeup from sliding around.
• Primer fills in fine lines in your skin, making your skin appear more youthful and luminous (and who doesn't want skin that looks more youthful?).
• Primers come in all shapes and forms, you can get colour corrective primers that minimize redness, counteract pigmentation and many other common problems.
• You can also get primers that contain a sunscreen ingredient and/or a moisturiser, which means you can skip using additional products and give yourself a few more minutes to sleep in each morning! 
• In a pinch, you can use a silicone based primer as a product to tame frizz. Squeeze a pea sized drop into your hands, rub together and gently smooth over your head to tame flyaways.

So how would you go about choosing the best primer for your skin type?

First of all, I would classify primers by three main types, as detailed below.

Corrective

A corrective primer is usually used to correct colour or pigmentation problems. For instance, green is often used to negate redness while purple is used to counteract sallow or uneven pigmentation.

Illuminating 

Illuminating primers usually fill in tiny lines and wrinkles, and also contain a reflective pigment to reflect light away from the skin, making skin appear more luminous, flawless and radiant.

Multi-tasking

This has to be my favourite category as I'm a big fan of multitasking products. You can get moisturising primers, primers containing sunscreen, and primers containing antioxidants and vitamins which help to 'mend' your skin from previous sun and climate damage, all while protecting your skin from further damage!

Once you've identified the concerns you wish to address with your primer as detailed above, choose a texture to suit your skin type. If you have oily/combination skin, choose a primer that is non-comedogenic to avoid clogging your pores and causing congestion. A silicone primer (usually a clear, transparent primer), is a better option (from personal experience), as it dries quickly and provides a lasting matte finish. It's also lighter than a cream primer, which tend to be more moisturising, and hence better suited for normal/dry skin types.

One last thing about primer, it's usually applied after your skincare routine (toning/moisturising) and before makeup application. A little bit of primer goes a long way, so use a small amount (I use about a 10c piece) and spread it over clean, moisturised skin, using either clean hands or a makeup brush. Remember to let it dry for a minute or two before you apply your foundation.

I hope you found this information useful, lovelies. Please come back tomorrow for a list of my top five primers and a brief review on each of them.

Do you usually use a primer? If so, which one is your favourite?

Much love,
MM.
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