Creating a perfect makeup look starts with applying a solid primer. That's because it makes a strong base to hold makeup products throughout the day while preventing slipping and sliding. Although you might have a habit of missing it, makeup professionals suggest that the best drugstore primers are the secret to flawless skin. They brighten, hydrate, smooth fine lines, minimize pores, and mattify your skin. 

Plus, an NCBI study reveals that facial primers offer long-term results in improving the appearance of fine lines and hyperpigmentation due to photoaging. Addedly, our investigation demonstrated that the best drugstore primer options keep your makeup long-lasting and provide endless benefits, from mattifying skin to hiding skin imperfections you are concerned about.  

Further, drugstore primers are readily available and budget-friendly, making them a decent alternative for pricey and rare formulas. What makes our picks stand out from the crowd is that they are the perfect examples of excellence and affordability, so you can rest assured about their performance. These good drugstore primer formulas are made with high-quality ingredients for the desired results. 

Our beauty panel tested and reviewed various drugstore primers to land the best ones. Based on our first-hand experience, we have enlisted some unmatched choices that are cult classics and work as effectively as high-end products.

• 1
  Best Overall

  Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

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Topping our list, this mini skin corrector by Maybelline New York makes all the difference. The drugstore primer hides pores around the cheeks, nose, and other facial features for a show stopping look. If you wish for a streamlined and even texture, this silica-based formula comes in handy. Further, we tried it on different skin types and discovered that this is the best drugstore face primer that works well with all and leaves skin soft and supple.

Quick Tip:

You can wear this pore easer alone to instantly improve softness or pair it with your favorite foundation to achieve a smooth, matte finish makeup look.

2

Best for Eyelashes

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Primer

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Your eyelashes can benefit from drugstore primer just like your skin. Hence, we have picked this L’Oréal Paris lash primer that instantly provides thick and voluminous lashes on the go. The white primer keeps the mascara liquid in place from morning to night to avert smudges and flakes. Not only that, it conditions and nourishes lashes for the ultimate shine and lift as it contains quality ingredients, including jojoba oil. Also, we determined through our tests that this drugstore makeup primer leaves a white cast that disappears when the mascara is applied.

3

Best for Oily Skin

Rimmel London Stay Matte Makeup Primer

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If you are inclined to a drugstore matte primer that controls shine, try this Rimmel London Stay priming product. The silica-based concoction tamps down extra shimmer for up to 8 hours to ensure a non-greasy and weightless feel all day. Having tried the primer, we can share that it doesn't let the makeup look cakey and gives an even and natural finish. Ergo, it seems one of the best drugstore primers for oily skin, targeting excess shine control and oil production. You can include this in your makeup caddy for hassle-free touchups.

Quick Tip:

For a minimalistic and shine-free makeup look, wear this makeup primer alone after completing your everyday C-T-M routine.

4

Best Multipurpose

NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Studio Perfect Primer

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A cute, compact "Photoshop Primer" can be a game-changer. Adding to that, this drugstore silicone primer by NYX Professional is among the most reliable drugstore face primers to get that photo finish. It is designed to correct uneven skin tone while covering fine lines and large pores. Available in two colors, lavender and green, this is a good drugstore primer suitable for anyone aiming for a dual-purpose color collector to balance the skin tone while smoothening the texture. Moreover, our research indicates that the lavender primer brightens warm undertones, especially yellows, while the green primer nullifies redness.

5

Best for Large Pores

Touch in Sol No Pore Blem Primer

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In the quest to combat large pores for an impeccable skin appearance, the Touch in Sol No Pore Blem Primer turns out to be useful. This is the best drugstore primer for pores that also minimizes spots and blemishes while adding optimum hydration and moisture. Not just that, it controls oil synthesis or sebum production to reduce stickiness and keep the dirt off. No worries if aging signs are your concern. This is the best target primer for special aged skin concerns like fine lines and wrinkles. It increases collagen production to tackle these woes from the roots as it contains potent ingredients like soluble collagen and green tea.

6

Best for Acne-prone Skin

Maybelline Face Studio Master Prime Face Primer

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The Maybelline face primer is your ally when it comes to dealing with unwanted redness and blurring skin flaws. This water-based glycerin-based primer is a great option to wear alone or blend with the foundation to refine your skin looks while suppressing redness, acne bumps, and imperfections. Besides, it creates a luminous effect for a subtle glow with no gloopy texture. If you are minimalist with sensitive skin, this dermatologist-tested primer will become your favorite. Since it feels gentle on the skin, you are saved from irritation and discomfort.

7

Best for Daily Use

COVERGIRL Trublend Base Business Face Primer

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We have plenty of products out there that minimize big pores while creating a smooth canvas, and this Covergirl drugstore matte primer is one of the best amongst those. This retinol-made formula visibly lightens the look of large and deep pores while mattifying any extra sheen. Plus, it provides a tint of Lilac hue that intensifies the glow without being too loud and gaudy, just like an everyday makeup wearer prefers. Also, our analysis of the product revealed that as one of the best drugstore blurring primers, this one ensures optimum coverage (near to full) to cover flaws with a moisturizing and plumping effect.

8

Best Hydrating

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Glow Booster Primer

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Combining the power of a serum and primer, this Neutrogena Hydro Boost liquid is all you need to revive dry and lifeless skin. This is the best drugstore hydrating primer formulated with energy-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid that retain water levels and give a quick dose of hydration to leave the skin dewy and fresh. On top of this, it prepares the skin and forms an even base for easy makeup application. Furthermore, a tester reports that the drugstore primer doesn't feel too thick and moisturizes the skin well. Also, another customer says that she blends it with a matte foundation to have a natural look.

So, these were the best drugstore primers on our list. Further, here's our comprehensive buying guide below which will help you pick your favorite formula to achieve impeccable looks.

From ingredients to skin type, there are several factors to consider before adding a drugstore primer to your makeup kit. So let's talk about them one by one. 

Ingredients 

Of course, checking the ingredient list is one of the most important steps to filter several options and find the right match. This is because you may want some special and active ingredients in your primer that target specific skin issues. For instance, you may look for ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid, squalene, etc., for intense hydration, essential oils like coconut oil and jojoba oil to moisturize the skin, and vitamins to protect the skin against damage. Some additives like collagen, hyaluronic acid, and retinol fight aging signs, reduces the appearance of pores, and improve skin elasticity. 

Skin Type 

Most makeup artists and professionals suggest knowing your skin type while shopping for a drugstore primer. Here are some common skin types with the kind of primer they can try. 

For oily, acne-prone and combination skin

The best drugstore primers for oily skin are lightweight, non-comedogenic, and non-greasy. These formulas regulate the production of natural skin oil synthesis to prevent pore clogging that results in acne breakouts. Instead, these primers have oil-absorbing ingredients that soak excess oil while leaving skin with a soft, powdery, smooth finish. Besides these, mattifying primers align well with oily, acne-prone, and combination skin types, as they control extra shine and provide a subtle, non-greasy, natural glow and a smooth base. 

Dry skin 

Dull and dehydrated skin lacks optimum moisture and hydration, leading to dryness and itching. However, the best drugstore primer for dry skin comes to the rescue. It contains hydrating and moisturizing active components that replenish the normal moisture and water levels to prevent dryness and associated signs like stretched skin and irritation. Further, it keeps your skin soft and plump throughout the day to avert those unruly dry lines and flakes. And if you want your makeup to stay in place with no cakey appearance, a nice coat of a hydrating and moisturizing primer will do the task. 

Sensitive skin 

As far as sensitive skin is concerned, it's better to opt for hypoallergenic options. That's because they are gentle on the skin and minimize the risk of irritation, redness, and other allergy signs. Typically, the best primers for sensitive skin are marked as "dermatologist-tested," "safe for sensitive skin," or "sensitive skin-friendly" that not only keep your skin hydrated but also improve the texture of your skin over time.

pH-balanced Primers 

It's a good thought to avoid primers with harsh chemical additives like artificial fragrances, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and gluten as they fluctuate the skin's pH and biome, causing discomfort. Instead, pH-balanced blends turn out to be milder and more effective and prime the skin without a mess. 

After finding a suitable drugstore primer for the perfect base, you can follow the steps below to apply it like a pro.

Creating a perfect canvas using a primer becomes a child's play when you know how to apply it correctly. So here are the steps given to ease the application. 

Step 1 

Exfoliate your face with a mild face wash to eliminate impurities. Also, apply a moisturizer to prepare your skin for further process. 

Our contributor Ghanima Abdullah, who is an experienced cosmetologist and beauty consultant, says, “Exfoliation can help your primer go on smoother because you’re starting off with a smooth surface after you exfoliate. So all your makeup will go on better. Moisturization is an important first step because makeup, on the whole, can be drying to the skin, especially if you use multiple layers.”

Step 2 

Clean your hands properly. Dab a dollop on the back of your hands and pick a pea-sized amount on your fingers. 

Step 3 

Start dotting the drugstore primer all over the face and dab it throughout the face covering cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose. 

Step 4 

You can use a beauty blending tool to cover hard-to-reach surfaces. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes until the primer absorbs, and viola, you are ready to move ahead with applying a foundation. 

Contributor: Ghanima Abdullah, Cosmetologist, The Right Hairstyles