Our Primer Top Picks
Taking the time to prime means your makeup will look fresh and flawless from morning 'til happy hour.
For makeup that goes on smoother, lasts longer, stays true to color and doesn't budge, smudge or flake, take a few seconds to prep your skin with primer. Here we compare primers created especially for face, eyelids, lashes and lips. Find the ones that will work best with your makeup regimen, read customer reviews and then add your prime picks to your basket.
Click on a category to see comparisons of our top picks.
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Weightless and translucent, this balm still accomplishes a magic trick: making large pores and fine lines virtually disappear. Used strategically, it's a complexion perfector. | You can apply it over your makeup throughout the day for on-the-go touchups, and it won't disturb your blush or foundation. | A little goes a long way; apply just the teeniest bit with your ring finger only where you need it. T-zone still shiny? Pat on just a drop more. |
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Loaded with natural ingredients like jojoba seed oil and algae extract, this primer leaves out what sensitive and breakout-prone skin doesn't need: parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes and fragrances. | Anti-aging technology makes this a multitasking wonder: The appearance of wrinkles diminishes while the moisture content of your skin increases, incredibly, by more than 50%. | There's no need to apply primer from forehead to chin as you would a moisturizer; just dot it on the areas where you'll be using foundation. |
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Like fine lingerie, this luxuriously silky primer feels great going on and makes everything you put on top look better and last longer. | Incredible timing! Somehow this product manages to absorb instantly—you can put your makeup on right after applying—yet it lasts all day long. | A single pump dispenses just the right amount; smooth in with your fingertips. In a pinch, you can even use it to tame frizzies and flyaways! |
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This does double-duty, not only making your eyeshadow budge-proof but also moisturizing the under-eye area so your concealer doesn't cake. | The barely discernible apricot undertone to the nude shade makes this a year-round, 24/7 universally flattering shade for everyone. | If you'll only be applying your shadow from lash line to crease, then that's where you want to apply this product, too. |
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The super slip of this product makes even highly pigmented shadows—powder or cream—instantly blendable, and the formula evens out skin tone. Creating a flawless smoky eye becomes a cinch. | Highly concentrated, it takes only a drop to cover your eyelid, meaning you'll work through a whole eyeshadow palette or two before you need to replace a tube. | Apply with an eyeshadow brush so you get the thinnest layer possible. Your finger will pick up too much product. |
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With tiny white fibers adhering to eachLashActivator lash, using this potion is like applying extensions with the flick of wand. | While this product adds lots of oomph to your lashes, it doesn't weigh down your curl, so you get a fuller fringe without losing your flip. | Make sure you run your mascara through the entire length of your lashes so you aren't left with tiny white tips. |
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It does the job of two products in one. It's both an eyelash primer and an eyelash enhancer, leading to visibly more luxuriant lashes in 30 days. | You can use this elixir under your mascara during the day, or on its own overnight. Either way you'll get longer lashes 24/7. | If you curl your lashes, make sure to do that before you apply LashActivator, or you'll have to peel off the sticky residue from your curler. |
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Pair this primer with your favorite mascara, and it will look like you're wearing false eyelashes. You get maxed-out flutter without the glue, expense or bother. | Thanks to conditioning ingredients, this primer strengthens your lashes while it lengthens and thickens them. The result: long lashes that are soft and luxurious, not stiff and spiky. | Apply to lashes starting at the base, and then wiggle the brush as you slide to the tips. For the biggest lash boost, follow with mascara while primer is still wet. |
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The velvety finish smoothes out your lips perfectly, making the application of fall's bold colors as foolproof as putting on nude lip gloss. | With an SPF 15 and vitamins A, C and E, this product protects your lips even as it perfects them. Forget lip balm. This is the lip bomb! | A single application of primer will last the whole day. And check the mirror before you reapply your lipstick; you may not need as many touchups. |
Fusion Beauty
Buy NowLipfusion XL Primer Pencil Reg. $28 |
Sometimes lipstick just doesn't stay put all day long, no matter how many promises it comes with. So it's always smart to prime first, ask questions later. Fusion Beauty's Lipfusion is a just-right neutral shade that easily blends in to most lip tones. | It not only primes—it also promises to plump! And who doesn't need a little extra oomph in their kisser? | Extend primer slightly outside the edges of your lips to keep your lipstick from bleeding, but stay within the lines when you apply lipstick. |
Laura Geller
Buy NowLip Spackle Reg. $24 |
Marine and plant collagens draw moisture to the surface of the lips, filling in lines so lipstick glides on and stays put without feathering or bleeding. | Packaged in a tiny pot, the spackle can be applied with your fingertips, a lip brush or a non-latex sponge, so you control exactly how much product you use. | Apply spackle to the center of your lips and then blend to the border. That way you'll get the most product where you need it. |
"Who knew we'd find beauty tips in the Dark Ages? When lipstick was considered a sin (the horror!), clever courtesans used vegetable dyes to stain their lips a sexy, just-bitten red. Now you can achieve the same flattering effect with this best-selling tint that glides on silky and transparent. Thanks, Guinevere."
—Brooke Showell, a skincare and makeup maven who's written for Self and Martha Stewart Weddings
"There's a hot eye-shadow hue fashionistas are buzzing about for spring: bright yellow. It may seem super bold, but when worn on the lids and dabbed in the inner corners of your eyes, it immediately opens up your peepers. Use a brown shadow to define your crease and your eyes will pop like never before."
—Jennifer Tzeses, a New York City-based writer who lends beauty and style savvy to magazines like Martha Stewart Living, Woman's Day and Everyday with Rachael Ray
"Long-lasting and lacquer-like with a name that's a bit of a tongue twister, these new glosses from a brand famous for their runway nail colors will definitely bring a smile to your lips. And, even if you're not a fan of Shakespeare, this pinky coral shade will become your spring-summer staple."
—Shelley Levitt, a beauty blogger, skincare geek and onetime chronicler of celeb glamour for People and Self
"Take your brows from 'Where are they?' to 'WOW' with this brow powder compact. If penciling on extra volume to your thin eyebrows makes you look like an overly excited cartoon character, then using a subtler, and error-proof, eyebrow powder is the way to go. And with one lighter and one darker shade, you're sure to find the perfect, natural color match for your brow."
—Amanda Kippert, a former health and lifestyles reporter, now freelance writer and blogger
