You wouldn’t paint a canvas without a basecoat, and the same principle applies to your greatest masterpiece: Your face. A smooth, even complexion is the way to ensure your daily work of art glides on easily and remains radiant all day long.
By Kate-Marie Thorpe
But it’s not all about the finished product; you’ve got to start at the beginning when it comes to foundation preparation. Stephen Gaskett, National Makeup Artist for Elizabeth Arden lends us his priming routine for luminous skin: “Cleanse and moisturize the complexion, let the moisturizer sink in and then apply the primer. Once primer has settled, apply the foundation with a foundation brush in the t-zone as this is the area were foundation tends to separate.”
To begin your journey to daily perfection, here’s our top picks of the best primers around and why we love them to keep you fresh, fabulous and flawless:
If a brighter, even complexion is a foreign concept to you, let Chanel translate: You. Need. Le Blanc De Chanel. The primer choice of brides everywhere, it’s light-revealing particles illuminate the skin from within. This ever-so-luminous base comes infused with liquorice extract to even out the skin’s surface for flawless results, everytime.
RRP $65 from David Jones and Chanel Beauty Boutiques
The best beauty is the kind you don’t have to think about. Take the guesswork out of choosing a primer to suit your skin type with Clinique Universal Primer, a skin-perfecting miracle worker which prepares dry or sensitive skin, and all that’s in-between. Take our word for it: Even the most stubborn of foundations behave for all day coverage when paired with this wonder product.
RRP $45 from Myer, David Jones and Clinique.com.au
Wouldn’t we all like to have a better morning! Make way for the newest sunshine in your life, Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Good Morning Retexturizing Primer. Makeup Artist Stephen Gaskett says “This primer will not only assist foundation to last longer through the day, however it will also prevent the foundation from falling in to pores, offering a smoother, more perfected complexion.”
RRP $54 from Myer and David Jones stores nationally
Sundays call for no-fuss and no makeup, but you can still cheat your way to fabulous with the Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer. Lightweight with just a hint of coverage, Sunday Riley’s iconic primer in 3 shades – Light, Medium and Deep – can be worn alone for that ‘au naturel’ glow or underneath foundation for flawless, even skin.
RRP $58 from Mecca Maxima and mecca.com.au
Inspired by makeup artist techniques, the secret is out: Lancôme La Base Pro is the key to a smooth surface and staying power. Tried and tested on countless runway shows, this translucent primer controls shine and optimizes the skin’s surface for seamless blending. Rescu. recommends for anyone out there with skin that needs a good hydration boost before applying foundation.
RRP $55 from David Jones, Myer and lancome.com.au
We hope you’ve got you camera handy… Get your #selfie game strong with Revlon’s revolutionary primer. PhotoReady Prime + Anti-Shine Balm is lightweight, oil free and paraben free, and we adore it’s versatility as balm for hydration and anti-ageing. The anti-shine formula dries to a soft finish, and is pore-blurring so you’ll always be ready for that close up…
RRP $29.95 from Myer, David Jones and selected pharmacies
Are you ready for this jelly? Even Beyonce couldn’t outdo the all-day hold of Model Co’s Face Base Skin Primer. This gelatinous, Vitamin C enriched primer has a cooling sensation when applied to the skin, and is clear in consistency so no one will ever know your secret. It feels great, is easy to apply and we’ve discovered it’s the perfect companion for matte foundations.
RRP $39 – from selected pharmacies and modelco.com.au
Sometimes all you need is a little bit of magic to transform your face from drab to fab. You’ll get no hocus pocus with L’Oreal Base Magique Transforming Smoothing Primer though, using a blend of elastomers that we know work wonders for uneven, less-than-perfect skin. Abracadabra!
RRP $29.95 from Myer, David Jones and selected pharmacies
Bathe your skin in light for radiant skin that’s never looked better. Shiseido Glow Enhancing Primer’s optical technology makes foundation adhere to the complexion like a second skin, with a glow beaming through from within. Be sure to give this one a try especially if you have a dull complexion, as our road-test revealed it’s great for brightening the most lackluster of undertones. Hello sunshine…
RRP $54 from Shiseido counters nationally March 1
For foundation that lasts to infinity and beyond, Max Factor Facefinity All Day Primer will make your makeup last an eternity. We love this mattifying formula, which is heaven for oily skin and ideal for application to the T-Zone. The secret of Max Factor’s all day foundation is now a product to shine on its own.
RRP $31.95 from selected pharmacies and supermarkets nationally
