How to Find The Best Primer For Your Skin Type

Skin prep is essential when it comes to achieving a flawless and long-lasting makeup look.

For a well-prepared canvas, you can’t go past a quality makeup primer to get your face ready for a stunning portrait.

While you may already know about skincare-makeup-hybrids, you’re probably wondering, ‘what does primer do?’. Lucky for you, we’ve already done the homework. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about finding and using the best primer for your skin type.

The Benefits of Using A Primer

1. Extend the wear time of your makeup
Primers act as a barrier between your skin and your makeup. This protective barrier secures your foundation and base products, preventing them from being absorbed too quickly into the skin, resulting in longer-lasting makeup that wears evenly throughout the day.

2. Create a smooth base for makeup application
Applying a primer pre-makeup will create a silk-like veil that evens out texture for smoother makeup application. You won’t find any caking with DB Cosmetics!

3. Minimise the appearance of pores
Primer helps to shrink the appearance of pores by mattifying and smoothing the skin while also reflecting light, making them appear smaller.

4. Control oils throughout the day
Oil-control primers mattify upon application, which assists balanced oil production throughout the day, resulting in less shine and fewer touch-ups.

5. Boost skin luminosity
Primers that contain light-reflecting particles and brightening ingredients help to boost the luminosity of the skin. Dullness doesn’t stand a chance with a DB Cosmetics primer.

How to apply primer

Using moisturiser or primer first? When you should apply primer is the same for every skin type. It doesn’t matter if you’re using a dewy primer or mattifying prime. It should always be the last step in your skincare and the first step of your makeup.

Step 1: Apply Primer
Using your preferred tool or clean fingers, apply your primer from the centre of your face outwards, focusing on areas of uneven texture or shine, like the T-Zone.

Step 2: Drying
As for how long should you let the primer dry before foundation, a good rule of thumb is one minute. This allows the primer to properly dry down and adhere to the skin for better results.

Top Tip: While there’s no set time for how long after moisturiser to apply primer, it’s best to wait until all of your skincare products are absorbed before beginning.

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How to choose the best primer for your skin type

Choosing a primer can be confusing, so we’ve made it simple by splitting them across three categories: dry skin, oily skin and dull skin.

The best primer for dry skin

When looking for a hydrating primer, aim for soothing and moisturising ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera.

We recommend:

DB Moisturising Primer: This gel-like primer is perfect for people with moderately dry skin. Infused with Aloe Vera, the nourishing formula calms the skin and boosts hydration, giving you a smooth base for makeup application.
DB Skin Quencher Primer + Moisturiser: Ideal for people with dehydrated skin, this ultra-hydrating formula is packed full of Hyaluronic Acid to boost hydration and Green Tea to help eliminate dry patches.

The best primer for oily skin

Those with oily skin should look for a mattifying formula and the best primer for pores.

We recommend:

DB Blur Primer: This powerful blurring formula is excellent for oily skin. It works to minimise shine instantly and throughout the day, while its blurring properties produce an airbrushed finish by reducing the appearance of pores, blemishes and fine lines.
DB Pore Minimising Primer: Ideal for those with blemish-prone skin, this silky smooth 2-in-1 primer provides balance by minimising the appearance of pores and fine lines. The salmon-coloured formula colour corrects whilst prepping the skin for make-up, camouflaging blemishes and skin pigmentation. It’s also infused with healing Green Tea and calming Chamomile to soothe the skin.

Top Tip: If you’re looking for the best primer for combination skin, both will work well if you apply them only to the areas prone to oil production, such as the forehead and chin.

The best primer for dull skin

If dullness is your demise, a light-reflecting, brightening primer will work wonders when applied before your base.

We recommend:

DB Rise & Prime Luminescent Primer: This luxurious gold-tinted primer counteracts dullness for more naturally radiant skin. The gel-like formula is infused with pearlescent pigments to make your skin glow and Vitamin C to brighten the complexion. Perfect for achieving that summer glow! And for those wondering, you can use primer alone if you prefer a no-makeup makeup look.
DB Gold Elixir Priming Potion: Great for dull and mature skin types, this firming primer is infused with natural gold flecks for instant luminosity. The super-blendable formula also features a Q10 infusion to help plump and firm the skin, while a unique 'gripping' technology extends the wear time of your foundation.

The Best Lash Primer

Need to add some volume to your eyelashes? Then look no further than our high-tech formulated lash primer to maximise your mascara.

We recommend:

DB Lash Primer: This little beauty primes your lashes for mascara! It builds and nourishes, so lashes are thicker and fuller, maximising your mascara. If you want longer lashes with more volume, then it's time to try a Lash Primer. Our innovative lash primer maximises your mascara, building and nourishing lashes for a thicker, fuller and longer-lasting finish. Using a high-tech formula infused with antioxidants, Green Tea and Coenzyme Q10, our DB Lash Primer works to repair and renew lashes and can even be used as an overnight treatment.