A primer is vital to keep any makeup lasting all day and night. Discover the best, as chosen by experts.
A vital part of any bridal makeup arsenal, primers are like the glue between skincare and makeup, used for smoothing and blurring, and providing extra grip for foundation to stay in place all day and all night. And with a big event like a wedding, a primer is a must-have for brides. Here, we’ve rounded up editor-approved primers for all skin types and budgets, so you can find a primer for your wedding day as solid as your vows.
Best For: Oily Skin
Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Primer, £55 hourglasscosmetics.co.uk
Hourglass’ high quality, vegan formulas have earned cult status in recent years, not least the Vanish Airbrush collection, created with blurring technology to give skin that coveted ‘you look so healthy’ finish. Vanish Airbrush Primer is a gel primer in consistency, which helps it feel super lightweight when applied, and it’s particularly good for brides with oily to combination skin thanks to its oil control features.
Best For: A Glowing Primer
Vieve Skin Nova 30ml, £29 vievebeauty.com
Vieve fans love this primer so much that founder and makeup artist Jamie Genevieve had to bring one out 3x the size. It’s an instant glow in a bottle, featuring star skincare ingredients such as niacinamide and beta-glucan, for a soothing, hydrating primer that’s ideal for those with dry, normal or combination skin. Bonus: Vieve Skin Nova primer is also excellent for brides wearing a strapless dress for extra glow on collarbones and shoulders.
Best For: All-Round Staying Power
Tatcha The Liquid Silk Canvas, £51, spacenk.com
Tatcha is relatively new in the UK, and a celebrity favourite (Nicola Caughlan attributed her Bridgerton glow to Tatcha). The Liquid Silk Canvas features silk extracts to hydrate and reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines, along with pink and gold pearl for an extra natural-looking glow. It can be used across the face and eyes (and is fantastic on the eyes for boosting the pigment of eyeshadow), and is so lightweight in texture that it’s easy to doubt its staying power. However, its staying power is so good that in a consumer trial, 100% of people agreed that The Liquid Silk Canvas helped their makeup wear longer. If that’s not a qualifier for best primer for brides, we’re not sure what is.
Best For: A Dewy Skin Finish
Charlotte Tilbury WonderGlow, £40, charlottetilbury.com
Contributing editor and makeup artist Yasmin Salmon swears by the Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Primer paired with the Nars Radiance Primer for her bridal clients. In Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow, hyaluronic acid and rosehip oil pack in hydration and the light-reflecting pigments that give that instant glow showcase an airbrushed, blurred effect in person and on camera.
Best For: A Skincare-makeup Hybrid
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base 50ml, £54, bobbibrown.co.uk
Vitamin Enriched Face Base is a moisturiser-primer hybrid that’s been in the bridal beauty hall of fame for years. It works for brides with all types of skin as it’s a water based formula, featuring shea butter and vitamins B, C and E and to smooth, soften and set makeup in place. Top tip: forgo moisturiser on the day if you’re using this primer. Less is more when it comes to layering product to ensure your skin is on top form.
Best For: A Budget Primer
E.L.F Power Grip Primer, £10, boots.com
E.L.F’s clear Power Grip is a more traditional primer, leaving a tacky finish to your skin after applying, so that makeup can literally stick to it. Don’t be put off by the stickiness as it disappears as soon as foundation is applied on top – but best to leave it for a minute or two to set. It’s one of the best on the high street for a primer that will ensure your makeup stays in place all day. For best results, apply with your fingers, as the warmth of your (or your makeup artist’s) hands will ensure the product melts seamlessly into your skin.
Best For: Great Japanese Skin Science
Shiseido Revitalessence Skin Glow Primer, £39 harrods.com
Shiseido is a go-to brand for brilliant makeup and skincare that’s got the backing of Japanese science. In particular, its water-based foundation formulas are some of the best of the market, providing great coverage while not feeling. This Shiseido primer is no different. More akin to a moisturiser than a traditional primer, the pinky lightweight cream contains prebiotics and niacinamide to boost your skin at this extra layer, too. It’s got no silicones too, so if silicone is a no-go for you, this product is a winner for all brides.
Best For: Glass Skin
Refy Glow and Sculpt Primer, £24 refybeauty.com
Coveting the glass skin trend? Refy’s hydrating primer is your best bet for dewy skin with a glass-like shine. It’s especially good if you’re going for a more pared-back makeup look, or perhaps getting married abroad where you’re after a no makeup, makeup look but need that staying power. For sculpting, this primer features a roller application, to help add definition to the contours of your face. Start at the centre of the face and sweep upwards and outwards as you apply.
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