13 Best Make-Up Primers That Will Make Your Foundation Work Even Harder

This cult favourite primer offers dry skin a generous dose of hydration, courtesy of vitamin E and glycerin. Meanwhile, niacinamide helps to brighten and even tone. The best bit? Its sculpting applicator, which makes using the primer not only sensorial but totally faff-proof.

Fans of TikTok beauty will already be familiar with this ultra-viral solution to fast-fading make-up. Its gel formula imparts a sticky layer to the skin, acting as a glue between your face and foundation. The result? Hours of additional wear time and an ultra-juicy finish.

Nars' Light Reflecting Foundation has garnered a mass fanbase, and for good reason; it's glossy, camouflages imperfections and looks totally radiant (not to mention, natural) on the skin. What you may not know is that its Light Reflecting Primer is equally as luminous. Infused with hyaluronic acid, it plumps your complexion will adding a glowy, brightened sheen.

This sheer primer gives dry and dehydrated skin an instant boost, plumping fine lines and balancing depleted moisture levels. Whether you're sporting a full face or going entirely make-up free, this nourishing formula is perfect for giving lacklustre skin some much needed love. Think hydrating marine botanicals and nurturing olive extract.

Despite its hydrating credentials, this smooth finish primer couldn't be more silky. Where traditional moisturising textures can leave your skin feeling heavy and slick, taking away from the longevity of your make-up rather than improving it, this lightweight blend feels velvety on the skin, plumping with a pore blurring finish.

For oilier skin types, this blurring, mattifying blend is heavenly. It sits weightlessly on the skin, without that overly slippy silicone feel, and prevents excess sebum from creating shine throughout the day. For avid make-up fans, it is the perfect first step in your routine, pairing effortlessly with any formula to create a long lasting, flawless base.

If redness is your biggest skin woe, a green-based colour corrector is essential. Luckily, this olive-toned pigment is just one of make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench's new tone-amending bases. The range also includes a lavender hue for brightening and three warming tones to amplify medium and deep skin tones.

Merit has swiftly become one of beauty's most coveted brands, so it's no surprise that the Great Skin Priming Moisturizer has earned a spot on this list. Not only does it envelope the skin in hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid, it absorbs quickly with zero residue. Everything you could want in a base for foundation.

Soothing chamomile extract and hydrating squalane make the ultimate redness-busting duo in this skin-kind colour-correcting formula, designed for sensitive complexions. Overdone it on retinols and acids the night before? This barrier repairing blend has got you covered.

If enlarged pores and stubborn post-acne texture are disturbing your otherwise perfect base, a smoothing primer is what you need. With a sensitive skin-friendly blend of 1.5% panthenol, this serum-like formula sinks in effortlessly, softening the appearance of texture while leaving skin glowy and plump.

When it comes to make-up separation, concealer is often our biggest bugbear. A little creasing and caking is inevitable, but if you're finding yourself prone to excessive dryness, investing in a priming eye base could be the solution. Bobbi Brown's blend of vitamins B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12 is our favourite; it feels weightless on the skin and creates a plush canvas for concealer.

Sometimes a lightweight gel just doesn't cut it for dry skin, and you need to enlist the help of a richer, dewier formula. Powered by an impressive 33 skincare ingredients (including niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides and ceramides), this nourishing cream is the ideal combination of a moisturiser and a make-up primer. When it comes to the finish, the word 'glow' would be an understatement.

While we love a touch of dew, oilier skin types will know the struggle of balancing glow with excessive shine. That's where this unique water-to-powder texture comes in; blending effortlessly over cheeks, it dries down to a smooth matte finish, using zinc, kaolin and niacinamide to keep unwanted grease at bay throughout the day.