The 11 Best Primers Of 2024 You Can Wear With & Without Makeup

Allow me to declare something a tad controversial in the makeup space: I don't like wearing foundation (for the most part), but I adore an everyday primer. Why? Well, primer can do much more for you than provide an even base for makeup—but I’ll dive into its uses later.

While the two makeup products used to go hand-in-hand (the latter used to make the former feel silkier), primers have officially outgrown their reputation as a foundation sidekick. 

It's a similar trajectory to toner: They were once formulated to adjust your skin's pH after your highly alkaline cleanser likely sent it into a spiral. But as face washes became more elevated, less stripping toners evolved to boast other benefits (exfoliation, hydration, etc.). 

Still, some people deem primers (and toners, as it turns out) wholly unnecessary. I, for one, find them delightful, even if I don't wear a stitch of makeup that day—and I bet I'll convince you to make them a priority, starting with the best primers below. 

Some people shy away from primers for fear of that tacky, sticky feeling on their skin. You won't have that fear with this silky formula. With lavender water, cold-pressed olive oil, and oat extract, the formula is so moisturizing and calming that it almost feels like a lightweight moisturizer. 

Here's a little hack for those who want to try Augustinus Bader's famous Cream without dropping $300: Snag this Victoria Beckham x Augustinus Bader primer to test the waters. It features the brand's signature Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8) to promote cellular regeneration, as well as avocado oil, peptides, and papaya enzymes to hydrate and brighten. 

Looking for an oil-absorbing primer that doesn't leave your makeup looking cakey? Well, here she is! I've truly never experienced an oil-free primer as hydrating as this Exa number. It has a lightweight gel consistency that really feels like a splash of moisture on your skin, thanks to star humectants glycerin and aloe. 

Especially if you typically gravitate toward water-based foundations (like iconic makeup artist Daniel Martin does), you need a similar water-based primer that won't pill under your base. This, my friends, is your best bet. 

I personally have combination skin, and I'll frequently wear this primer without a stitch of makeup—just to further lock in moisture and seal in my skin care. It's a tip I learned from Youthforia founder Fiona Chan, who refers to it as "daytime slugging." She previously tells mbg, "I learned this technique when I lived in Asia (where some days the pollution can get really bad). A lot of girls would wear primer every day, even on no-makeup days, to prevent breakouts, dehydrated skin, or a weakened skin barrier from pollution." 

Found: The perfect primer-foundation hybrid for folks who hate wearing foundation (ahem, me). This tinted liquid primer features an extremely lightweight consistency that effortlessly melts into your complexion and feels like silk.

Technically all primers provide a buffer from environmental aggressors, but this Grown Alchemist formula is chock-full of pollution-fighting antioxidants. Indian ginseng root extract, in particular, helps protect skin cells from environmental stressors, while prebiotic peptides support the skin microbiome and improve barrier function. 

This blurring formula was specifically formulated with oily, acne-prone skin types in mind. It contains niacinamide, which has been shown to stabilize the skin barrier2 and reduce sebum production3—one factor that contributes to clogged pores. (And clogged pores appear way more noticeable.) It also features AHAs from ginger root, lemon, and grapefruit extracts to brighten skin tone and further tighten your complexion. 

This holy grail product is like a serum, sunscreen, and makeup primer wrapped into one. It contains vitamin C in the form of ascorbyl glucoside (a more stable form of vitamin C that is converted into L-ascorbic acid on the skin), along with vitamin E to fend off free radicals.

For the SPF 50 component, you'll find zinc oxide, while niacinamide helps brighten the skin and even tone. It also has a bit of a tint, which is perfect for "no-makeup" makeup days when you crave just a whisper of coverage. 

Yes, priming serums do exist! Namely, ones that prep and plump your skin pre-makeup so that your complexion shines through any foundation base. Some people use hyaluronic acid to deliver that subtle plumping effect, which is why this serum contains four types of HA to hydrate multiple skin layers.

The primer you choose can have a significant impact on your overall makeup aesthetic. For dry skin, a hydrating primer can help lock in moisture for a dewy glow; for oily-prone individuals, a mattifying or pore-blurring primer may be your best bet. 

You may associate primers with a tacky, sticky, gel texture. That consistency is largely thanks to silicones: They're commonly added to formulas as a smoothing, occlusive ingredient; in primers, they generally help give formulas a blurring effect. 

But as the product category expands, brands discover alternative ingredients to deliver that same smooth consistency—without leaving behind a tacky residue. "Even as a professional makeup artist, I used to be skeptical of primers," Compton once shared with mbg. "I used to dislike them, especially the [cyclic] silicone-based primers that have that icky, almost suffocating feeling on the skin. Now, there are so many different types of primers to achieve different finishes for any skin type." 

On the subject of texture, we should note that primers can fulfill different skin and makeup goals. Some are deliciously creamy and serve as another layer of moisture, while others have a gel-like consistency that's great for gripping makeup. Some even contain tints for even more coverage! 

Primers do so much more than extend the longevity of your makeup: Grab an antibacterial formula, like Jori's Acne & Oil Control Primer, and you can simultaneously treat clogged, enlarged pores. Snag a redness-reducing confection, like Youthforia's Pregame Primer, and it essentially acts as a no-makeup color corrector.