The cosmetic industry is overcrowded with products. Some boast about their ingredients, while others talk about new skincare technology.
But, if you have sensitive skin, you can’t be lured by the cosmetic industry.
Choosing what fits your skin is a crucial decision, especially when you are deciding on the best option in primers.
If you need flawless makeup, you can’t go without a primer. It gives you smooth, crease-less makeup.
But how to choose one for sensitive skin, is not an easy task. This article discusses some of the Best primers that are specially formulated by keeping sensitive skin in mind.
But first, it is mandatory to discuss some information that you need to know beforehand.
Some information on primers
Compatibility with sensitive skin type
Sensitive skin doesn’t like a complex mix of ingredients. The simpler the better. The materials used shouldn’t irritate your skin. Several cosmetic companies add artificial fragrances, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, that irritate your skin, making it prone to breakouts and redness.
So, avoid products with these ingredients.
You can look for non-comedogenic products. These don’t have chemicals that usually clog pores.
Hypoallergenic is another marker for sensitive skin-compatible products. Though this word alone shouldn’t suffice, you still need to be careful about the ingredients.
Sensitive skin sub-types
Your skin type can be normal and sensitive, dry and sensitive, or else oily and sensitive. Since these are 3 different skin types, all three have different needs when it comes to choosing a primer.
For sensitive skin, a normal primer would do. It can have moisturizing benefits and should give you a smooth skin tone.
For oily and sensitive, you need a primer that has oil-controlling ingredients. It should also not be an oil or mineral-based formula. Those that promise intense hydration are not suitable for this type of skin. Usually, ‘matte’ primers do the trick.
Whereas for dry and sensitive, hydration and moisturization is a must. It can be oil-based, to work on the dryness. You can opt for dewy formulas that add glow and moisturization.
After a good discussion about how to choose the best option, the next section discusses primers that can benefit sensitive skin types.
Best Primer for Sensitive Skin in 2024
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
A mineral formula that gives your skin a satin-smooth finish. It is a perfect way to moisturize your skin while concealing the marks and blemishes.
Due to its oil-free formula, it blends naturally with your skin and gives a clear-matt finish.
It is made without harmful ingredients that might irritate sensitive skin.
Pros:
- The product is free of parabens, sulfates oil, fragrance, nanoparticles, gluten, synthetic dyes, and phthalates.
- A vegan and cruelty-free product.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
TULA Probiotic Skin Care Face Filter Blurring and Moisturizing Primer
This primer from TULA probiotics blurs and moisturizes the skin blemishes effectively.
Full of probiotics, it helps the skin nourished from within. Apart from this, it has the power of chia seeds, licorice, turmeric, and several other natural ingredients. These help the skin stay germ-free, even preventing the formation of acne and other skin problems.
Along with smooth skin, it also locks in moisture effectively into your skin.
Great for all skin types-sensitive, combination, normal, dry, or oily.
Pros:
- A cruelty-free product.
- The product is formulated without parabens, phthalates, triclosan, preservatives, mineral oil, etc.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Colorescience Skin Calming Face SPF 20 Primer
Along with concealing the blemishes, this primer calms down your skin. Plus, with SPF-20 formula, further helps prevent the sun from disturbing your skin. A water-resistant formula, it is good for rainy days too.
If your skin is prone to redness, this primer is a perfect solution. It conceals the redness giving you perfectly smooth skin.
A good option for sensitive skin.
Pros:
- A dermatologically tested formula.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Yes, To Cucumbers Cooling Hydrating Primer Stick
To help tone down the redness and irritation, this primer makes use of cucumber as the major ingredient. It hydrates your skin and blurs signs of imperfections like scars and blemishes. With an oil-controlling formula, it also helps clear out excess oil and unclogs the pores.
It can be used on all skin types since it is a light-weight formula.
For better results, keep it in the refrigerator to increase the cooling effect.
Pros:
- A silicon-free formula.
Cons:
- Hard to find one.
Glo Skin Beauty Tinted Primer SPF 30
A tinted-primer, it has additional sunscreen with SPF-30 formula. So, even if you are staying in the sun even for a longer duration, your skin is under due protection.
A lightweight and oil-free formula, it gives a satin-smooth finish that resembles a natural look.
If used with foundation, it adds to the longevity of the overall makeup. However, if it is worn alone, it gives a sheer look.
You have a choice of four shades-light, dark, medium, and fair.
Pros:
- Can be used by all skin types.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Matte Makeup Base Primer for Face by Elizabeth Mott
This is a highly popular primer, a part of the Korean beauty industry.
It not only helps reduce excess oil but helps reduce pore visibility. It is a non-greasy formula that is also sweat-free.
A great product for mature skin to hide fine lines and wrinkles.
It is good enough to be used for all skin types except dry skin. Dry skin might benefit more from the Illuminating Face Primer formula.
Pros:
- A cruelty-free product.
Cons:
- Not ideal for dry skin.
Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer
It specializes in providing your skin with a natural glow and not a makeup look. Whether your skin type is oily, normal, or sensitive, it can be used by all.
By providing a smooth texture, moisturization, and pore reduction, it leaves your skin baby smooth.
Good for sheer, natural, or full coverage.
Pros:
- A non-comedogenic formula.
Cons:
- None so far.
SOZGE Face Primer
With green tea extracts, this primer does more than just conceal your uneven skin tone. It adds a protective and nourishing layer to the skin.
Also, the soluble collagen in the ingredients helps provide your skin with elasticity while controlling excessive oil accumulation.
Other than that, it acts as a natural concealer, pore reducer, and a good cover for signs of aging.
A primer that lasts all day.
Pros:
- This primer is specially made for people with oily or sensitive skin.
Cons:
- Might not be suitable for dry skin.
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Studio Perfect Primer
For a more professional range, consider this product. It helps in giving your skin a photo-ready look. Along with a matt finish, it gives the skin a clean and clear look.
It comes in three shades-clear, green, and lavender, the last two are the color correcting formulas.
You can opt for the clear shade if fine lines and wrinkles are your problems.
For brightening and illuminating purposes opt for lavender.
But if redness is your problem, opt for green color.
Pros:
- A cruelty-free product.
- A vegan formula.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Fifth & Skin Better’n Ur Skin MINERAL MAKEUP PRIMER
Get a smooth, oil-free look that lasts as long as 8-12 hours per day, with this primer. In a lightweight and non-greasy solution, it helps conceal the blemishes and marks on your skin.
Plus, it has anti-aging properties that hide all signs of aging.
Suitable for all types of skin-sensitive, normal, mature, dry, combination, and oily.
Pros:
- An organic, cruelty-free, and vegan product.
- Free of parabens, palm oil, GMO and toxins.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
e.l.f., Poreless Putty Primer
This smooth and velvety primer gives your face a smooth and silky finish. It is a lightweight formula that lasts long, giving your face a flawless look all day.
Formulated with squalene, this product provides optimum skin hydration.
Can be used by dry, combination, and sensitive skin type. For oily skin, opt for matte putty Primer.
Pros:
- This product is free from Hydroquinone, Phthalates, Nonylphenol, Triclosan, Triclocarban, Ethoxylates, and Parabens.
Cons:
- Not suitable for oily skin.
Dual-Action Face Primer Monica Ann Beauty
This formula makes use of Vitamin-C and hyaluronic acid to infuse the skin with optimum levels of moisturization and provides a boost to skin collagen. Moreover, these ingredients help fight skin aging and keep the skin firm and young.
Along with this, the primer helps minimize the visibility of pores and remove signs of aging.
Pros:
- The product is devoid of harmful chemicals like phthalates, parabens, and sulfates.
- A cruelty-free product.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Premium Foundation Makeup Primer
Long wear and waterproof primer, it gives your face a natural and moisturized look for about 8-12 hours. Its unique gel formula blends easily into the skin, without any smudge.
Infused with Vitamin A, vitamin C, and Vitamin E, it is a power food for your skin. Together, these help in skin cell production, moisturization, and unclogging the pores. In addition to that, it also helps reduce acne.
Can be used by all skin types-dry, combination, normal, oily, and sensitive.
Pros:
- A fragrance and paraben-free product.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
wet n wild Photo Focus Dewy Face Primer
This dewy foundation is a good option to give your face a moisturized and smooth look. Specially formulated for dry, dull skin that lacks glow and moisturization. Formulated with pearl pigments which give the face a natural glow.
A lightweight primer, it is best suitable for dry and sensitive skin.
Pros:
- A cruelty-free product (PETA certified).
Cons:
- Not fit for oily skin type.
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Hydra Touch Primer Face Makeup
This primer gives your skin a boost in hydration.
Being a water-based formula, it is light on the skin, and gives a smooth and even look to your face.
Enriched with the goodness of licorice, ginseng, chamomile, tremella mushroom, and Centella extract. Altogether, it gives your skin a bright and clear look.
Pros:
- A cruelty-free product.
- A vegan formula.
Cons:
- Intensive moisturization might not be suitable for oily skin.
Dermalogica Skinperfect Primer SPF30
A professional beauty product, it is also infused with sunscreen. The SPF-30 formula keeps your skin protected from the harmful rays of the sun.
Also reduces the signs of aging and skin blemishes.
Can be used as a stand-alone makeup or under a foundation.
Pros:
- A vegan and cruelty-free product.
- The product is devoid of parabens and gluten.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Honest Beauty Everything Primer, Glow with Hyaluronic Acid
A hydrating formula, it gives the skin an even finish, without the impression of a makeup look. Hyaluronic acid adds moisture while mica gives your skin a bright and natural glow. In addition to that, it reduces the sign of aging, giving you a younger look.
A good option for all skin types.
Pros:
- A dermatologically tested formula.
- A cruelty-free product.
- It is devoid of parabens, Fragrances, PEGs, Paraffins, Steareth-n, Petrolatum, and Mineral Oil.
Cons:
- Hard to find any.
Conclusion
With meticulous research and inspection, our article was intended to help you decide the best primer for your sensitive skin. The listicle contained products for different skin types ranging from dry to oily to normal, insensitive skin category. So, you must have narrowed down a product by now. Make sure, it is free of parabens and sulfates along with artificial fragrances. Apart from that, a non-comedogenic formula that is tested by dermatologists is a great option for you.