People have a lot of love for primer. It tends to be a step that promises a lot.
And yet I think the concept is fatally flawed.
Does that surprise you? It’s such a common step in beauty mantra, but I urge you to question these sorts of diktats, as a matter of course.
So here’s the reasoning behind my theory on the Redundancy of Primers!
Primers and sunscreen
The most important: if you’re wearing primer, you’re probably not wearing sunscreen properly. And if you think that your primer has enough UVA cover in it to offer proper protection, (the type that matters for everyday ageing prevention) , you’re likely to be disappointed. In truth, the smart money is invested in sunscreen that has priming qualities as a secondary benefit. In the long run its too vital a step, especially if you want to shield pores from slackening and skin from sagging.
This premise was the cornerstone of my Flawless Daily Sunscreen formula - to make sunscreen an active pleasure to use because it enhances the appearance of skin and the longevity of your make-up.
Primer under foundation
If your foundation is well-chosen, it should last. Period. There are just so many hyper-amazing bases now; if it’s doing its thing and delivering on its promises, primer should be redundant.
Primer for radiant skin
If it’s the promise of luminosity you’re after, then do the work and make skin radiant through the results of your skincare, rather than settling for tapping into it temporarily. And PS - a real glow ALWAYS beats a fake one.
Worth the time?
It takes up too much time to be a sustainable habit. For the average woman, a morning routine involving one Active, plus basics, then make-up is just about manageable, provided the benefits are visible. To add in an extra layer between SPF and make-up is a doomed strategy.
My one exception – if you’re doing your make-up for a special occasion and it makes you feel extra, go for it. But I advise many brides and, from experience, I have to say that once we get them matrimony-ready, they want as little on their skin as possible. When you’ve worked that hard, why would you want to hide it?!
In the end, we are the sum of our daily habits. This is especially true for skin. Make your everyday sunscreen your primer and not only will you be safeguarding your make-up’s longevity for today, you’ll also be future proofing your skin for the long-term.
