With the rise of minimal makeup and skincare brands such as Glossier, Milk Makeup, and Nudestix, the desire for products that give you that effortless glow have become a priority in our makeup collections. For us, the products that create a slightly dewy effect on your skin are the products essential to creating a natural look. It matters what products you choose and where you decide to put it.
As any beauty guru will tell you, one of the most important steps in a makeup routine is the base. You should always make sure to have your favourite moisturizer on hand to prep your face! But what’s even more important is your primer. If you’re looking to achieve a natural glow but perhaps decide you’d like to skip the moisturizer, the perfect primer will be able to do some hydration instead.
So, what is primer and why is it a necessary step?
Makeup primer is a product that is applied before any base, cheek, or eye product to ensure longevity and coverage. In this case it is key to a beautiful, natural look because it hydrates and gives your final look long-lasting power without budging. The look you want to go for; i.e matte, dewy, poreless, etc. will determine the primer you choose. If you want to achieve the dewy look, you should make sure to have a dew-based primer. (Yes, we made that word up and no it has nothing to do with honeydew!) When our goal is to enhance dew, we avoid the lightweight silicone primers that lock oils away—instead we shift our focus to primers with a wet formula that will feel more like a lotion. That little trick should help remove the mattifying products from our list and move us towards dewy, glowing makeup look.
Of course, however, dew is not to be confused with grease—which is why we’ve curated a list of our top primers that can help achieve a shiny glow without making you look like your natural oils are starting to peak through after a long day.
Maybelline Master Prime | Blur + Illuminate
Price Point: C$13
Sometimes we like to stick to older, affordable products that are guaranteed to work. This Maybelline primer is a perfect example of a lotion primer with a slight pink tint that gives it its magical powers. The shade helps skin glow and the formula makes sure to keep your natural oils at bay while illuminating the areas you want, such as cheekbones and brow bones. Simple, effective, and easily accessible at any drugstore.
(Photo: www.maybelline.com)
Lancome Prep & Hydrate Illuminating Make-Up Primer
Price Point: C$42
This product claims to add a dewy glow to the skin with 24 hour hydration—what more can we say? It’s the perfect winter product because it will add a beautiful, elegant shine to parched skin without having to resort to powder touch ups throughout the day.
(Photo: www.lancome.com)
Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer
Price Point: C$50
The Primerizer has quickly become a favourite among many beauty lovers, and for good reason. If you want natural, this product is a moisturizer and primer in one, so it does it all. This Smashbox primer will fill in your pores, make sure your skin is hydrated all day, and leave you with a non-greasy glow—you’ll be forced to snap a few selfies every time.
(Photo: www.ultabeauty.com)
Lancer Dani Glowing Skin Perfector
Price Point: C$120
Every list needs a luxurious product! This is a bronze tinted base product that will add a radiance and dewiness to your skin like you’ve never seen before. Use it under your favourite non-matte foundation and make sure to focus on cheekbones and eyelids instead of the t-zone. You don’t want to add any to your forehead and nose—just incase the shine is mistaken for oils!
(Photo: www.dermstore.com)
Glossier Priming Moisturizer
Price Point: C$27
Glossier’s priming moisturizer is a given. It’s going to be on every list of dewy primers you’ll ever stumble across because it truly works. Glossier is a leading brand in natural-looking makeup, so we wouldn't expect anything less than the perfect primer from them. The product claims to bring out the best in your skin, truly enchanting your best features and adding a gorgeous glow.
(Photo: www.glossier.com)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Under(cover) Perfecting Coconut Face Primer
Price Point: C$55
We’re (coco)nuts for this product! Not only does is smell divine, but it’s also great for all skin types. If you have oily skin and you find that products such as Too Faced’s Hangover Primer allow too much oils to surface, this product is for you. It will give you the dew you want, and definitely zero oils.
(Photo: www.net-a-poorter.com)
L’oreal Magic Lumi Light Infusing Primer
Price Point: C$15)
Another drugstore favourite! L’oreal’s “Lumi” line is exceptional, and the primer is no exception. It’s moisturizing without being greasy, and the pearly white consistency will have you repurchasing this product overtime you need a quick fix for a naturally dewy look.
(Photo: www.walmart.com)