Best Primers for Sensitive Skin
Many people who have sensitive skin experience persistent flare-ups due to causes that are sometimes hard to pin down. Symptoms such as redness and itching can seemingly occur at any time. While genetic ailments like rosacea or eczema are usually the main culprits, some reactions might stem from an allergic reaction to a skin product or ingredient. For this reason, it’s important to choose makeup that won’t aggravate your sensitive skin.
One beauty product that can help improve your skin’s condition is a makeup primer. Primers can help you fake a flawless complexion, but they could also contain ingredients that give your skin extra nourishment. A strong and healthy skin barrier makes you less susceptible to inflammation. Add to that the fact that a primer will actually enhance your makeup, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use one.
9 Safe and Effective Primers for Sensitive Skin
With so many products in the market, how do you know which ones are appropriate for sensitive skin? Lucky for you, we’ve tried and tested these primers to make sure that they live up to their claims. They target a wide range of issues—sensitive/dry, sensitive/oily, sensitive/acne-prone—so you’ll be sure to figure out which is best for you.
1. L’OrealRevitalift Miracle Blur Instant Skin Smoother
- Retail Price: $34.99 (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Size: 35 mL (1.18 floz) tube
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
Sensitive skin needs as much sun protection as any other skin type, if not more. But, it can sometimes be difficult to find a product that treats your skin gently while shielding you from the sun’s harmful rays. L’OrealRevitaIift Miracle Blur Instant Skin Smoother does that. This primer contains a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen– recommended by the Mayo Clinic to defend your skin from both UVA and UVB rays. At the same time, it fades the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and pores. Your skin is instantly smooth with a matte finish, with nary a sign of irritation.
2. CovergirlTruBlend Base Business Color Neutralizing Face Primer
- Retail Price: $7.95 (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Size: 30 mL (1.0 floz) tube
- Fragrance: Scented
The most obvious and annoying sign of sensitive skin is flushing. To get rid of angry red splotches, you have to cancel them out with a shade that’s on the opposite side of the color wheel. That’s why the Color Neutralizing variant of CovergirlTruBlend Base Business Face Primer is a cool minty green. Not only will this weightless primer extend the longevity of your makeup, but it will also make your skin tone more even. Furthermore, it has vitamin E, panthenol, and lecithin—skin-soothing nutrients that can calm down inflammation. Be aware, though, that it has perfume which could be an irritant. Test it on a small patch of your skin first.
3. Neutrogena Prep + Correct Redness Correcting Primer
- Retail Price: $12.99 (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Size: 30 g (1.0 oz) tube
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
If you want a color neutralizing primer that doesn’t contain perfumes or essential oils, Neutrogena is your best bet. Neutrogena Prep + Correct Redness Correcting Primer is a non-shiny green gel that can be used all over the face or applied to targeted areas only. Besides evening out your skin, it has seaweed extract that can address dryness and itching caused by sensitivity. By drawing moisture from the air and trapping it in your skin, it ensures that your makeup doesn’t flake off later in the day. A 2019 study also showed that seaweed is a potent ingredient against hyperpigmentation, premature skin aging, and acne.
4. Nyx Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Photo-Loving Primer (Green)
- Retail Price: $10.69 (Click here to save up to 18%)
- Size: 30 mL (1.01 floz) tube
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
The green-toned Nyx Studio Perfect Photo-Loving Primer contains only the basic ingredients to correct redness and provide a smooth surface for your makeup. No oils and no fragrance equal no irritation. All you get is a pure blend of silicones to give your skin a velvety texture, and stable coloring agents to neutralize red patches. Moreover, this lightweight product glides on like a dream and won’t clog your pores.
5. Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer
- Retail Price: $13.69 (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Size: 27 mL (0.91 floz) pump bottle
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
If a green-tinted primer doesn’t work for you, then you can try Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer instead. This lilac gel has pigments that counteract both red and sallow areas. It uses light diffusers to minimize flaws, and give you a soft glow that will make you appear well-rested and totally unstressed. To soften and soothe your skin, it contains glycerin and vitamin E. The latter is an antioxidant, which means that it can prevent UV-induced free radical damage. With regular use, this primer helps to keep your skin looking and feeling young.
6. e.l.f. Tone Adjusting Face Primer
- Retail Price: $5.69 for small (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Sizes: Large 30 mL (1.01 floz), Small 14 mL (0.47 floz) pump bottle
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
The silky e.l.f. Tone Adjusting Face Primer is another green-tinged corrector that you might want to try. It leaves a matte finish that allows you to pile on the makeup without any added grease. This quick-drying primer tones down red splotches and blurs imperfections. Reviewers love its long-lasting yet lightweight formula that helps makeup stay put for 10 to 12 hours.
7. Smashbox Photo Finish Even Skintone Primer
- Retail Price: $32.00 (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Size: 30 mL (1.0 floz) tube
- Fragrance: No artificial fragrances
A list of the best primers wouldn’t be complete without Smashbox. This cult brand has been churning out primers to manage every skin concern for years. Their Photo Finish Even Skintone Primer is specially formulated to deal with skin discolorations while diminishing the look fine lines and enlarged pores. It’s packed with extracts from orchids, aloe vera, safflower, lemongrass, and soybeans. These ingredients are rich sources of nutrients that boost your skin cells’ natural protection barrier. Your sensitive skin will thank you for all that love.
8. DHC Velvet Skin Coat Makeup Primer
- Retail Price: $19.48 (Click here to save up to 13%)
- Size: 15 g (0.52 oz) tube
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
For sensitive skin that’s on the oily side, DHC Velvet Skin Coat Makeup Primer is Amazon’s best-selling mattifier. This clear gel instantly absorbs excess oil and sweat with the use of silica powder. Your skin won’t get overly dry, either, because there’s olive oil in the blend. It may sound counter-intuitive, but in fact, olive oil helps dissolve sebum to clear out your pores. It also has strong anti-bacterial properties that can fight acne.
9. Paula’s Choice Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish
- Retail Price: $24.00 (Click here to check the latest promotion)
- Size: 30 g (1.0 floz) tube
- Fragrance: Fragrance-free
Another option for oily sensitive skin is Paula’s Choice Shine Stopper Instant Matte Finish. Its unique Microsponge Technology keeps shine in check and gives you a poreless complexion. This weightless primer dries to a powder-like finish that smooths out blemishes and prolongs their wear of your make-up. Like all Paula’s Choice products, it doesn’t contain any potential irritants and is pH balanced for optimum skin health.
Why Use a Primer At All?
To put it simply, if you have sensitive skin and you want to wear makeup, you should be using a primer all the time. Regular cosmetics contain chemicals and dyes that can bother your skin—just think of favorite glittery eyeshadow or perfect pink blush. A primer forms a buffer zone that prevents those products from having direct contact with your skin. What’s more, it can correct the redness and dullness that are already there. With the right primer, your sensitive skin will calm down and be on its best behavior.
