To achieve a more radiant, supple appearance and reduce the visibility of wrinkles, incorporating a primer into your makeup routine is essential. This step should be done after cleansing your face and before applying makeup to make your foundation, blush and concealer last longer and help highlight your favorite features.
We consulted professional makeup artists and experts for their most effective recommendations, including selecting a hydrating primer that contains beneficial vitamins to nourish aging skin. Keep reading for further insight on this from Alexis Chapman, professional makeup artist and expert at A1Artistry and Vivi Mintara, pro MUA and CEO of Eye Makeup Lab.
Why Pro MUAs Say A Hydrating, Vitamin-Rich Primer Is Best For Blurring Wrinkles
When shopping for primers, any products that have the word 'hydrating' on them are always a great choice for aging skin, Chapman says.
This, she notes, is because skin loses moisture as it ages. What this might mean for many is having to deal with cracking or patchy makeup.
Thanks to a trusty hydrating primer, Chapman notes that your concealer, blush and foundation will go on much smoother, and this won't emphasize any wrinkles, either.
"The best kinds of primers for textured and mature skin will be hydrating," Chapman explains. She recommends looking for primers that have "hyaluronic acid and retinol" as ingredients.
To really nourish your complexion and give yourself a dewy, glowing and radiant look, Chapman says that you should also select a primer made with skin-loving vitamins.
Regarding a smoother and brighter look with or without makeup, Chapman breaks down how vitamins in a primer work for mature skin.
"The vitamins in general help in repairing the skin and improving elasticity, particularly, vitamin A (retinol) is a key ingredient in anti-aging products, and it’s great with fine lines & elasticity," she notes.
"B vitamins are great for hydration and smoothing, vitamin C is great for hydration and brightening, and vitamin E is great for repairing the skin from age spots and sun damage," she points out.
All of these ingredients "work together well in primers to provide that desired blurring effect to the skin," she adds.
Overall, Mintara emphasizes that incorporating a primer into an anti-aging makeup routine is imperative, regardless of whether one opts for a hydrating primer, a vitamin-rich primer, or one that combines both properties.
"Priming your skin will not only fill in any fine lines and wrinkles, but it also encourages concealing products to stick to your skin in an even and long-lasting manner," she notes.
With primer, your concealer will "last for at least eight hours without the need for a touch-up," she continues. When you do actually apply concealer after your primer, as a bonus pro tip, she says to start with a thin layer.
"If this doesn’t fully cover your desired areas, then apply another layer, and keep building the color up," she suggests.
She concludes not to "immediately put a very thick layer of concealer on your face," because you may not need as much as you think. "Also, this will cause the makeup to crack after a few hours," she stresses. The more you know!
