Primers
Primers do just that; they prime and prepare your skin for foundation. As well as making your foundation easier to apply, they'll also help it last longer. There are quite a few different primers out there.
Mattifying Primers
These help absorb oil and keep your complexion matte. These are an essential for people who have oily skin and find that their foundation slides off during the day. For those with combination skin, just applying it when you get oily works well.
Recommendations
Coloured Primers
If you haven't checked out the colour correcting section, head on over there now! Coloured primers a sheer veil of colour that will cancel out whatever problem you're looking to hide, meaning your foundation has to do less work.
The most common is green. This is great if you find you get a lot of redness. You may look a little pale and washed out when you first apply it, but you'll really notice the difference once you get your foundation on top.
Lavender primers make skin look less sallow by cancelling out and yellowness in the skin, leaving your skin looking brighter and healthier.
Apricot helps skin look more awake by cancelling out any darker tones (in a similar way to how salmon concealer gets rid of dark circles).
The most common is green. This is great if you find you get a lot of redness. You may look a little pale and washed out when you first apply it, but you'll really notice the difference once you get your foundation on top.
Lavender primers make skin look less sallow by cancelling out and yellowness in the skin, leaving your skin looking brighter and healthier.
Apricot helps skin look more awake by cancelling out any darker tones (in a similar way to how salmon concealer gets rid of dark circles).
Recommendations
Illuminating Primers
As it says on the bottle, these illuminate your skin, giving you nice, glowing skin. I tend to avoid these for oily skin, but they're really good for that dewy look. They also work well at blurring fine lines, so are good for more mature skin.
Recommendations
Satin Effect Primer
Somewhere between matte and illuminating primers, you'll find the satin primers. These give the most natural effect to you skin, smoothing it out and creating a good base for your foundation to stick to. Some of these leave your skin feeling velvety smooth. These have a tendency to be quite silicon heavy, which some people prefer to avoid as they find they clog pores.
Recommendations
Pore Tightening Primers
If you have large open pores, you may find that your foundation can sink into them. By using a primer specifically for this problem, you'll find that your foundation applies far more smoothly.
Recommendations
Primers for Fine Lines
As you get older, the texture and condition of your skin changes. As well as filling fine lines, you skin will probably need that extra bit of moisture. By using a primer designed to fill fine lines, your foundation will have a smooth base to cling to, getting rid of the problem of your foundation sinking into, and creasing in those lines.
Recommendations
Long Lasting Primers
Whilst all primers extend the life of your foundation, some a specifically designed for the task. These are the primers that last the longest, and hold up for hours on set.
Recommendations
Hydrating Primers
If you've got dry skin, you'll know how difficult it can be to get foundation to look smooth and not cakey. Whilst switching your skin care routine up, and using an intensive moisturiser can help, it doesn't hurt to add that extra bit of moisture with a primer.
Recommendations
Primers with SPF
If your moisturiser doesn't have SPF in it, or if it doesn't offer the protection you need, a primer with a high SPF and broad spectrum UV protection is well worth the money. Just be aware that it may reflect light if flash photography is used