Some people hate primers. Which is totally fine and dandy, but I have t say that I don’t get it. It’s not that I think everyone NEEDS primer, or that all primers are awesome. There are just so many kinds for so many uses. It’s like saying you don’t like snacks. There are so many kinds that are made of different things and are good in different ways, how can you generalize? Who am I kidding everyone likes snacks, thats a terrible analogy.

For example there are primers that help your makeup stay on longer, or ones that add an illuminating effect or the most important one for some people - primer for pores. If you have prominent pores, you may feel like you’ve tried everything and they never go away, and most likely that is the case (pores size is often genetic) but the right primer can glide over them and make the disappear under your foundation. Magic for those who suffer with pore issues. The key is knowing what type of primer to use for the task, and what to do with it. That’s what we are here to talk about today!

First let’s talk about

WHAT:

There are several primers on the market, specifically for the purpose of helping to smooth over pores. The most famous is Benefit Porefessional, and for good reason, it’s pretty awesome. Maybelline Baby Skin is very similar and very good, although a little lighter in formula which leads to a tad less staying power in my experience. For the price though, it is really really good as well. What both of these have in common is their texture. The silicone based formula is thick, and feels almost strangely dry, but it’s that texture that let’s it glide over the top of the pores and hide them.

Left: Baby Skin Right: Porefessional

There are others out there, and usually they are silicone based (specifically dimethicone) and thick. There may be one that you like much better than either of these, so feel free to shop around and test things. But in my opinion those two are tried and true for this purpose.

WHERE:

So now that you know what to look for, what do you do with it? Slathering it all over your whole face under your foundation like you would most primers is not advisable. That will only lead to making your foundation look and feel heavy during the day. Pore size is not uniform over the entire face, so carefully select where you’re going to put it based on where your biggest pores are. For most people (myself included) they are in the T-zone. Here is a map of where would I put it on myself.

For me it’s my chin, right between my brows and the apples of my cheeks, the cheeks being the most noticeable.

HOW:

Once you know where to put it, what do you do? There are two keys to successful application-

1. Less is more! If you apply too much of a silicone based primer it will begin to sort of ball up and become gritty. Only use a tiny amount for best results.
2. Apply your foundation over it by using a dampened sponge like a beauty blender rather than a brush. A brush will just push the primer around, negating its effect on the smoothness of your pores. Bouncing or dabbing it onto the skin with a sponge will allow you to apply the foundation over the primer while keeping it where you want it.

THE BONUS

Not only will this help hide your pores, but it will also help keep your makeup on what tends to be the more oily parts of your face. Yay!

Do you have any favorite primers for pores or tricks on how to minimize them?? Leave me a comment and let me know!