Primers are typically thought of as a base for makeup that holds product in place and boosts its wear time, but a powerful primer can offer so much more. Depending on what kind of makeup finish you’re looking for, different primers can go beyond being just a base, and help you accentuate your best features. Aside from ensuring long-lasting, flawless makeup, primers can provide skincare benefits that moisturize, refine, and even skin tone over time. Some primers do so much for your skin on their own, you can wear them for a healthy glow even without makeup! Let’s dive into the different types and purposes of primers so that you can perfect the look you want based on your skincare needs.

Blurring Primers

Blurring primers, also known as pore primers, work to diffuse imperfections without adding shine for an airbrushed looking finish. These types of pore-filling primers benefit oily skin by absorbing excess oil for a more matte finish. They also help prevent makeup from creasing or settling into fine lines, resulting in a literal blur of pores and texture for a superbly smooth canvas to grip your makeup and keep it in place all day long. A blurring primer is a great solution for a party where you know there are going to be a lot of photos taken, so your skin and makeup look pristine and picture perfect. Similarly, these types of pore-refining primers make your face look flawless and blemish-free on video calls, or spending a long time outside and need a crease-proof, sweatproof look that doesn’t require retouching.

Illuminating Primers

Illuminating, glow or luminous primers work to give your skin a healthy, luminescent glow. These types of primers work wonders on dull or dry skin for a youthful, dewy finish that can be flaunted without makeup. With makeup, a glow primer will ensure a long-lasting dewy shimmer. Brightening primers are often formulated with light-reflecting pigments that give your face a radiance boost when you’re outside. Stuck inside? An illuminating primer gives your complexion a sun-kissed look that lasts long into the night. 

Skincare Benefits

While holding your makeup in place, many primers are multitasking to deliver skin-changing benefits. Many are formulated with SPF, to protect your face from the sun without greasy residue. Primers serve as a moisturizing barrier between your face and your makeup, giving primers the ability to lock in hydration for smoother skin and prevent your makeup from clogging your pores. Antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C are commonly added in hybrid primers with skincare benefits to protect your skin from environmental aggressors and have brightening benefits.

Pore primers with skincare properties can be formulated with pore-refining and skin-smoothing ingredients that help to diminish the look of pores and texture. Because of their oil-controlling capabilities, these blurring primers are often made with non-comedogenic oils or can be oil-free to reduce irritation and promote clearer skin free of blemishes. 

Luminous primers can often contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid to plump skin with hydration for a natural glow. Other brightening ingredients like licorice root extract can reduce dullness for more radiant skin. 

Thrive Causemetics® Primers

We’ve created our own cruelty-free and vegan formulas that implement powerful natural ingredients that perfectly prep your skin for makeup application and improve its appearance over time. 

Filtered Effects™ Blurring Primer

Our pore-refining, skin-perfecting HD primer acts as a real-life filter that perfects your complexion by instantly blurring pores, texture and fine lines while advanced botanicals soften and smooth skin over time. Our proprietary Color Grip Technology™ binds to color and controls oil, transforming your skin into the ideal canvas for makeup that doesn’t budge for up to 16 hours. Then, nutrient-dense, good-for-you ingredients like celery seed extract and MCT oil soften, smooth and fortify skin from the inside out with powerful vitamins and antioxidants. 

Brilliant Face™ Brightener Illuminating Primer

Lock down a healthy glow with our Brilliant Face™ Brightener Illuminating Primer. The formula brightens skin immediately and diminishes discoloration long-term thanks to light-reflecting smart pigments and licorice root extract. In addition to holding makeup in place for up to 16 hours,  our illuminating primer has two powerful marine algae extracts for antioxidant benefits while superior plant extracts help to brighten the look of dark spots and hyperpigmentation so your skin keeps glowing and glowing.