Primer has been around since the 1980s, and since then has been a best friend to a full face of cosmetics and loved by makeup artists for improving application and extending the lifetime of your makeup. But now, primers are getting a skin care-powered glow up (or should we say Glo up?) aimed at solving common skin complaints while staying BFFs with your makeup.
With formulas aimed at solving dryness, dullness, oiliness and texture, Glo Skin Beauty‘s The Solution Primers Collection, available January 5th, will have you asking if it’s possible to have four best friends.
(It definitely is.)
With long-wear staying power and good-for-skin ingredients, the Solution Primers collection isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. But make the wheel work harder, smarter and better? That’s the idea.
According to VP of brand development for Glo Skin Beauty, Anna De La Cruz, the main focus of the collection was to comprehensively address common skin-care concerns that also interfere with how your makeup looks. “If you love your foundation and you want something that will really elevate the experience of that makeup, extend the wear time and help make your skin look fresh throughout the day, these primers fit the bill,” Cruz explains. “Even if you don’t want to do a full face, you can strategically place these primers for their skin care benefits.”
Blurring the Lines
Suffering from large-looking pores, uneven texture or fine lines? The Blurring Primer is calling your name.
With the look and feel of a traditional primer (think thick with a tacky finish), this silicone-based formula fills and evens out fine lines and enlarged pores, blurring texture concerns for a smooth makeup application. Targeting anti-aging concerns, the formula doesn’t just temporarily fill lines, but also delivers soothing ceramides to strengthen skin and improve texture over time.
With a breathable formula, the Blurring Primer has the gripping power necessary to keep makeup on all day long without suffocating skin underneath heavy silicone.
“We really like using silicone for what it can do for your skin barrier,” explains De La Cruz. “But we use a particularly sized molecule that are big and separated to let your skin breathe. So, it gives you the feel you want, but it won’t break you out and has very low reactivity (about one in 100,000).”
Welcome, Matte
Need shine control? Then it’s the Mattefying Primer you want. Targeting excess oil and promoting a clear complexion, this is where primers go from the original playbook to new, innovative tech.
Water-based and lightweight, the nearly fluid Mattefying Primer is packed with niacinamides, tea tree and caffeine to deliver hydration that won’t weigh your skin down. Soothing aloe vera water makes up the base of this formula to balance against other steps in your skin-care routine and keep your skin calm, while mushroom extract eliminates excess sebum to keep your looking matte.
“If you struggle with oiliness, you may have a skin-care routine packed with a lot of actives, like retinol,” De La Cruz says. “So, we knew this formula needed to be especially soothing to balance that out.”
Made to work with the rest of your routine, this primer is also an easy companion to your makeup.
“It also won’t disrupt your makeup,” De La Cruz explains. “So, it’s perfect for touch-ups throughout the day.”
Tall Glass of Water
Winter’s here and parched skin is bound to be a top concern, especially with everybody’s favorite cold-day companion, wind chill. If that sounds like you, then The Hydration Primer is the formula for you.
Combining the best of water-based and silicone-based formulas, this lightweight primer is a drink of water for the skin with that coveted dewy finish. Hydrating botanical extracts like gardenia, mango and pomegranate work together with hyaluronic acid to keep moisture in. Scented only with the botanical inclusions, the formula has a beautiful rosy color thanks to the gardenia, and goes on cool to the touch.
“I think this is really the sleeper hit,” De La Cruz says. “It’s the one I’ve already used all of.”
This cooling formula’s light texture is non-sticky while still offering the smooth, velvety application of a traditional silicone-based primer.
Turn the Lights On
If your dull, tired skin needs a wake-up call, the final member of this collection is ideal for your routine. The Illuminating Primer comes in a soft peach tone, gently color correcting shadows to mitigate the look of tired skin, while a formula packed with brightening Vitamin C helps even skin tone over time. But the real secret to this water-based primer is the light-reflecting minerals that delicately sparkle for a true glow that you can use to enhance your foundation, or even top-off your look as a highlighter.
The light, silky texture makes it suitable for even oily skin types, and squalane and jojoba seed work to soften and deeply hydrate skin.
“Who doesn’t want more radiance?” De La Cruz asks. “You can also mix it with your liquid foundation to control the amount of shine you want.”
