If I were queen of the world, my first decree would be that all people who choose to wear makeup must do so in conjunction with a makeup primer. (…And then, you know, I’d tackle the whole global warming/poverty/war thing). Because that is how g’damn passionate I feel about face primers and their game-changing benefits. Not only does makeup primer create a silky-smooth, poreless canvas for your makeup to adhere to, but it also helps your face and eye makeup stay on all day without slipping, fading, or creasing. Basically, primer is your bestie, and you’re ghosting it (TBH, shame on you, wow).

“But I triiiied it once, and it was weeeiiirdddd,” I hear you cry. Or “I hate the feeeeling of stuff on my faaaace,” or “I have oily/dry/acne-prone/unicorn skin and I’m scaaaared.” Listen, I’ve heard all the whines from coworkers and friends and DMs over the years, and my answer is always the same: You probably didn’t use the right one (and some primers legit suck). So I’m here today, as your future world-dominating queen, to help you find the best makeup primer, tell you how to apply it, and send you on your merry way with the greatest makeup finish of all time.

What is the purpose of makeup primer?

To make your makeup look 100,000 percent better. Really, it’s that simple. Makeup primers are a gel, cream, or liquid formula that, when smoothed over your skin, fill in your tiny creases, large pores, flaky patches, and bumpy textures, creating nothin’ but a smooth surface for your makeup to glide over (which means your concealer or, say, foundation, won’t stick to your dry patches, or settle into your creases, or cake up around your acne scabs).

Think of it like a layer of fondant smoothed over a jagged cake or a top coat glazed over your smudged manicure. Makeup primer basically blurs, hides, and evens out your skin texture (not fully—it ain’t sorcery—but still to a noticeable degree). And because your makeup isn’t competing with roughness and oil slicks, it adheres to your face for hours longer than it usually would, even in

Do you need makeup primer?

When it comes to makeup, you don’t need anything. You can use (or not use) whatever the heck you want that makes you and your face happy. But if you’re someone who ends up with raccoon eyes, smudged eyeliner, crease-y, slide-y, patch-y foundation/eyeshadow/concealer/etc. by the end of the day, you would most likely benefit from trying a makeup primer. And also, if words aren’t enough for you, maybe these photos I took of my beautiful, pale-as-f*ck arm will be able to show you just how powerful primer is:

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