10 Best Primers For Mature Skin Reviewed

1. Pure Canvas Hydrating Primer – Laura Mercier

Review

Laura Mercier products are renowned for their high quality and durability. Pure Canvas Hydrating Primer is a hydrating primer that is great for stressed, dry, or mature skin. Deceptively lightweight, it is nonetheless one of the most durable on this list.

Better yet, this primer is packed with skin-loving ingredients which promote hydration and moisture retention. The glycerine rich formula protects the skin from harmful environmental pollutants. Together with butylene glycol it locks in the moisture gently conditioning the multiple layers of the epidermis.

The result is a primer which protects your skin while locking in moisture and making your face feel soft and refreshed.

How To Apply

This primer should be applied to clean, dry skin with your fingertips. Use a pea-sized amount and gently massage it in before applying your foundation.

Benefits

• Replenishing
• Smoothing
• Hydrating
• Nourishing
• Vitamin-enriched
• Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Reduces skin redness
• Prolongs make-up wear
• Concealer
• Lightweight
• Breathable
• Antioxidant
• Silicone, Paragon, Fragrance & Solicone free

Main Active Ingredients

• Olive Extract
• Aloe Leaf Extract
• Marine Hydra Botanicals
• Moisturising Plant Extracts
• Vitamins A,C,& E

Price & Reviews

You can check the latest pricing, see customer reviews and shop online:

2. MAC Cosmetics – Prep + Prime

Review

MAC is one of the best-known brands in the world today; a favourite of makeup artists and enthusiasts alike, they have not always catered to mature skin.

Times have changed, and the MAC Prep + Prime primer is perfect for dry, blemished, and mature skin. The gel formula feels a little insubstantial and slippery (a result of the silicone), but don’t let that fool you!

Claiming to be non-acnegenic and to reduce redness, even your skin tone, and improve overall radiance, it has a star-studded list of ingredients. The ones you should be most interested in are Camellia Sinensis (green tea), dimethicone (a kind of moisturiser used on rough, dry, or irritated skin), and hypnea musciformis (algae).

These ingredients piggyback on the Cyclopentasiloxane (silicone) which fast-tracks them into your skin before evaporating to leave a smooth base for your makeup.

How To Apply

MAC recommends to smooth the primer onto clean skin with a sponge or brush. Apply across the whole face or use it only to problematic areas.

Benefits

• Reduces appearance of skin redness
• Evens skin tone
• Improves radiance
• Calming
• Soothing
• Reduces Excess oils
• Non-acnegenic
• Oil-free
• Lightweight
• Long-Wearing
• Moisturizing
• Extends Makeup Wear Time

Main Active Ingredients

• Special-effect silicones
• Green Tea Leaf Extract
• Mulberry Root Extract
• Caffeine
• Moisturising Plant Extracts

Price & Reviews

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3. Lancome – Prep & Hydrate Illuminating Primer

Review

Mature skin can sometimes become a little dull, thankfully Lancôme is the undisputed champion of illuminating facial products. The Prep & Hydrate Illuminating Primer formula is light but slightly creamy at first application, in fact, you can really feel it soothing your skin the moment you apply it.

Unsurprisingly, this primer features some heavy-hitting ingredients. Our old friend’s glycerine and dimethicone are at the top of the list, protecting and hydrating the epidermis.

Rosa gallica flower extracts and caprylic/capric triglyceride lock in further goodness. Capric is fantastic for controlling acne and redness while rosa gallica extract is an anti-ageing illuminator which feeds skin well.

Lancôme claims that this primer helps to promote hydration up to 24 hours after application, too!

How To Apply

Apply a roughly pea-sized amount to clean skin with your fingers and massage it in to increase blood flow and promote radiance.

Benefits

• Nourishing
• Lightweight texture
• Smoothing
• Hydrating
• Refreshing
• Brightening
• Prepare skin for foundation application
• Enhances Skin Radiance

Main Active Ingredients

• Rose Essence
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Essential Oils

Price & Reviews

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4. Hourglass – Veil Mineral Primer

Review

Oil-free, paraben-free, offering SPF15 protection, and completely waterproof… these might seem like big claims, but fans of HOURGLASS cosmetics will know that they specialise in hard-hitting formulas backed up by science.

Despite its big claims, the Veil Mineral Primer has a surprisingly short list of ingredients. Cyclopentasiloxane is the primary conductor, so to speak, for the other ingredients. The most interesting of these are zinc oxide, which is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial often used to treat wounds and isododecane, which is an emollient.

The result is a reasonably light primer which blurs imperfections and locks in moisture. It is suitable for sensitive skin and actually stands up well to rain, sweat, and even tears.

How To Apply

Apply half a pump of the primer to a clean, moisturised skin before applying the makeup.

Benefits

• Creates flawless skin
• Minimises pores
• Reduces appearance fine lines and wrinkles
• Prevents sun damage
• Pore Minimizing
• Colour-correcting
• Fragrance-free
• Oil-free
• Increases longevity of foundation
• Extends Makeup Wear Time
• Reduces appearance of blemishes, redness and dark spots
• Suitable for all skin types

Main Active Ingredients

• Cyclopentasiloxane
• Titanium
• Zinc Oxide
• Mineral-derived Sunscreens

Price & Reviews

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5. Laura Mercier – Foundation Primer

Review

Another Laura Mercier primer, this one is a little more basic than the Pure Canvas Hydrating Primer, but it does the job well. Not marketed for matured skin, it is perfectly suited for the job. The gel is somewhat sticky and slippery, but you can feel it soothing your skin as it goes on.

You won’t be surprised to find glycerin at the top of this ingredient list, along with isohexadecane. Both of these ingredients are good at keeping moisture in and hydrating the skin. This is a pretty basic mix that doesn’t do much to improve the long-term condition of your skin, but it is reasonably priced, effective, and will help your makeup to look better for longer.

How To Apply

Apply two pea-sized amounts to clean, moisturised skin with your fingertips for best effect.

Benefits

• Lightweight
• Smoothing
• Moisturising
• Reduces Blemishes
• Prepares skin for foundation application
• Refreshing
• Colourless
• Antioxidant
• Anti-ageing
• Suitable for normal and combination skin types

Main Active Ingredients

• Glycerine
• Vitamins A, C and E
• Aloe Leaf Juice
• Salicylic Acid
• Essential Oils
• Fruit Extracts

Price & Reviews

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6. Charlotte Tilbury – Hollywood Flawless Filter

Review

Charlotte Tilbury products are synonymous with accessible luxury and unapologetically glamorous opulence. More than this, the brand is known for inclusivity; they cater to a broader range of skin tones and types than many other brands. The Hollywood Flawless Filter primer is a perfect example.

This is a light yet rich blend that acts as an under foundation, so you have to pick your shade. It has a whole host of active ingredients to consider, but one of the most interesting is the porcelain flower extract which brightens the skin. It also has glycerin and iron oxide to help with colour correction and glow.

How To Apply

This primer comes with its own applicator which can be used to place a dab on your cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin. You may want to blend it with a sponge, however.

Benefits

• Light reflecting
• Smoothing
• Creamy
• Lightweight
• Hydrating
• Brightening
• Enhances Microcirculation
• Lifting
• Illuminating
• Reduces visibility of lines and pores

Main Active Ingredients

• Airbrush Polymers
• Finely Milled Powders
• Porcelain Flower Extract
• Thai Flower
• Glycerin

Price & Reviews

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7. Yves Saint Laurent – Touche Eclat Blur Primer

Review

Another radiance-boosting primer, this time from Yves Saint Laurent, the Touche Éclat Blur Primer has become somewhat iconic. Yves Saint Laurent promote this light but creamy mix as ‘light-infused’ and radiance-boosting.

Designed to improve skin texture in the long-run as well as giving an immediate boost after application, it also blurs imperfections, and locks in moisture.

This blend has a list of familiar ingredients such as Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane. There are some less familiar ones, too; passiflora edulis seed oil and rice bran oil are present along with corn oil.

Passiflora edulis seed oil comes from the same plant as passion fruit and has skin-soothing properties while rice bran oil is shown to protect from the ultraviolet light of all kinds. Corn oil is commonly used to treat dry skin.

The result is a light but powerful primer which does good work for both your skin and makeup.

How To Apply

Apply to clean, moisturised skin with a brush or sponge for best effect.

Benefits

• Boost radiance
• Improves appearance of skin texture
• Blurs Imperfections
• Illuminating
• Smoothing
• Evens skin tone
• Prepares skin for makeup
• Easy-to-apply
• Improves appearance of skin texture
• Gives flawless, radiant finish
• Suitable for all skin types
• Non-comedogenic

Main Active Ingredients

• Dimethicone
• Cyclopentasiloxane
• Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
• Rice Bran Oil
• Corn Oil

Price & Reviews

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8. Estée Lauder – The Illuminator Radiant Perfecting Primer

Review

Estee Lauder has a special place in the heart of many mature makeup lovers for a good reason; this brand consistently provides products that work brilliantly with mature skin. The Illuminator Radiant Perfecting Primer is a perfect example of this; the creamy, soothing mix is kind to skin that is not naturally flawless and sits well on pores or wrinkles.

The ingredients list for this looks much like you might imagine, but there are some ingredients which stand out. Cyclindrica root extract, for example, is used to help dry or flaky skin, while silica prevents caking, and PEG-8 dimethicone provides light conditioning to the skin.

The result is soft and supple feeling skin and a base which prevents foundation from gathering in wrinkles or at the corners of your eyes and mouth.

How To Apply

Apply to clean, moisturised skin with your fingers, smooth all over your face. This primer can be worn alone or under makeup.

Benefits

• Moisturising
• Smoothing
• Brightening
• Gives healthy looking finish
• Radiance boosting
• Illuminating
• Complexion balancing
• Perfect base for makeup application
• Helps to prolong wear of foundation
• Nourishing
• Comforting
• Lifting
• Antioxidant
• Lightweight

Main Active Ingredients

• Cyclindrica Root Extract
• Shea Butter
• Vitamin E

Price & Reviews

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9. Smashbox – Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer

Review

Smashbox has found success as an Instagrammable brand, which has made it very popular with younger people. Despite this, many of its products are perfect for mature skin. The Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer is an ideal example.

This clear gel feels almost whipped in texture and has a list of active ingredients that will make your head spin. Alongside Cyclopentasiloxane and butylene glycol you will also find iron oxides and dimethicone.

The result is a pretty durable and soothing primer which will blur your imperfections and help your makeup stay firmly intact all day.

How To Apply

Apply an even layer to clean, moisturised skin with your fingers.

Benefits

• Smoothing
• Blurs imperfections
• Improves skin healthy appearance
• Refreshing
• Pore minimizing
• Reduces appearance of lines and wrinkles
• Helps makeup look flawless
• Oil Free
• Suitable for all skin types
• Easy to apply
• Antioxidant
• Lightweight
• Prolongs foundation wear
• Balancing
• Moisturising

Main Active Ingredients

• Vitamin A & E
• Grapeseed Extract
• Cyclopentasiloxane
• Butylene Glycol

Price & Reviews

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10. Bobbi Brown – Vitamin Enriched Face Base

Review

There are few brands which bring affordable luxury and opulence to the primary market quite like Bobbi Brown. The Vitamin Enriched Face Base is a rich, creamy mix that feels almost like a light moisturiser and is marketed to normal to oily skin.

Along with all the expected ingredients, this small but mighty blend has shea butter to moisturise your skin, as well as grapefruit and geranium for a light fragrance and illuminating touch. The mix is also heavily infused with vitamins B, C, and E to improve your skin condition in the long-term while helping your makeup to withstand the rigours of day to day life.

How To Apply

Apply this to freshly cleansed skin in an even layer, avoiding the eye area.

Benefits

• Moisturising
• Smoothing
• Softening
• Non-Greasy
• Antioxidant
• Nourishing
• Uplifting
• Visibly improves skin appearance
• Minimises appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Diminishes pores
• Suitable for normal to oily skin
• Paraben-free

Main Active Ingredients

• Shea Butter
• Vitamins B, C and E
• Grapefruit & Geranium Extracts

Price & Reviews

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