Welcome to Polished with Elise Wilson, the place FEMAIL’s certified make-up artist and hair stylist solutions your questions, shares recommendation and trials the up-and-coming magnificence and skincare developments so you do not should.
For those who’re something like me, you’ve got in all probability stared down the barrel of your make-up bag, clutching your fifth bottle of basis, questioning why your flawless end turns right into a flaky façade by lunchtime.
Let me re-introduce to you the customarily dismissed, misunderstood, and criminally underrated superhero of our magnificence routines, the standard primer.
I get it, including a primer can really feel like ‘simply one other step’ in an already chaotic a.m. routine that entails wrestling with a Dyson Airwrap and selecting between winged liner or being on time.
However, in accordance with Australia’s go-to glam king, celeb make-up artist Shannon JJ Williams (who’s painted the faces of Sophie Monk, Jesinta Franklin,Tammy Hembrow and even make-up guru Huda Kattan herself!), primer is not elective, it is important. And as a long-time make-up artist myself, I wholeheartedly agree.
‘Primers are like secret weapons in my equipment,’ he informed me. ‘When humidity kicks in or I am working with oily pores and skin, an excellent primer could be a game-changer.’
Shannon additionally agreed that pores and skin prep with an amazing serum, moisturiser and eye cream is crucial, however a primer is there to excellent our complexions and provides the whole lot else one thing to grip onto.
And this is the place it will get just a little complicated for many, as a result of primer is not a one-size-fits-all tube of silicone anymore. There’s now a full buffet of choices designed to your pores and skin’s each temper, suited to each skin-type, tone, texture and concern.
Fortunately, I’ve damaged down the who’s, what’s and why’s of which base-stars you would possibly need to put money into so you’ll be able to prime like a professional – and at last have a surprising face of make-up that hasn’t fully slid off by noon.

Including a primer can really feel like ‘simply one other step’ in our already-lengthy routines, but it surely’s a gamechanger to your make-up’s longevity and a flawless end. Pictured: Elise sporting full-face glam for the races – that lasted all day and night time because of some key priming steps

Celeb make-up artist Shannon JJ Williams (pictured) agreed {that a} primer is crucial to excellent our complexions and provides make-up one thing to grip onto
What are all these priming ‘textures’?
In line with Shannon, your primer’s texture actually does matter. ‘It may be the distinction between a flawless, all-day look and a make-up meltdown by lunchtime.’
It would sound easy, however there are some guidelines to comply with particularly if you happen to’re mixing textures in your make-up to cease pilling or a patchy mess.
‘Consider it like matchmaking to your make-up – gel with gel, cream with cream, serum with mild formulation,’ Shannon stated. ‘When textures play properly collectively, your make-up not solely seems to be higher, however lasts manner longer too.’
It is also of be aware, that selecting a primer primarily based in your occasion and likewise your pores and skin’s wants (i.e. if it is feeling notably dry, oily, or enflamed and so forth that day), using just a few textures is inspired. Consider it like a primer wardrobe.
Hydrating Primers – For thirsty complexions strive priming formulation full of hyaluronic acid and glycerin, or you would undertake each make-up artist hack and simply use Weleda Pores and skin Meals ($17.95).
(Everybody from Molly-Mae Hague to Victoria Beckham loves Pores and skin Meals as a make-up base – and that is one I all the time had in my skilled equipment for any shoppers with parched pores and skin).

Discovering the proper primer textures will cease pilling or a patchiness along with your different make-up merchandise. Mixing and matching primers for various elements of your face is inspired for a flawless end. Pictured: Molly-Mae Hague who loves utilizing Weleda Pores and skin Meals as a hydrating primer base for her dry pores and skin
Blurring Primers – Form of like a Kris Jenner Instagram filter IRL. These feather-light formulation work to clean out texture and fill in high quality traces and pores with out feeling heavy.
They’re extra silicone-based (tons come silicone free too, btw) and act as a sort-of Polyfilla to level-over any bumpy texture you’ve. I really like utilizing mine simply down my T-zone.
TRY: Huda Magnificence Simple Blur Silicon-Free Smoothing Primer ($52) – Shannon’s go-to product!
Mattifying Primers – Your reply to the 3pm T-zone meltdown. These shine-controlling primers maintain oil in examine, particularly helpful if you happen to like a matte end with out wanting flat or cakey.
You’ll be able to slather these everywhere in the face, or dot-prime within the shiny areas you suppose you want it.
TRY: Paula’s Selection SHINE STOPPER Immediate Matte End Oil Management Primer ($42)

Shannon’s favorite primer texture are the blurring ones to clean his shoppers’ pores and skin like a real-life Instagram filter
Illuminating Primers – Nice for a no-makeup-makeup look, these are infused with light-reflecting particles to provide uninteresting pores and skin just a little increase.
TRY: Holme Magnificence Base Primer ($70)
Color-Correcting Primers – Whether or not you are battling redness or simply some rogue breakouts, there is a pastel-hued primer to neutralise it earlier than basis hits your face.
TRY: Stila One Step Appropriate ($63)
Silky Primers – These are your luxe-feeling, velvet-finish formulation that blur the whole lot with a whisper-soft contact.
Shannon informed me he loves utilizing these on shoppers with mature or textured pores and skin, as they sit fantastically with out creasing, and can be utilized on all pores and skin varieties.
TRY: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer ($85)
So, what about make-up sprays?
If you need your make-up sport to be elevated to an excellent increased degree, make-up sprays work harmoniously to both lock in your make-up or give it that flawless, skin-like end.
So, a primer (as listed above) goes on high of your skincare and underneath your make-up, and a make-up spray is the ultimate step earlier than you head out the door.
However this is the place most individuals go incorrect – they use the incorrect spray for the job.
To make issues easy, my very gifted make-up artist good friend Claire Bridgett, just lately defined in a video (beneath) precisely what the distinction is between a setting spray and a ending spray. Completely nice for novices, and value a watch like the remainder of her movies.
Setting sprays
It is within the title guys. These set your make-up it doesn’t matter what, with a mist that types a light-weight movie over your make-up to ensure it would not soften, fade or budge.
Formulation typically embody polymers that bind your basis, concealer and powder collectively.
‘They assist stop creasing, stopping switch, and maintaining make-up set all day,’ stated Claire.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Sprays ($54) – This makes your pores and skin appear to be you’ve a filter on it. It units it and hydrates with a novel system that creates a movie over your pores and skin to make it switch resistant. Undoubtedly a extra dewy end.
City Decay All Nighter ($66) – With a temperature management it apparently makes your pores and skin keep cool. This model provides a satin end to pores and skin.
L’Oreal Paris Infallible 3-Second Setting Mist ($29.99) – The high quality nozzle sprays the product like hairspray. ‘These items is heavy responsibility and means our make-up won’t transfer in any respect,’ stated Claire.
Clarins Repair’ Make-Up Spray ($52) – Noticed in Rhianna’s make-up artist Priscilla Ono’s equipment, she stated ‘I truly love Clarins… it makes your pores and skin appear to be pores and skin once more!’


Noticed in Rhianna’s make-up artist Priscilla Ono’s equipment, she stated ‘I truly love Clarins… it makes your pores and skin appear to be pores and skin once more!’ Pictured: Priscilla just lately utilizing the spray on social media star Glamzilla
Hydrating ending sprays
I ought to preface by saying that these do not actually lengthen your make-up as such, however they do assist ‘soften’ it collectively and are finest suited to dryer skin-types or those that love a dewy end.
‘It takes away cakiness and provides hydration,’ stated Claire. You’ll be able to apply them underneath, over or between your make-up layers to boost that wanted glass-skin glow.
These sprays are normally water or glycerin-based and typically even embody shimmer or light-reflecting particles for that ‘I wakened like this’ radiance.
MAC Cosmetics Repair+ ($54) – a make-up artists favorite for a cause, it melts collectively all of your make-up for a dewy end.
Uncommon Magnificence At all times An Optimist 4-In-1 Mist ($50) – Gently shake the bi-phase mist and spritz in between layers of make-up to melt and hydrate product into the complexion for an immediately refreshed look.

Setting sprays set your make-up it doesn’t matter what, whereas ending sprays assist ‘soften’ it collectively for many who love a dewy end. Pictured: Uncommon Magnificence At all times An Optimist 4-In-1 Mist ($50)
Glow-getters with solar safety
Everyone knows that SPF on a regular basis is a non-negotiable, so I am ecstatic to report that a few of my favorite manufacturers have mixed a key make-up step and pores and skin safety in a single.
A brand new wave of multitasking bronzing drops and tinted serums are actually right here to provide your pores and skin a golden-hour glow, skincare advantages and solar safety of SPF50+ too.

Now, manufacturers have mixed the important thing make-up step and pores and skin safety in a single. The brand new wave of multitasking bronzing drops and tinted serums are right here to provide your pores and skin a golden-hour glow, skincare advantages and solar safety of SPF50+ too. Pictured: Elise with the brand new Emma Lewisham Sunceutical SPF50 Mineral Glow Serum ($83)
I might say these are most interesting to all of the lazy, low-maintenance make-up customers as their formulation add simply the correct amount of tint to faux a ‘week in Byron’ with minimal different base merchandise wanted on high.
In your extra off-duty days, consider these as your primer, bronzer, sunscreen and pores and skin tint in a single. Mix just a few drops into your every day SPF or layer underneath make-up for that ‘your-skin-but-better’ bronze.
I’ve simply began utilizing Emma Lewisham’s model new Sunceutical SPF50 Mineral Glow Serum ($83), and it is nearly changed my basis fully.
This one’s fairly darkish, so these with fairer complexions I might advocate utilizing much less and spreading it out a bit thinner (just a little goes a really great distance, btw) or mixing it would one other, lighter consistency SPF system.
It is also contains an ingredient referred to as Palmitoyl Oligopeptide which helps defend in opposition to every day environmental stressors and solar injury when you’re sporting it.

In your extra off-duty days, consider these as your primer, bronzer, sunscreen and pores and skin tint in a single. Mix just a few drops into your every day SPF or layer underneath make-up for that ‘your-skin-but-better’ bronze. Pictured: A swatch of Emma Lewisham’s new system
I then go in with a blurring primer simply down my T-zone (I have been reaching for the Mecca Max Pores and skin Filter Blurring Primer $25 just lately, and I actually fee it), then a concealer to dot any blemishes, redness and underneath my eyes – blended out with a moist sponge.
Bare Sundays CabanaGlow™ SPF50 Mineral Glow Serum Drops in Bronze ($45) – the truth that Dakota Johnson’s make-up artist Georgie Eisdell simply used this on her at Cannes is what initially offered me.
‘To deliver delicate heat and definition to the face, I utilized the CabanaGlow Drops alongside the jawline, cheekbones, and brow. This added a smooth, sun-kissed dimension,’ she stated of Dakota’s purple carpet glow.

Tailor-made to your desire: Both combine just a few drops into SPF, layer on high of SPF for successful of radiance, or mix over make-up as a highlighter or bronzer on the excessive factors of the face. Pictured: Bare Sundays CabanaGlow™ SPF50 Mineral Glow Serum Drops in Bronze ($45)
Extremely Violette Queen Display Tremendous Glow Drops Bronzing SPF50 ($45) – I like that these might be tailor-made to your desire. Both combine just a few drops into your SPF, layer on high of your SPF for successful of radiance, or mix over make-up as a highlighter or bronzer on the excessive factors of your face.
(DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW DIRECTS FOR USE)
So, the following time you consider skipping primer or settling for one-size-fits-all base merchandise, please suppose once more.
Between your excellent match in primers, these skin-perfecting SPF drops and set-all-day sprays, your face can be smoother, glowier, and infinitely extra smug as you stroll previous a mirror at 3:37pm and see your excellent make-up nonetheless intact.
All opinions expressed on this article are fully my very own and mirror my real ideas and experiences. They don’t seem to be influenced by any exterior events or sponsors.
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