These Are the Best Face Primers with SPF For Every Skin Type
It took me years of wondering “where the heck did my foundation go?!” before I realised the massive makeup mistake I was making: I wasn’t priming my face. Primer is the magic ingredient to stop your makeup from soaking into your skin, helping your foundation to stay put for an extra 2-12 hours, depending on the primer. Make your base layer go a little further by choosing a primer with SPF—read on to discover the internet’s favourites.
There are many benefits of using a face primer before your daily skincare routine. Primers help moisturize your skin, minimize pores, control oil, prevent acne and wrinkles, just to name a few! Primer also helps your makeup go on smoother and, now, there is a whole new world of primers with sunscreen, designed to keep your face safe from the sun’s rays (and the nasty skin damage that UV exposure can cause).
Beauty bloggers, skincare experts, and makeup artists will tell you that a good face primer with SPF is an essential part of your daily routine. When it comes to primers, there isn’t really a bad choice out there which is why most people just pick whatever is available. But, I get it—with so many types of primer with SPF available on the market today, it can be tough to find one that suits your specific skin type.
Below, I’m sharing the best primers with sunscreen for each skin type, as voted by Reddit’s beauty addicts.
The Best Makeup Primers with SPF by Skin Type
Not all skin is created the same and the best primer for someone else’s skin type might not be the best for yours. We did the research so that you don’t have to.
The best primer with SPF for dry skin
When you’re choosing a primer for dry skin, the main thing to look for is that it’s going to be hydrating—not mattifying or drying. Many primers are gel-based and absorb too quickly for those of us with dry skin, but we’ve found a winner…
Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating SKINSCREEN™
Can you use sunscreen as a primer? Absolutely. If you’re looking for a primer with SPF for dry skin, then this is your product. Ultra Violette’s SPF 50+ formula protects your skin from the sun, leaving it hydrated and never greasy. Its unique formulation contains Kakadu Plum and is perfect for normal to dry skin, giving you a smooth base to apply your foundation flawlessly. Leave it on as a primer; wear it alone or under makeup.
The best primers with SPF for oily skin
When you’ve got oily skin, the last thing you want to worry about is your face looking like an oil slick or your foundation sliding right off. At the same time, you also don’t want something that’s going to clog your pores or cause pimples. These primers are two of the best options for oily and acne-prone skin.
Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35
This weightless, anti-aging sunscreen is formulated with pure, plant-derived actives to even skin tone and diminish the appearance of pores. If you are looking for a lightweight and non-greasy shield from UVA rays, look no further. This breathable formula blends seamlessly into skin without giving you the ghostly white appearance that so many primers with SPF do. With broad-spectrum SPF 35 protection, this sunscreen is perfect on its own or as a makeup primer for ultimate smoothness and anti-aging benefits.
Milani Prime Protect SPF 30 Face Primer with SPF
This fast-absorbing, weightless formula protects your skin from the sun’s damaging and aging ultraviolet rays, while also smoothing out your complexion for a picture-perfect base. This drugstore primer with SPF glides on seamlessly without streaks or residue, so your face never feels chalky or sticky, and your foundation sits perfectly on your face. It’s also 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
The best primer with SPF for combination skin
Combination skin is tricky to deal with—dry and flaky in places, oily and shiny in others. This makes it even more important to choose the right primer for your skin. Here are the best primers with sunscreen for combination skin.
NARS Smooth & Protect Primer with SPF 50
A dermatologist tested, three-in-one facial primer that provides SPF protection, antioxidants to protect against pollution, and a flawless base for makeup application. This oil free primer with SPF 50 contains Skin Smoothing Complex for perfectly smooth skin, blurring those imperfections. The clinically proven formula is non-comedogenic (does not clog pores), oil-free and alcohol-free.
Anthelios XL Anti-Shine Dry Touch Facial Sunscreen SPF 50+
Although this is technically a sunscreen rather than a primer, Reddit’s beauty addicts rave about this product. Apply this to your skin first and watch as your makeup glides on smoothly over the top. This product is mattifying, so it’ll keep combination skin from getting shiny during the day, without drying your skin.
The best primer with SPF for sensitive skin
Nyx Bare With Me Cannabis SPF 30 Primer
Formulated with calming Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, this oil-free, colourless formula is a soothing face primer with SPF for sensitive or irritated skin. With 24 hours of soothing hydration, it protects your skin from dryness and keeps those nasty UVA and UVB rays at bay. Perfect under foundation or on its own, its lightweight, non-greasy formula won’t clog pores and works especially well on sensitive skin. Vegan-friendly and safe for all skin types, it applies perfectly under foundation or alone as a daily moisturizer.
Australian Gold Botanical SPF 50 Tinted Face Sunscreen Lotion
This non-chemical sunscreen lotion offers healthy protection for your skin, while also doubling as a great primer to keep your foundation in place all day. Designed for sensitive facial skin, it’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and free of parabens, alcohol, dye, oil and more. The gentle powdery-clean feel leaves your face fresh and hydrated.
The best primer with sunscreen for all skin types
Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
Coola Daydream Mineral Primer SPF 30
This primer with sunscreen has everything you need to create an effortlessly flawless complexion, help prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and make applying your foundation easy peasy. It blends easily with your fingers so you can rub it in and avoid nasty streaks. This primer is also a lightweight cream-gel formula, making it suitable for all skin types.
