"Dear Charles, should I apply a primer before my foundation and do they really make a difference or is it a way of makeup companies making more money?”

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Charles says: Priming the skin is essential for the perfect makeup application, but this doesn’t mean that you need to buy an entirely separate product in which to do so!

    Over the years I found that transparent gel based makeup primers were great for holding makeup in place but somehow they never seemed to look natural.

    I remember a couple of years ago when every one went crazy over a new primer. I gave into the craze to try and get a longer lasting more flawless finish.

In the dimness of my apartment’s bathroom where windows were non-existent and in the bright lights of a studio my skin appeared flawless, looked smooth and lasted all day! It wasn’t until I got out into the natural light and caught a glimpse of myself in the shop window that I saw it looked unnatural, very matte, heavy and makeup’y, from that day on I stopped using it and threw it away.

    Priming the skin to me means getting the texture of your skin perfect before applying makeup. This is achieved through using a good skincare routine that is suited to your skins needs.

    There are moisturisers on the market that have primers built in. This is a much more natural method and just as effective. Most of the time these moisturisers will contain ‘polymers’ which help to bind products to the skin and will help to hold them in place. You still get that dewy finish by doing this and it will look more natural, fresh and still like skin.

    Or why not try applying powder over foundation and concealer? This will matify any shine in oily areas and will help to lock makeup in place. This is why many people carry compact powders around to touch up during the day!

 

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