This Primer Color-Corrects, Brightens, and Blurs My Pores—And 60K Sephora Shoppers Can’t Get Enough of It

My complexion is something of a quandary. For starters, I have combination skin characterized by a moderately-oily T-zone, enlarged pores on my cheeks closest to my nose, and dryness between my brows and surrounding my nostrils. But that’s not all. After years of believing that I simply had redness-prone skin, at a Botox appointment a few years ago, my dermatologist looked at me wide-eyed, curious as to how I didn’t realize I had rosacea. Of course, as soon as she said it, it made sense given my grandma, mom, aunt, and sister all struggle with the common skin condition.

But back to the point: My skin has its fair share of quirks and, as a result, finding face makeup products that check all my boxes—hydrating, matifying, redness-reducing, and pore-blurring—is often somewhat of a challenge. Thankfully, though, Stila Cosmetics proved to me that it’s not impossible.

Enter: Stila Cosmetics One Step Correct ($36), a brightening, color-correcting primer that’s beloved by nearly 60,000 Sephora shoppers—including myself.

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Stila One Step Correct Primer — $36.00

Before even reading the purported benefits of this best-selling primer, I was drawn in thanks to its appearance. While the packaging is rather simple—just a clear canister topped off with a brushed gold lid—the formula itself is spun into a tri-color spiral that’s nothing short of oddly satisfying (especially since the hues never muddy together in the bottle; they only mix once pumped out). Appearances aside, this primer is every bit the miracle that Sephora shoppers swear it to be. With just one pump blended into my skin, I immediately noticed that my redness was less obvious, my pores were less apparent, and my skin looked luminous in all the right places.

Best of all, it never pills beneath my beloved CLE Cosmetics CCC Cream (the one and only color-imparting face makeup product I’ve sworn by for years). Needless to say, I’m in love—and naturally, that made me want to learn more about the formula that I’ve made a permanent spot in my makeup regimen for.

According to makeup artist Charlie Riddle, Stila Cosmetics’ Global Beauty Director, the reason the Stila One Step Correct primer works so well for my skin is because the three color-correcting pigments within it—green, peach, and lavender—work together to even out the complexion. “The green color neutralizes redness and conceals blemishes; the purple color counteracts yellow undertones; and the pink color illuminates and diminishes the appearance of sunspots,” he says. But this primer is so much more than a color-corrector—it’s a form of skin care, too. “It’s made with a proprietary blend of 15 vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that is perfect for those with redness or any other discoloration,” Riddle says.

After the original One Step Correct was met with such fanfare, Stila launched three additional shades: Kitten, Medium, and Deep. For the record, I use Kitten for my fair skin.

“All shades are designed for all skin types and skin tones, but the Medium and Deep shades provide more coverage,” Riddle says. “The green color in both the Original and Kitten shades minimizes redness and the purple shade counteracts yellow, while the pink shade in the Original brightens and evens skin tone and in the Kitten shade it highlights skin. The caramel color in the Medium shade unifies skin tone, while the yellow corrects purple tones and the tan neutralizes blue tones. The Deep shade has a red color that corrects shadows, cocoa that unifies skin tone, and beige to neutralize blue tones.”

Ultimately: No matter your complexion concern, if you’re looking for a primer to even things out before applying makeup, or even to wear on its own to create the appearance of an Instagram filter in real life, Stila’s One Step Correct is worth making room for in your beauty cabinet.

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