The 12 Best Face Primers for Mature Skin, According to Makeup Artists

“I love this hydrating primer because it gives the skin a youthful, bright glow,” says Mia Santiago, celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist. It luminizes without making the skin look sparkly, and it’s fortified with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, shea butter, and rice bran. Dimethicone is also a star player as it provides that silky, smooth canvas feel.

Greenberg recommends this one, saying that it offers top-tier moisture for dry skin, and it keeps makeup looking good all day long. It’s a water-based primer and has a lotion-like texture that feels lightweight and absorbs well into skin. It’s also formulated with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, squalane, and olive extract to keep dry skin from flaking and feeling tight.

“This is the OG of primers for a reason; it conceals your pores and offers hydration,” says Greenberg. Smashbox’s Photo Finish is ideal for young and mature skin alike. Its silicone-based formulation creates a smooth canvas for foundation.

We’ve written about this derm-approved primer before, noting its shimmer effect, which comes from “light-reflecting microspheres.” Not only does it provide a blurred base for your makeup, but it also contains ingredients derms recommend for mature skin, like hyaluronic acid and a combination of peptides, which work to increase collagen production for a strong skin barrier.

“This primer from Tarte hydrates and makes your skin feel so smooth,” says Santiago. “The subtle coconut scent is refreshing, and the formula preps the skin beautifully.” It has a serum texture that keeps your concealer and foundation from settling into fine lines. Jojoba and grapeseed oils offer lightweight hydration that’s especially key for dry and sensitive skin types.

By now, you’ve probably seen the viral video of the 54-year-old using Peter Thomas Roth’s FIRMx eye cream. This primer (which we tested and can’t put down) is the eye cream’s cousin, with the same firming technology that’s excellent for mature skin. It contains a handful of ingredient complexes with microalgae, seaweed, silicates, peptides, and cica that work in tandem to tighten, deliver hydration, and calm redness.

This pick from Thrive Causemetics comes recommended by Greenberg because it “wakes up the face in a major way.” It’s formulated with brightening ingredients like vitamin C and licorice root extract, plus light-reflecting pigments, to create a glowing visage whether you’re wearing makeup or not.

As your skin ages, it’s important to find a primer that has benefits beyond laying a solid foundation for makeup. This TULA primer has a skincare-first approach, with ingredient additions like peptides, collagen, pre- and probiotics, and hyaluronic acid, so you’ll get those smoothing and firming benefits instantly and over time.

If you’re new to primers or simply watching your spending (same), opt for this one from cult-favorite brand E.l.f. “This one is great for hydrating and creating long-lasting makeup looks on a budget,” says Greenberg. It uses silicones and wax for a putty-like texture that’s great for keeping makeup locked in place during nights out, special occasions, or hot, humid days.

With more than 8,300 five-star reviews, this eye makeup primer from Urban Decay is a crowd-pleaser for all skin types. Regardless of whether you wear creamy or powder eyeshadow, it prevents creasing for up to 24 hours. This formulation contains silicones, peptides, ceramides, and oils to feel moisturizing and plump fine lines.

“I love Colorescience primers that have hyaluronic acid and SPF in them for mature skin,” says Dr. Gohara. “Those hydrating ingredients are key since as you lose estrogen, your skin gets drier.” This one in particular is calming for easily-inflamed, sensitive skin thanks to cucumber extract, green tea extract, and vitamin C. Heads up though, derms recommend a minimum of SPF 30, so you should still be layering on that SPF for the most anti-aging benefits.

We love a versatile beauty moment. Case in point, this makeup artist-approved primer and serum hybrid. It combines the lightweight, liquid formula of a serum and the smoothing, blurring effects of a makeup primer. It’s formulated with vitamin E, which adds moisture and makes it easy to apply, plus pearl pigments for a glow.