We put a simple question out on TikTok. Is primer actually necessary?
We were expecting a clear winner. What we got was a full-scale debate in the comments. One camp swears their makeup falls apart without it.
The other camp thinks primer is the biggest con in the beauty industry and moisturiser does the same job for a third of the price.
Both sides have a point. So here’s the honest answer, because “it depends” is annoying but it also happens to be true.
What Primer Actually Does
Primer is a prep layer that sits between your skincare and your makeup. Depending on the formula, it can:
Create a smoother surface so foundation glides instead of clinging to dry patches or settling into texture.
Control oil, which is why people with oily or combination skin often notice the biggest difference.
Help makeup last longer by giving it something to grip rather than sinking straight into your skin.
Blur the look of pores and fine lines, though this is the claim most likely to be oversold.
That’s the theory. The reality is that how much you notice depends enormously on your skin, your foundation and your day.
The Case For Primer
If your makeup slides off by lunchtime, primer is probably worth it. Oily and combination skin types tend to feel the difference most, because a mattifying primer gives foundation something stable to sit on.
If you have visible texture, large pores or dry patches, a smoothing primer genuinely helps foundation sit evenly rather than gathering in the places you’d rather it didn’t.
And if it’s a big day, a wedding, an event, a long shift, a night out that turns into a morning, primer buys you hours. This is the one thing almost nobody in the comments argued with.
The Case Against Primer
If your skin is well hydrated and your foundation already sits nicely, you may genuinely not need it. A good moisturiser that’s fully absorbed does a lot of what a hydrating primer does.
If you wear light coverage, tinted moisturiser, skin tint, a bit of concealer and go, primer is often an extra step for very little payoff.
And if your primer and foundation aren’t compatible, silicone-based primer under a water-based foundation, for example, primer can actually make things worse. It pills, it separates, it slides. Plenty of people who think they hate primer have really just had a bad pairing.
The Honest Verdict
Primer is not essential. It’s a tool, not a rule.
If your makeup behaves without it, you don’t need it. If it doesn’t, primer is one of the cheapest ways to fix that, but it isn’t the only one.
Because here’s the thing both sides of the argument missed: what you do before primer matters more than the primer itself.
What Actually Matters More Than Primer
Clean, calm skin. Makeup applied over congested or irritated skin will never sit well, whatever you put in between. A gentle cleanse, and something soothing like a hypochlorous spray if your skin is reactive, does more for your base than any blurring primer.
Proper hydration. Most “my foundation looks patchy” problems are dehydration problems. Moisturiser, absorbed properly before you start, fixes more than people expect.
Time. The single most common mistake is applying foundation while skincare is still wet. Give each layer a minute. That’s free.
The right foundation for your skin type. No primer will rescue a matte formula on dry skin, or a dewy one on very oily skin.
Get those right and you’ll find you need primer far less than the internet tells you.
Still Not Sure? Ask SARAH
If you genuinely don’t know whether primer belongs in your routine, ask SARAH, our AI beauty concierge. Tell her what your skin does through the day, how long your makeup lasts and what you’re using now, and she’ll tell you honestly whether primer would help or whether something else in your routine is the actual problem.
And if the answer is that you need something tonight, we deliver across Manchester in under an hour, any hour, with standard and next-day delivery nationwide.
The Short Version
Primer isn’t necessary for everyone. It genuinely helps oily and combination skin, textured skin and long days. It’s often unnecessary if your skin is well hydrated and your coverage is light. And skin prep, hydration and giving products time to absorb matter more than the primer step itself.
So both sides of the comments section were right.
Annoying, isn’t it.
FAQs
Do you really need primer?
No, primer isn’t essential. It’s most useful for oily or combination skin, textured skin, or long days when you need makeup to last. If your makeup already sits well and lasts, you can skip it.
Can moisturiser replace primer?
Often, yes. A well-absorbed moisturiser does much of what a hydrating primer does. Mattifying and blurring primers do something moisturiser can’t.
Why does my makeup pill when I use primer?
Usually because your primer and foundation aren’t compatible, commonly silicone-based and water-based products layered together, or because you didn’t let each layer absorb before applying the next.
What should I use before makeup instead of primer?
Cleanse, then hydrate, then wait. Clean, calm, well-hydrated skin is the best base there is, and it costs nothing.
Does primer help oily skin?
Yes. A mattifying primer is one of the more effective ways to stop foundation sliding off oily or combination skin through the day.
