It’s midday, and you’re wondering why your foundation and blush have disappeared from your face. Maybe your issue is makeup that’s settled into your skin’s fine lines, giving your makeup a cracked look. The solution: It’s time to prime. Here are a few foundation primers that will correct these problems and more.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light: This primer is oil-free, so it’s great for oily, acne-prone or sensitive skin. Vitamin C and peptides even out the skin tone as well as promote collagen production. This primer absorbs quickly and leaves the skin with a matte finish. It’s 60 percent water, so it doesn’t have that slippery feel you get from silicone-based primers. Smashbox was founded by the great-grandsons of Max Factor, who’s known as the father of modern makeup. It’s no surprise that Dean and Davis Factor are following in their great-grandfather’s footsteps.
Product price: $36.00
Available at Smashbox online, Sephora, Nordstorms and Ulta
Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primers: These colorful primers are designed to even out your skin tone. The apricot-colored primer is a blend that conceals under-eye circles, veins and sunspots. The green-colored primer is a corrector that minimizes any redness on the face. The lavender-colored primer is a color balance that neutralizes the sallowness in yellow skin tones.
Product price: $38.00
Available at Smashbox online, Sephora and Nordstroms
Nars Makeup Primer: This lightweight gel-cream primer absorbs quickly; it contains natural botanicals that reduce the appearance of redness. It’s a great product for men who suffer from redness after shaving. The French-born Francois Nars started his career as a makeup artist, working with top magazines such as American Vogue, Italian Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Elle. Women everywhere covet his successful cosmetic company. I am a personal fan of his Orgasm blush.
Product price: $33.00
Available at Sephora and Nordstroms
Caudalie Gentle Cleanser: This cleanser is ideal for normal to combination skin. With one press of the pump, the liquid transforms into a mousse that leaves the skin feeling soft and clean. This product contains polyphenols, which are extracted and stabilized from grape seeds. This process was first introduced and patented into the cosmetic world by Caudalie. Research has shown that polyphenols are a powerful antioxidant.
Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser: Here is an ideal cleanser that won’t strip your skin and is suitable for all skin types. This one-step cleanser will remove makeup and dirt from your skin; it’s formulated to unclog pores but gentle enough to use around the eye area. However, if you like a cleanser that foams, this crème cleanser is not for you. Philosophy focuses on the principles of health and wellness, and each product displays a personal belief. 
Shiseido Benefiance Creamy Cleansing Foam: This product will cleanse and remove makeup for women with normal to very dry skin. The tiny granules contain a highly effective humectant called bio hyaluronic, which helps draw moisture from the atmosphere to the skin. The more moisture your skin can retain the better chance you have at keeping those fine lines at bay.
Fresh Cucumber Cleansing Foam: This soap-free foaming cleanser is great for sensitive skin. It’s the gentlest cleanser on the market, and it’s designed to dissolve makeup and impurities. The cucumber extract helps to sooth and hydrate sensitive or dry skin. This cleanser also aids in improving the skin’s elasticity.
Peter Thomas Roth Beta Hydroxy 2% Acne Wash: This is a great deep-cleaning cleanser for oily skin. It doesn’t over-dry the skin but leaves it feeling refreshingly clean.
