Finding the BEST Drugstore Face Primer
I own a lot of makeup and I wanted to find the best drugstore primer that I own. I want the best of the best and recommend the best of the best, so I battled each of my primers to find the best.
I not only tested primers, but I also tested to see if a moisturizer made my makeup wear as long, if not longer, than the other primers. The following are the primers I tested, how I felt about them, and what my top primer is. At the bottom, there is the bracket of which primers battled and which won.
The Maybelline FaceStudio Master Prime Blur + Smooth Primer retails from $8.99 at my local Target all the way up to $10.99 on Amazon.com and at Ulta for an average price of $10.24 among four stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “Maybelline FaceStudio Master Prime Blur + Smooth helps you blur away fine lines and your skin concerns while priming your way to perfect.”
This primer for me made it all the way to the semi-finals of my primer bracket. When I tested it against its opponent (see below to find out which one) it made the makeup last better and its opponent made me break out.
The Milani SPF BFF SPF30 Face primer retails from $10.99 on Amazon.com and at my local Target all the way up to $13.99 at Ulta for an average price of $11.99 among four stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “Milani SPF BFF Primer with broad spectrum SPF 30 helps protect skin while smoothing and extending makeup wear. Features Glycerin and Vitamin E.”
This primer is great for the summer months. It helps with adding an extra layer of SPF when applying makeup. It did break me out while testing it against its opponent. There is a possibility that it had just expired. I would purchase it again for the summer months. It feels more like a moisturizer rather than a primer.
The NYX Professional Makeup Marshmellow Smoothing Face Primer retails from $13.90 at some Walmart’s up to $17.00 at Ulta and on Amazon.com for an average price of $16.22 among four stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “It’s the marshmallow effect! NYX Professional Makeup Marshmellow Smoothing Primer is a multi-tasking super primer with 10 makeup extending benefits.”
This primer is a good primer. It smooths out the skin and feels like a moisturizer on my skin. However, for the price, I wouldn’t repurchase or recommend this specific primer as a “OMG” primer from the drugstore.
The e.l.f. Cosmetics Mineral Infused Face primer comes in two sizes. The small retails for $8.00 and the large retails for $10.00. As Ulta.com describes this primer “Infused with skin-loving minerals the creamy e.l.f. Cosmetics Mineral Infused Face Primer works to combat oil, dryness, enlarged pores, and fine lines.”
This primer surprised me. I used to love these types of primer about seven years ago and didn’t think I was going to like this primer. While it does have a silicone, kind of slippery feeling, it is an okay primer. As you will see below, this primer won over its opponent, which I thought was my favorite primer before this experiment.
The Wet n Wild Prime Focus Primer retails from $6.39 at my local Target up to $8.75 at some Walmart’s for an average price of $7.53. As Ulta.com describes this primer “Why Impossible? The Wet n Wild Prime Focus Impossible Primer is the first-of-its-kind SILICONE-FREE primer that is mattifying AND hydrating, and features the silky, seamless application traditionally achieved with silicones.”
This primer feels like water on my skin while filling in the pores. Before this experiment, this was my favorite primer. Not only is it silicone free, but it also feels great and looks great on my skin. Overall, I would still recommend this even though it didn’t move past the first round.
The NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Blurring Face Primer retails on average $15.00 for the full size among four stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Blurring Primer is infused with smoothing agents to minimize the appearance of pores & prep for smooth makeup application.”
While this primer does provide a smooth finish, it is not for those who wear glasses. My glasses were sliding off my face when I tested out this primer, so this primer and its opponent were disqualified for this reason. It reminds me of the Benefit POREfessional primer. I don’t really recommend this primer.
The Makeup Revolution Pore Blur Primer retails $8.00 at select stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “Reduce and minimize the appearance of pores with Makeup Revolution’s Pore Blur Primer.”
Just as the NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Blurring Face Primer, it is not for those who wear glasses. I do prefer this to the NYX pore primer but for the same reason as that one, it was disqualified.
The Pacifica Vegan Collagen Skin Solve Hydrating & Blurring Primer retails for $14.00 among three stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “Pacifica Vegan Collagen Skin Solve is a clean, silicone-free face primer & serum with hydrating, skin-loving ingredients that hydrates, primes, & blurs skin.”
The only reason I purchased this was because I was going to test Ulta’s top rated products, and this was close to the top. It isn’t my favorite primer, nor do I recommend it. My moisturizer ended up winning over this primer
The e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hyrdro-Gel Moisturizer retails for $12.00 and is available on Amazon.com, elfcosmetics.com, and in-store/online at Target and Walmart. As elfcosmetics.com describes this moisturizer “A lightweight gel moisturizer formulated with skin-loving ingredients to promote a plumped up complexion that stays hydrated all day long.”
This is my everyday moisturizer. I love e.l.f. Cosmetic’s Holy Hydration line and I especially like how lightweight this feels on my skin. Another plus, it doesn’t contain aloe vera as I am allergic to that ingredient.
THE WINNER!
The e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Putty Primer retails from $9.00 at my local Walmart and $10.00 at three other stores for an average price of $9.75 among four stores. As Ulta.com describes this primer “The best-selling primer goes matte! The velvety, oil-free formula of the e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Putty Primer delivers a perfect matte finish.”
This primer is a different formulation of their original Putty Primer and I think I prefer this. It does mattify my skin without drying it out as well as helping smooth out my skin. This primer made it out to the finals and is crowned The BEST Drugstore Face Primer I Own.
One does not need to own these many primers. As stated above, some were expired that made me break out. I have a lot of makeup and tend to not use it all.
I wanted to do this experiment not only for this blog but for my own personal reasons. I want to go through each product I own and see what is worth keeping.
Remember, each person will have a different reaction to each primer as we all have different skin types and preferences. This is only one of many reviews of these primers.
Stay tuned for the high-end version of this concept and follow along my makeup journey on social media. TikTok and Instagram @sassiemadimakeup.
Comments