These Primers Help Soften Fine Lines To Create the Perfect Canvas for Makeup (2024)

You may have had a go-to makeup primer for years, but all of the sudden… it’s not getting the job done like it once did. It’s normal for your skincare needs to change over the years—especially once you’re over 40, 50, or 60 years old and beyond.

As we age, our skin undergoes many changes, including a decrease in collagen and elasticity, which can lead to wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. Hyperpigmentation, like sun spots, is another common complaint in those with more mature skin. The good news? The right primer can help to create a more youthful and radiant complexion—if that’s the look you’re going for.

Best Primers For Mature Skin

What to look for

Key ingredients

No matter what your age is, the ingredient list should be top of mind, says Aimee Carr, a professional makeup artist and founder of Voodoo Makeup. "Mature skin usually needs more hydration, so looking for a primer that has hydration properties is important." Some superstars include hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and squalane. Niacinamide and witch hazel are also great ingredients to look for in a primer for mature skin, since they work to even skin tone and shrink pores, says Jenepher Reynolds, a professional makeup artist and founder of Jenn of Arch.

Finish

Mature skin tends to be dry and can be duller in appearance, so many makeup artists recommend a hydrating or illuminating primer as opposed to something with more of a matte finish. "An illuminating primer is excellent for you if you have dull skin or simply prefer a dewy look because it will make your skin look vibrant," says Carr. In turn, your skin will look plumper and more radiant—both hallmarks of more youthful skin.

How we selected

Women’s Health editors and contributors are constantly testing the bestselling, most popular, and top-rated cosmetics and skincare products, including primers for mature skin. During our latest round of evaluations, our team consulted six experts—a dermatologist and five makeup artists—plus tapped our team of anonymous testers and in-house editors for feedback to narrow down the best primers for mature skin. This final list includes products we can confidently say effectively prep skin, blurring pores, evening out redness, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. So, what are you waiting for?

Shop the nine best primers for mature skin to create the perfect blank canvas for your favorite makeup products.

You don't need to splurge on primer to get something really good, and this drugstore pick is proof. Makeup artists recommend L’Oréal Paris's Age Perfect line (they have a great complementary foundation!) because it has a rosy color that helps neutralize any discoloration, providing a more even canvas for makeup. You can even wear it alone for a blurred bare-faced look. The soft-focus effect expertly blurs both pores, fine lines, wrinkles, and other imperfections.

Does it seem like your skin is constantly parched, no matter what you do? "This primer is good for the driest of skin," makeup artist Lucas Bowman tells WH. That's because it counts a number of plant-based oils, as well as vitamins A, B5, C, and E as ingredients. Hannah Biddle, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist, echoes this sentiment, specifically calling attention to the serum-like texture, telling our editors it "hydrates and leaves the skin feeling cushiony."

Celebrity makeup artist Nydia Figueroa says Stila's primer creates a radiant complexion and helps target discoloration on the skin. See all of those colors in the tube? The peach works to target any blue undertones, like bags under the eyes, while the green works to diffuse any redness, and the lavender counteracts sallow undertones for an overall brightening effect—all in a single pump. Not to mention, this primer is "jam-packed with antioxidants," says Figueroa.

Carr says the best primers for mature skin are the ones that have clean ingredient lists. Our editors love this green beauty pick from Ilia, raving about how well the lightweight serum applies. It absorbs almost instantly—no waiting around to apply your makeup—and is super breathable but offers both moisture and radiance, one tester told us. It's also fragrance-free and oil-free, so it's ideal for those with more sensitive skin.

"This product is a cross between a hydrating primer and a serum that delivers hyaluronic acid to plump the skin," says Joshua Zeichner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. "It also contains bakuchiol, a botanical extract that helps strengthen the skin's foundation." Think of it as a gentler retinol—and we all know how much mature skin needs retinol. Testers say the hydrating serum feels "so good" on parched skin, but "not at all tacky or oily."

Reynolds calls Smashbox "the OG" when it comes to primers. But don't write it off as the formula of yesterday. Smashbox primers have only gotten better over the years, she says. "I love this one because of its hydrating ingredients," says Reynolds. "It instantly adds moisture, creating a plumper, smoother finish to the skin"—ideal for what she calls more experienced skin. The key ingredients? Triple hyaluronic acid and niacinamide for both hydration and improved tone and texture.

As the name might suggest, this product "feels like silk when applied to the skin," says Reynolds. And, although it's more expensive than most other primers we recommend, there's good reason to make the splurge. "It combines skincare and makeup properties, creating a hydrated radiance—a perfect base to apply foundation to," Reynolds explains. Here's how: shea butter moisturizers, rice bran conditions and softens, and glycerin lends additional smoothing properties.

Figueroa says that this is her top pick for a hydrating primer. "It's literally a drink of water for your skin." That's because aloe vera is the star of the show here, she says, noting it's one of her favorite ingredients to soothe and hydrate the skin. "It plumps the skin and helps the makeup last all day." We love that this formula is also oil-free, as well as vegan and cruelty-free, so it's suitable for most skin types.