Samantha Holender
As you age, collagen (the protein responsible for helping your skin look plump and smooth) and elastin (credited for the skin's snap-back quality) start to decrease. Wrinkles are more prominent, and the skin feels drier. But, a smooth, plump, radiant complexion is still made possible with a stellar product lineup, namely one of the best foundations for mature skin—and one of the best primers for mature skin.
The latter glides over fine lines, blurs pores, and keeps makeup in place. Beyond their makeup-extending abilities, primers for mature skin are often formulated with hydrating ingredients and smoothing agents that impart a subtle, healthy glow.
There’s certainly no shortage of makeup primers available, and the multi-purpose options do more than keep your makeup from budging. Formulas like NARS Light-Reflecting Primer instantly moisturize dry skin, while the REFY Glow Sculpt Face Primer de-puffs skin and helps boost radiance. Mature skin can also still get shiny. A primer with mattifying properties like Milk's Hydro Grip Hydrating Makeup Primer is a solid pick to keep skin balanced without looking oily or overly dry.
Once you’ve sorted the best primer for your skin type and level of makeup wear, round out your routine with one of the best concealers for mature skin. Keep reading for the full breakdown of the best makeup primers for mature skin according to Marie Claire’s editors and tested by women over 50.
Best Primers for Mature Skin
- Best Makeup Primer for Mature Skin Overall: Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Touche Éclat Blur Primer
- Best Brightening Makeup Primer for Mature Skin: Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Primer
- Best Primer for Enlarged Pores: Il Makiage No Filter Poreless
- Best Hydrating Makeup Primer for Mature Skin: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer
- Best Tightening Makeup Primer for Mature Skin: Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firmx No-Filter Firming Primer
The YSL Touche Éclat lineup is iconic on the base makeup front. The primer is the perfect companion to its wide shade range of full-coverage foundations. The formula isn't just made to keep makeup in place; the oil-laced primer gives skin a luminous, glowing finish without looking greasy. It's straightforward but still blurs pores without any tint or opaque fillers. So, skin looks smooth and poreless, and makeup stays put.
Finish: Dewy
Benefits: Leaves skin with a dewy finish without looking greasy; Blurs pores
Who It’s For: Dry and normal/combo skin looking for a non-matte; Hydrated skin finish and extended foundation wear
Key Ingredients: Corn; Apricot kernel (gives glow); Passiflora; Rice bran oils (moisturizing)
What I Love: Hydrating; Adds luminosity; Doesn't look overly shiny or oily; Leaves skin with a smooth, bare-feel surface; Doesn't cake; Can be worn alone or under makeup
What I Don’t: It's a bit pricey for a primer
Review for MC: "It's fragrant, has a gel texture, and is lightweight with a slight glow. It really helped the foundation to lay nice on the skin! I really like how it helped the foundation not settle in lines. It feels very smooth, almost silicone-like, on the skin." — Mindy Holender
Mindy Holender before and after apllying Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Face Primer.
Charlotte Tilbury has mastered the art of the face blur, and this Wonderglow primer is one of the brand's not-so-secret weapons for smooth, candle-lit skin. On the surface, light-reflecting microspheres give dull skin a natural, glowing look without too much shine. Peptides in the formula work deeper to boost collagen and rehydrate dry skin for a more plump and youthful look.
Finish: Dewy
Benefits: Works on both surface and molecular levels to make skin look and feel more hydrated and dewy; Delivers a luminous finish without looking overly shiny
Who It’s For: Dry skin in need of a moisture boost, luminosity, and plumping
Key Ingredients: BioNymph Peptide Complex (boosts collagen production within the skin to improve elasticity and skin's firmness); Hyaluronic acid (hydrating); Wild pansy, rosehip, and camellia (seal in moisture)
What I Love: Line smoothing; Lit from within effect; Looks natural and adds just the right amount of radiance; The primer has a slight tint; Doesn't look ashy or dull; Works on a range of skin tones; Looks good when worn alone
What I Don’t: Can make oily skin look too greasy and glittery
Review for MC: "This glides on more like a lotion compared to other primers I've tried, but I applied it with my fingers and it's very smooth. I thought the color would wash me out but it blended in nicely." — Nicole Davis
Nicole Davis before and after applying Charlotte Tilbury Glow Primer
Milk Makeup makes products designed for long-wear performance, including this gel primer. If you're going for a full face of makeup that you need to last through whatever the day throws your way, start here. The gripping primer promises to keep makeup in place for 12 hours, and even though it has a tacky gel consistency, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in the formula allow it to feel hydrating and leave skin with a dewy finish.
Finish: Natural
Benefits: Keeps makeup in place for 12 hours; Leaves a dewy finish; Moisturizing
Who It’s For: Full-coverage foundation wearers will get smudge- and melt-free wear from their base; The dewy finish is also ideal for dry, normal, and combination skin
Key Ingredients: Blue agave extract (grips makeup to keep it in place for hours); Hyaluronic acid; Niacinamide (moisturize and plump skin); Aloe water and hemp-derived cannabis seed extract (hydrate and lock moisture into skin)
What I Love: The dewy finish and long wear capabilities; Skin feels hydrated when wearing
What I Don’t: The formula can pill when applied over certain skincare; It's on the pricier side compared to other primers
Review for MC: "This primer is super tacky and grippy. I didn't love the feeling of it on my skin, but that feeling dissipated after applying foundation. It does leave a bit of a residue when you take it off." — Kellie Pean
Kellie Pean before and after applying Milk Makeup Hydrogrip Primer
When hiding visible pores is the goal, Il Makiage has you covered—literally. The lightweight gel primer is designed to give skin a soft-focus look in real life. Unevenly textured skin and enlarged pores are erased, and any makeup you layer on top stays in place. There's a slight mattifying effect, too, so spot-treat areas of your face that tend to get oily.
Finish: Satin
Benefits: Gives skin a soft-focus finish; Naturally filtered look by reducing the appearance of enlarged pores and fine lines
Who It’s For: Skin with uneven texture, large pores, or normal to oily skin that needs some shine control without overdrying
Key Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane (smooths uneven skin and helps makeup stay in place); Dimethicone cross polymer (resurfaces rough skin and fills in fine lines and pores to make skin look smooth)
What I Love: The line-smoothing, lit-from-within effect looks natural and adds just the right amount of radiance; The primer has a slight tint to it but doesn't look ashy or dull; Works on a range of skin tones; Looks good when worn alone
What I Don’t: No skincare benefits
Review for MC: "I applied this with my fingers, and I absolutely love it. It goes on super smoothly. There's absolutely no caking or creasing. It makes everything else I put on go on super smoothly. I love how much better the other makeup goes on by using the primer." — Rhonda Acholonu
Rhonda Acholonu before and after applying Il Makiage No Filter Poreless Base Smoothing Primer
Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Foundation is perhaps one of the most well-known products in the beauty world, but the foundation’s little sister (and right hand!) is key to getting the best Luminous Silk result. Shea butter, rice bran, and glycerin are the product’s star ingredients, working to hydrate the skin and, more importantly, create a soft-to-the-touch texture. I swear my redness disappears when I use this, so much so that I occasionally skip foundation altogether.
Finish: Radiant
Benefits: Hydrating; Blurring; Plumping
Who It’s For: This silky formula leaves skin soft and smooth, whether you have normal, dry, combination, or oily skin
Key Ingredients: Shea butter and glycerin (moisturize and smooth); Rice bran (smooths uneven texture)
What I Love: Long-wearing formula lasts all day; Softens skin
What I Don’t: Scented formula may not be for everyone
Review for MC: "I applied this with my fingers to clean, moisturized skin. It has a silky consistency and went on very smoothly. I noticed that it immediately removed the shine on my face, giving my skin a matte finish. I used it under concealer and a powder foundation that ranged from sheer to full coverage. No creasing, but I didn't wear it for very long." — Erin Chin
Erin Chin before and after applying Armani Luminous Silk Primer before, solo, and with a light base
As skin's elasticity loosens with age, this formula taps a combo of silicates (a blend of silicone and oxygen) along with seaweed extract, to give the immediate look of firmer skin, and help skin regain elasticity over time. It also helps make pores look smaller and less visible for an overall firmer appearance. Another bonus is that it comes in two finishes: mattifying and dewy.
Finish: Dewy or matte
Benefits: Gives skin a soft-focused, naturally filtered look by reducing the appearance of enlarged pores and fine lines
Who It’s For: Skin that has lost elasticity or that has more prominent fine lines and needs instant and deeper firming over time; The mattifying version is ideal for mature skin with areas of oiliness, and the glowy version works best on dry, normal, and combination skin for a more dewy finish
Key Ingredients: Silicates and seaweed extract (help tighten skin immediately and more permanently over time); 3% BarPull (moisturizes and plumps skin); Elastiflex IQ (improves elasticity over time)
What I Love: The skin-tightening effects are pretty immediate and improve more permanently over time
What I Don’t: It is not as hydrating as other options; Some customers also say it's not ideal for sensitive skin, so patch test before applying
Review for MC: "This by far my favorite of the three I tested. I wore it both alone and as a primer underneath my makeup. It didn’t interfere with my other products, (which meant no pilling!) and my foundation went on so smoothly!! And it lasted ALL DAY” — Astrid Marzovilla
Astrid Marzovilla before and after applying Instant FIRMx No-Filter Primer
What Do I Look for in a Face Primer for Mature Skin?
- Glowy Finish
Matte finishes tend to not only further dry out mature skin, but also emphasize fine lines and wrinkles. That’s why Dresher does her best to avoid them, opting for glowy or dewy finishes instead. These provide a soft and youthful-looking finish to the skin.
- Ingredient Profile
“Hydrating smoothing primers are best suited for mature skin as they contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, and shea butter,” explains Jaikaran. “These are simply better suited as they help to plump the skin and give a more radiant, glowy finish.” You might also want to look for antioxidants like vitamins C and E, as they can offer additional protection from environmental damage.
When Do I Apply Primer on Mature Skin?
Your primer goes between your skincare and makeup—but the application timing is key to a flawless finish. “I like to apply primer five minutes after skin prep, and five minutes prior to makeup application,” says Dresher. “This allows the product to really soak into the skin and dry properly before adding more product on top.”
How Do I Apply Primer for Mature Skin?
When applying product—be it primer, concealer, or foundation—to mature skin, stick with a "less is more" motto. “Generally, it’s best to approach application using a moderate amount of product,” says Jaikaran. “Too little won’t allow a smooth finish, and too much may create a heavier look.” Place a small amount of product onto clean fingertips and gently massage the primer onto needed areas. “Focus on the areas where fine lines or texture are more pronounced. With primer and all of your skincare, ensure you apply in an upward or circular motion so you’re not pulling the face down,” she adds.
Should I Apply Different Primers for Various Concerns?
Chances are, you’ll only need one hydrating primer for your skin. But, if you have certain concerns—like an oily T-Zone or rougher texture on the side of your face—you may consider cocktailing a few different options. “You can use a pore-filling primer in the nose area or a smoothing primer everywhere else,” explains Jaikaran. “It’s a targeted approach that can help address specific concerns more effectively.”
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
How We Tested
Women aged 40+ were tapped to go through a rigorous testing period where they reviewed dozens of primers. After determining the top picks alongside makeup experts, they tested each foundation for its blurring effects, ingredient profiles, finish, texture, and feel to determine this list of the 21 best primers for mature skin. They also evaluated customer reviews and best-selling products across our favorite retailers.
Meet the Experts
Natalie Dresher is a celebrity and bridal makeup artist in Miami and New York. With many years of experience in her field, Natalie has become a trusted name in the beauty community. Working with brands like Saie Beauty, Revlon, Maybelline and Dibs she has a lot of experience working with our favorites under her wing.
Jaleesa Jaikaran works as a professional makeup artist in beauty, fashion and product development projects. She is also the host of the 'Life of a Makeup Artist' podcast and represents several brands for events and education purposes.
