

When it’s essential that your foundation stays in place, a primer is a no-brainer. The best primer formulas do for your skin what great lingerie does for your figure – they make all the bits that go on top look and feel better. A good primer basically serves the same purpose as a photo-editing app, but IRL. Nail the right foundation and primer combo, and you won’t need to use Instagram’s Juno filter to perk up your complexion ever again.

Mattifying oily t-zones, blurring uneven texture and fine lines, obscuring the appearance of pores and hydrating irritated skin – these are just a few of the magic properties of a great primer. The right formula for you will create the perfect base for your make-up, and help it to stay put for longer. No longer just another step in your morning make-up routine, these days primers offer skincare benefits, too, harnessing everything from hyaluronic acid to shea butter to hydrate, soothe and nourish skin for the day ahead.

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From Laura Mercier’s new Pure Canvas Primers, which are illuminating and hydrating (just pick the right one for your skin type), to Rodial’s plumping Instant Filler Primer and NARS’s Pore & Shine Control Primer, which was made for those with oily skin, a primer can be the difference between your make-up sliding off by noon, and it staying put until bedtime. Once you’ve found the right one for you, you’ll never look back.

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Below, see British Vogue’s edit of the 15 best primers to try now.