Best Face Primers For Mature Skin Over 50
If you are looking for the best makeup primers for mature skin, you’ve come to the right place!
In this blog post, I’ve curated the 20 best primers for mature skin that can help minimize the look of large pores and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while making your makeup last all day!
My list includes award-winning, high-end department store primers, and affordable drugstore primers- all perfect for mature and aging skin.
Let’s get started!
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The Best Face Primer For Mature Skin and Wrinkles!
If you’re looking for a primer for mature skin that can help minimize the look of large pores or diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, all while making your makeup last all day, I’ve got you covered!
Ready to discover the best primers for mature skin for 2023?!
Let’s get started!
What is Face Primer?
Makeup primer is one of my favorite makeup products for several reasons.
Face primer for mature skin is like a magic potion that works wonders to enhance the beauty and comfort of more seasoned complexions.
That’s where face primer comes to the rescue!
The main purpose of a face primer for mature skin is to create a smooth surface before applying makeup. And that’s just the beginning.
Primer helps to blur imperfections like fine lines and wrinkles, large pores, and uneven skin tone, extends the longevity of your look, and (if you’ve got the right primer that contains good quality skincare ingredients) it will nourish and work to address the specific needs of mature skin at the same time!
Makeup Primer: A Must-Have for Women with Mature Skin
A good quality primer is agreeably one of the essential beauty products for any makeup bag.
Makeup primers are a must-have item for any makeup routine because of what they do for the skin.
Face primers are a barrier to lock in moisture, fill fine lines and wrinkles, blur large pores, and create an even base for smoother foundation application.
Using a primer specifically designed for mature skin offers several benefits that can help enhance the overall appearance of your makeup and improve your skin’s condition.
The top benefits of using a makeup primer:
Provides a smooth canvas= Flawless Makeup
Foundation primer aids in makeup application while creating an ideal makeup base that helps even the best foundations perform better.
Improves skin texture
The best makeup primers for mature skin often contain ingredients that help smooth the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, creating a smoother surface for makeup application. This results in a more even and youthful-looking complexion.
Provides hydration for Dry Skin
Mature skin can often be dry and in need of extra hydration. A good hydrating primer can help to hydrate dry skin types and conceal dry patches on the skin.
Extends Makeup wear = Long-lasting makeup
A good makeup Primer plays a key role in improving the longevity of your makeup wear, ensuring your look stays fresh and intact throughout the day and even into the long hours of the night. 🙂
Here’s how primer extends makeup wear time:
Creates a barrier
Primers are a barrier between your skin and makeup, preventing your skin’s natural oils from breaking down your makeup over time.
This barrier helps to lock your makeup in place, reducing the likelihood of it wearing off, smudging, or fading.
Smoothing the skin
Face primer creates a perfect base for makeup by smoothing out uneven skin texture, filling in fine lines, wrinkles, and large pores resulting in a more polished radiant skin.
Absorbing excess oil
Many primers contain oil-absorbing ingredients like silica or kaolin, which help control shine and prevent makeup from sliding off your face.
By keeping your skin matte and oil-free, primers can help extend your makeup’s wear, a great option for those with oily, combination skin, and acne-prone skin.
Gripping properties
Some primers are specifically formulated with ingredients that help your makeup grip onto your skin, improving it’s staying power.
This “grip” ensures that your makeup stays in place and maintains its initial appearance for extended periods.
Blurs the appearance of large pores
Primers are crucial in improving the appearance of pores and giving your skin a smoother, more flawless look.
Here’s how Primer improves the appearance of pores.
Filling in pores
Primers are often formulated with silicone-based ingredients, such as dimethicone, which help to fill in and smooth skin.
Mattifying effect
Many primers have oil-absorbing properties, thanks to ingredients like silica, which helps to control excess oil (like in the oily t-zone).
By reducing the shine and oiliness on your skin, primers can help make large pores appear smaller and less noticeable.
Blurring effect
Some of the most popular makeup primers contain light-diffusing particles (such as mica) to scatter light, creating a soft focus or blurring effect that minimizes the appearance of pores and other imperfections, giving your skin a smoother, more airbrushed appearance.
Improves uneven skin tone
Some primers contain color-correcting properties that help to neutralize redness, dark spots, and other discolorations, resulting in a more even and balanced complexion.
Key Ingredients= Added Skincare Benefits
Today many makeup products, including makeup primers, contain skin-loving ingredients, anti-aging ingredients such as antioxidants (such as vitamin C) peptides, hyaluronic acid, and more.
These ingredients target skin concerns like pores, redness, fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots, and other signs of aging.
When choosing a primer for mature skin, it’s essential to look for ingredients that provide hydration, nourishment, and anti-aging benefits.
Key Ingredients That Offer Skincare Benefits
A great primer for mature skin should contain key ingredients to treat mature skin’s needs.
Hyaluronic acid
This powerful moisturizer helps to plump and hydrate the skin, making it look more youthful and reducing the appearance of fine lines.
Niacinamide
Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide helps to improve skin elasticity, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and even out skin tone.
Antioxidants
These powerful ingredients neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage your skin and contribute to premature aging.
Some popular antioxidants to look for in a primer include vitamin C, Vitamin E, and resveratrol.
By including a primer with antioxidants in your beauty routine, you’ll be giving your skin an extra layer of defense against environmental stressors like pollution and UV exposure while also helping to maintain a radiant and youthful appearance.
Peptides
These amino acids help to stimulate collagen production, which is crucial for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. As a result, peptides can help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Glycerin
A natural humectant, glycerin attracts moisture to the skin, keeping it hydrated and helping reduce fine lines’ appearance.
Shop The Best Primers for Mature Skin for 2023!
My Top Picks: The Best Face Primers for Mature Skin
Veil Mineral Primer by HOURGLASS
My top pick, the holy grail of all face primers, is VEIL MINERAL PRIMER!
A few years ago, a professional makeup artist friend recommended veil mineral primer for my mature skin, and I instantly fell in love!
This best-selling lightweight primer creates a smooth base for makeup while concealing redness and minimizing the appearance of my large pores, fine lines, and wrinkles!
It’s got a glorious silky texture that I love and broad spectrum SPF 15 protection!
Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.
Here’s why I love this primer:
- Veil Mineral Primer gives my skin a smooth, “soft-focus” appearance.
- It fills in fine lines and wrinkles! Really!
- It is a great pore corrector! It blurs the areas where pores appear to be larger.
- It plays nice with my full-coverage foundation.
- A little goes a long way! A small amount of product is all you need!
- It’s vegan and cruelty-free!
- The final finish is like magic! Just Magic!
After using this primer for several years, I understand why make-up artists love it! Oh! And another HOURGLASS product that I love is the VEIL setting spray! It’s amazing!
Shop for Veil Mineral Primer online: Ulta, Sephora, Amazon, and Walmart!
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer (Protecting)
Laura Mercier products are some of the best on this planet.
This water-based formula is super breathable and light.
It seals in skincare and moisture while creating a protective barrier that grips and extends makeup wear like nobody’s business!
It is formulated with skin-loving ingredients, so it protects the skin and nourishes it!
Love that!
What I love most about this face primer:
- It’s got SPF 30, which makes it perfect for everyday
- Improves skin overtime: Infused with a blend of Vitamins C & E
- It makes skin feel velvety and smooth!
Shop for Pure Canvas Primer here: Ulta, Walmart.com, Sephora, and Amazon!
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Face Primer
This primer is fantastic for dealing with large pores while also helping to minimize the appearance of pesky fine lines and wrinkles!
I love the thick and balmy texture and how it blurred the appearance of my pores and improved the texture of my skin.
It works wonders in the T-zone and humid climates when my makeup tends to slide.
I recommend this primer for normal to oily skin types and those who want to blur pores and uneven skin texture.
What makes this face primer worth a look-see:
- This primer is the best I’ve found for large pores. It’s like, “Bondo,” if that makes sense?
- It helps conceal scars and uneven skin texture.
- A little bit of this primer goes a long, long way!
- The price tag is nice!
- I would not recommend this primer for dry skin types!
Tip: Be sure to apply an excellent moisturizer before application and avoid dry areas.
Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer
Too Faced Hangover face primer hydrates, smooths, and brightens skin with a beautiful dewy finish.
It’s infused with coconut water and probiotic-based ingredients to boost skin elasticity while locking down makeup all day!
I highly recommend this primer if you’ve got normal to dry skin
Why I love, love, love this face primer for every day!
- I love this primer because it is so hydrating!
- Does a great job locking down my makeup (so it doesn’t slide!)
- Makes my make-up last for hours and hours!
tip: I reach for the too-faced hangover replenishing face primer when I’ve been going heavy on the Retin-A or if I’ve recently had a chemical peel because it’s so hydrating!
Find this primer for mature skin online: Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Nordstrom
The Ordinary High-Spreadability Fluid Face Primer
This primer from the ordinary is well-loved by many and is a wallet-friendly option.
Very silky and light -it’s the perfect primer for those “no-makeup look” makeup days.
I like to mix a few drops of The Ordinary High-Spreadability Fluid Primer with my foundation, which gives it a little extra “Grab” and leaves my face looking glowy and natural.
Find this primer for mature skin online: Sephora, and Ulta Beauty
LAURA GELLER Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer
This creamy primer is a great option for mature skin!
It’s got great gripping power without drying the skin, and I love how it blurs my large pores!
This silicone-based primer is formulated with a blend of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and antioxidant ingredients to hydrate and perfect skin, giving skin a youthful appearance.
Free of synthetic fragrance, parabens, and phthalates and is cruelty-free!
It can be worn alone or under makeup!
More Shades of Laura Geller Spackle Primer
Laura Geller spackle primers for mature skin come in six different shades!
I use the hydrate and clear formulations for a natural everyday look, but the glowy, bronzy shades are also super popular!
- Spackle Primer in Brighten-n-Blur
- Spackle Primer in Champagne glow
- Spackle Primer in Hydrate
- Spackle Primer in Rose glow
- Spackle Primer in Clear
- Spackle Primer in Bronze
Find Laura Geller Primers for Mature Skin: LovelySkin.com, and Amazon
Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Primer
Wonderglow primer is a fantastic primer for mature skin!
What I love the most is that it it creates an instant soft-glow focus on the skin, blurring it and giving it a beautiful luminosity!
This primer for mature skin is formulated is packed with collagen-supporting peptides and patented anti-wrinkle ingredients to treat dull, dehydrated skin like magic!
It can be used under foundation or alone for sheer coverage and a radiant glow!
Free of parabens and sulfates. Suitable for all skin types.
Find this primer online: Sephora, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
I love this primer!
It can be used as a tinted primer, under foundation, mixed with foundation, or as a highlighter on high points of the face.
It’s glowy, moisturizing, and blurs the look of fine lines and imperfections like magic! I use this primer when I want a glowy, healthy, youthful finish, and it delivers every time!
It also comes in a mini-size if you want to try it or need a travel size. :
Find this primer for mature skin online: Sephora, and Nordstrom
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer
Fenty Beauty Pro Filter Hydrating Primer has a yummy, lightweight formula that is super hydrating and does an amazing job extending makeup wear time!
It’s fast-absorbing and has a nice silk feel.
Contains Grape Seed Oil and Sodium Hyaluronate to fully Hydrate skin and is suitable for normal to dry skin types.
Find Fenty Beauty Primer at Sephora and Ulta Beauty
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
This classic primer has been a favorite of makeup artists for years!
Its clear gel formula effortlessly reduces the appearance of fine lines and pores while locking in your makeup for hours and hours!
It’s lightweight, oil-free, and contains antioxidants and vitamins A and E to treat mature skin.
Free of sulfates, parabens, and phthalates and is vegan and cruelty-free.
More Smashbox Primers for Mature Skin
Smashbox Photo Finish Correct Anti-Redness Primer
This primer is a color-correcting, green-toned primer that neutralizes redness while defending skin and perfecting makeup. It does a great job of blurring pores!
Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer+ Hydrating Face Primer
This allure 2022 Best of Beauty Award Winner does everything the other Smashbox primer does and hydrates like a charm.
This rising star nourishes and plumps the skin and protects against damage from environmental aggressors like pollution and blue light.
Shop All Smashbox Primers for mature skin
Purchase Smash Box Primers: Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and Nordstrom.com
MILK Makeup Hydro Grip Primer
This silicone-free and oil-free formula primer is lightweight and “grippy” helping the foundation go on extra smooth and to last all day.
The awarding winning clean primer (allure 2019 Best of Beauty Award Winner) is packed full of skin-loving ingredients.
Blue Agave extract, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (Vitamin B3), and aloe water nourish mature skin.
And is vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Also available in travel size! 🙂
What I love most about this primer for mature skin:
- I love the fragrance-free gel formula!
- It’s Packed full of yummy skincare ingredients.
- It’s grippy and long-lasting formula
Find Milk Makeup Primers: Sephora and Amazon
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Face Primer
This high-end primer for mature skin is a non-greasy, lightweight makeup primer and does a fantastic job of blurring imperfections!
It’s formulated with light-infused pigments and four nourishing oils, giving the skin a luminous glow that slightly sparkles in bright sunlight.
Free of sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehyde, and phthalates.
Suitable for all skin types.
Purchase this primer for mature skin: Sephora, Nordstrom.com, and Macy’s
Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer
Rare Beauty (by Selena Gomez) is an excellent lightweight gel primer worn alone or under makeup.
This mattifying primer does a beautiful job of evening out skin texture and quickly smooths away the look of pores with a soft-focus effect.
It contains hyaluronic acid, Green Tea Extract, and vitamin E, lovely skin-nursing ingredients for mature skin.
It’s vegan and suitable for all skin types.
Find this primer for mature skin online: Sephora, and Kohl’s
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base Priming Moisturizer
This bestselling, multivitamin-enriched primer is excellent for mature, aging skin!
Its vitamin-enriched formula nourishes, visibly plumps, and preps skin with healthy hydration to improve the look of your foundation.
Just look at these skin-loving ingredients!:
Vitamins B, C, and E, hyaluronic acid, squalane, shea butter, grapefruit, and geranium.
Find this Primer for mature skin: Sephora, and Ulta Beauty
Best Primer for Oily Skin
Estee Lauder The Illuminator Radiant Perfecting Primer
Estee Lauder’s The Mattifier Shine Control Perfecting Primer is a fantastic choice if you’re looking to keep your skin looking fresh and shine-free throughout the day.
Specially formulated to control excess oil and minimize the appearance of pores, this primer creates a smooth, matte canvas for your makeup application.
One of the best things about Estee Lauder’s The Mattifier is that it’s suitable for all skin types but particularly beneficial for those with oily or combination skin.
Absorbing excess oil helps keep your makeup looking flawless for longer without any unwanted shine peeking through.
Purchase this primer for mature skin online: Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and Nordstrom
DHC Velvet Skin Coat, Mattifying Makeup Primer
DHC Velvet Skin Coat is a mattifying makeup primer creates a smooth, flawless canvas for your makeup application.
Its unique formula helps minimize pores, fine lines, and imperfections, giving your skin a velvety-soft finish.
This silicone-based primer contains organic olive oil, which is an antioxidant that helps protect skin from environmental stresses.
The transparent formula is fragrance-free and suitable for all skin types.
Shop for this primer online: Target, Dermstore.com and Amazon
The Best Drugstore Primers for Mature Skin:
Lower-cost drugstore primers for mature skin because they provide many of the same benefits as more expensive, high-end brands, but without breaking the bank.
The Best of the Best Drugstore Primers for Older Skin:
1. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Primer – This primer is formulated with hyaluronic acid and helps to lock in moisture for a soft, smooth complexion throughout the day.
2. L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base Primer – This lightweight formula has an oil-free texture which helps to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines.
3. Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer – This drugstore primer smooths out rough skin texture and blurs imperfections like you wouldn’t believe. Great for large pores.
4. COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Makeup Primer – This popular drugstore primer is super hydrating and extends makeup wear while smoothing skin texture.
5. Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer – Another fan-favorite drugstore primer for mature skin! This primer blurs imperfections like magic and has anti-aging properties galore! Suitable for all different skin types.
6. NYX Professional Makeup Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer – Angel Veil skin perfecting primer is super silky and lightweight with a satin finish that minimizes fine lines, pores, and shine!
7. e.l.f. Hydrating Face Primer – Another popular drugstore primer for mature skin, as it helps reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles while adding hydration and smoothing skin tone. Super affordable too!
9. Almay Smart Shade Anti-Aging Primer – If you’re looking for a hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, clean, and cruelty-free drugstore primer for mature skin, this is an excellent choice for you!
10. Physicians Formula Organic Wear All Natural Mineral Primer – An Organic mineral-based primer for mature skin that moisturizes, protects, and preps skin all in one!
Shop The Best Drugstore Primer for Mature Skin:
Beauty + Skincare for Mature Skin:
- Best Clinique Foundation for Mature Skin
- Best Drugstore Setting Sprays
- The Ordinary Products for Older Skin
- The Best Silicon-Based Primers
- The Best Mascara for Older Women
- 100 Things to Put in Your Purse
- The Best Setting Powder for Mature Skin
- Why Exfoliate? The Best Face Exfoliators
- Great Body Lotions for Aging Skin
- Best Eye Primers for Mature Skin
- Best Eyeshadows for Older Gals
- Best Foundation for Large Pores
Pro Makeup Tips: How to Apply Face Primer + More
Pro makeup tips for using makeup primer and some additional makeup tips can help you achieve a flawless look that lasts all day.
Follow these tips to make the most of your primer and makeup application:
Prep your skin
Start with a clean, moisturized face.
Face primer should be applied after moisturizer and sunscreen but before foundation. (I also suggest exfoliating your skin at least 2-3 times per week for best results)
Related Article: The Best AM Skin Care Routine
Use a pea-sized amount
A little primer goes a long way. Apply a pea-sized amount of primer to your fingertips or a makeup brush. Use a gentle patting motion and start at the center of your face, working outwards
Focus on problem areas.
Concentrate on areas with visible pores, fine lines, or uneven texture. Gently pat or press the primer into these areas for better coverage.
Let it set
Allow the primer to set for a minute or two before applying your foundation. This helps the primer adhere to your skin and creates a longer-lasting makeup base.
Additional Makeup Tips for Mature Skin
Choose the right foundation for mature skin.
Select a foundation that matches your skin tone and type. Consider factors like coverage, finish, and formula (liquid, cream, or powder) based on your preferences and needs.
Apply foundation in thin layers
Build up coverage by applying thin layers of foundation rather than a thick layer all at once.
This technique helps create a more natural look and prevents caking. (less is more)
Blend, blend, blend!
Apply your foundation with a damp makeup sponge or a brush for a seamless finish.
Blend the product in small, circular motions, working outward from the center of your face.
Set your makeup
Lock your makeup in place with a setting powder or spray.
This step helps to absorb excess oil, reduce shine, and ensure your makeup stays put throughout the day.
I love Laura Mercier’s Setting powder and Urban Decay’s All-Nighter makeup setting spray.
FAQs: The Best Primer for Mature Skin
Q: Can a primer help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles?
A: You bet it will! A primer is like a magic eraser for those pesky lines and wrinkles. It’s designed to fill in and smooth out any imperfections on the skin’s surface, creating a nice, even canvas for your makeup.
Primer softens the look of those fine lines and wrinkles, making them less noticeable.
Plus, many primers come packed with nourishing ingredients that help hydrate and soothe your skin, which is always good for mature skin.
So, in short, yes – a primer can help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Q: Are there any drugstore primers suitable for mature skin?
A: Absolutely! Drugstore brands have some fantastic primers for mature skin.
Look for the Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser or the e.l.f. Hydrating Face Primer. These products can offer quality results at a more affordable price.
Q: Is a silicon primer good for wrinkles?
A: Oh, you betcha! Silicon-based primers are pretty awesome for masking wrinkles.
Silicon is like a beauty magician – it can fill in fine lines and wrinkles, giving your skin a smooth, almost airbrushed appearance.
When you glide it over your skin, it settles into those little nooks and crannies and blurs them out, making your skin look smoother and younger.
Related Article: The Best Silicon Primers for Wrinkles
Q: What is a good primer for an older woman with large pores?
When it comes to larger pores, you want a primer that’s up to the task of smoothing things out.
Benefit’s The POREfessional Face Primer is an absolute rockstar for this.
It’s a silky, lightweight formula that helps minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines, giving you smoother-than-smooth skin.
Another solid contender is the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer.
This one’s oil-free, which is great if your skin tends to get a bit shiny, and it’s designed to blur flaws, reduce the appearance of pores, and even out your skin tone.
Q: What is the Best Clean Primer for Mature skin?
The ILIA True Skin Radiant Priming Serum. This baby not only preps your skin for makeup but also has a blend of hibiscus extract, aloe, and beta-glucan to soothe and hydrate your skin.
Plus, it’s silicone-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Pretty neat, huh?
Next up, we’ve got the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer. It’s packed with hemp-derived cannabis seed extract and blue agave extract to hydrate and hold your makeup in place all day. And it’s vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
Remember, “clean” can mean different things to different people, so always check the ingredients and ensure they align with your preferences and needs.
Q: Are some primers designed to wear alone without foundation?
Some primers are designed to pull double duty.
Check out TULA’s Face Filter Blurring and Moisturizing Primer. This superstar doesn’t just prep your skin for makeup; it blurs lines, shrinks pores, and hydrates your skin.
It’s got a nice tint that blends right in with your skin tone, giving you a natural glow.
Shop The Best Primer for Mature Skin
The Best Face Primer for Mature and Aging Skin
Finding the best face primer for mature and aging skin can make all the difference!
While it may seem like a lot to ask, a good primer for mature skin should contain skin-loving ingredients to treat the signs of aging while reducing the appearance of pore size, fine lines, and wrinkles as well as discoloration and rough skin texture.
All while beautifully extending the wear and appearance of makeup! PHEW!
I feel confident that by using this guide to the best face primers for older women, you will find the perfect primer for your needs.
Did you find this article helpful? What makeup primer for mature skin will you try?
Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time!
XO, Christine
I’ve been keeping it real since 1963. 🙂
I’m a child of God, a wifey, mama, grandma, full-time creative, domestic engineer, and self-care enthusiast.
I am obsessed with all things makeup and skincare and love getting my hands dirty out in the garden, my art room, or in the kitchen, whipping up something yummy for the fam.
I’m always down to chat and love collaborating with other creatives and brands alike!
Feel free to reach out anytime!
