21 Blurring Primers to Prep Your Skin for Flawless-Looking Makeup

The key to flawless-looking makeup is a great blurring primer. Blurring primers soften the appearance of fine lines and pores on your skin, and they give your makeup a smooth base to grip onto all day long. Below, we’re breaking down how to use a blurring primer, plus 21 of the best blurring primers for every skin concern and price point.

What Is Blurring Primer?

Blurring primers are makeup primers that work to even out skin tone and texture, leaving behind silky smooth skin. Plus, these types of primers help ensure makeup won’t crack, crease or slide off of your face. They can help fill in large pores and are great at minimizing the look of texture.

How to Use a Blurring Primer

After you finish your skin prep, which typically includes applying a moisturizer and a broad-spectrum sunscreen, apply a blurring primer all over your face. You can layer foundation or a skin tint on top, or wear the primer on its own for a subtle smoothed-out look — think your skin, with a little less texture. If you’re layering a foundation or skin tint over your primer, you’ll want to make sure your products are made with similar key ingredients. For example, if your primer is silicone-based, you should choose a silicone-based foundation to prevent pilling. 

The Best Blurring Primers

L’Oréal Paris Prime Lab Up to 24H Pore Minimzer

Instantly blur pores and smooth skin overtime with this pore-minimizing primer. Thanks to a complex of exfoliating acids, it helps slough off dead skin cells and soften texture the more you wear it. Plus, it’s non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores or contribute to added texture. 

NYX Professional Makeup Face Freezie Cooling Primer + Moisturizer

This primer’s unique sorbet-like texture instantly cools, hydrates and preps your skin for makeup, leaving a subtle glow that lasts all day. It shrinks the look of pores and is infused with hydrating ingredients like snow mushroom and niacinamide. To enhance this primer-moisturizer’s skincare benefits and refresh your under-eye area, try pairing it with the Face Freezie Reusable Cooling Undereye Patches.

Lancôme La Base Pro Face & Makeup Primer

Smooth and soften your skin with this oil-free priming serum. It sinks in quickly and helps refine texture for a real-life airbrushed effect, in addition to helping your base makeup stay put all day. 

YSL Beauty Nu Blotting Lotion

If your skin is on the oily side, consider this your sign to ditch your blotting papers and pick up this mattifying primer ASAP. With the help of salicylic acid and limonette extract, the super breathable gel primer controls shine and reduces the appearance of pores. Wear it on its own for shine control when going au naturale or apply it before layering on foundation and concealer. Either way, it works like a charm.

Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Prime Blur + Redness Control

Target noticeable pores and redness with this blurring primer from Maybelline New York. The lightweight formula and subtle green tint helps even out any skin tone and cancels out noticeable redness. You may even feel like going foundation-free with this pick. 

Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer

A makeup artist favorite for its radiant finish and blurring, hydrating benefits, this is a primer that’s worth the splurge to add to your makeup bag. It gives skin a pearly glow and leaves it ultra-soft and moisturized with the help of ingredients like softening shea butter and glycerin. 

L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base

The rich, creamy texture of this primer feels weightless — all you’ll notice is the silky, mattified effect it leaves on the skin. It fills in fine lines and pores for your smoothest base yet. 

NYX Professional Makeup Plump Right Back Primer

This primer, which is infused with a combination of electrolytes, pro-vitamins, potassium and hyaluronic acid, works overtime to plump fine lines and blur the look of your complexion. It has a serum-like consistency that feels weightless on the skin and absorbs in lightning speed.

Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Prime Blur + Defend

Sun protection is an essential part of any morning routine, and this SPF 30-enhanced primer adds an extra layer of defense on top of your regular sunscreen. The blurring formula erases the look of texture and gives skin a well-hydrated glow. 

Urban Decay All Nighter Face Primer

To ensure your full face of glam makeup stays flawless all day, prep the skin with this primer from Urban Decay. Its lightweight, hydrating formula imparts a subtle glow that’s incredibly flattering under makeup and extends the wear of foundation by up to eight hours.

NYX Professional Makeup The Marshmellow Smoothing Primer

Lock in your makeup for up to 16 hours with The Marshmellow Smoothing Primer. Infused with soothing marshmallow root extract, it blurs, smooths and evens skin tone for a doll-like finish that looks freshly applied all day. 

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Makeup Primer+ Oil-Free

Instantly extend the wear of your makeup and refine the look of pores overtime with this multitasking primer. A combination of glycerin bark extract and ginger root extract hydrate and work for all skin types, including sensitive skin. 

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Blurring Primer

Designed with mature, dry skin types in mind, this primer is infused with a radiance-boosting rosy-toned hue and helps to give the skin a healthy-looking glow. The primer also imparts a blurring finish and soft-focus effect that minimizes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.

YSL Beauty Touche Éclat Blur Primer

Four luxe oils — corn oil, apricot kernel oil, passiflora oil and rice bran oil — are the secret behind this primer’s skin-softening, moisturizing magic. A sprinkle of soft gold shimmer diffuses light and imparts a candlelit glow that looks naturally blurred, not glittery. 

Valentino Beauty V-Lighter Face Base

When it comes to illuminating primers, there’s a fine line between looking glowy and greasy — especially for those with oily skin. This pick from Valentino creates a diffused gleam to highlight the skin’s natural luminosity while locking makeup in place all day. It also provides the skin with major hydration thanks to the hyaluronic acid-infused formula. The best part? It doubles as a subtle highlighter, too.

NYX Professional Makeup Pore Filler Targeted Stick

Have defined pores? This pore-blurring stick is a must-have; it soaks up excess oil for a shine-free, velvety smooth finish. The stick is super compact and easy to take with you on the go, making it the perfect pick for traveling.

Maybelline New York Face Studio Master Prime Blur & Smooth

If you struggle with noticeable pores, try this primer that gives a smooth, airbrushed look. Not only does it help minimize the look of pores, it also helps foundation glide on easily and flawlessly without feeling heavy on the skin.

One/Size By Patrick Starrr Secure the Blur Makeup Magnet Primer

For those after a filter-like finish, try this primer from beauty influencer Patrick Starrr’s line. Not only does it have a blurring effect that minimizes the look of texture, it’s also packed with niacinamide, witch hazel and glycerin to improve the skin — immediately and over time.

MILK MAKEUP Pore Eclipse Mattifying + Blurring Makeup Primer

Keep shine in check and blur the look of pores with this soft matte primer. The water-cream consistency feels refreshingly lightweight, and reviewers rave that it keeps their makeup 

looking fresh all day, even on oily skin types. 

Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder

Available in a universal transparent shade and 10 shades that span from deep to fair, this balm is the ultimate in no-makeup makeup. You can wear it on its own, under foundation to blur texture and minimize oil throughout the day, on top of foundation to add a natural matte finish or to set and add coverage to the T-zone. 

Rare Beauty Pore Diffusing Primer

Hyaluronic acid, green tea extract and vitamin E calm stressed-out skin and provide a boost antioxidant protection in this blurring and hydrating primer. The velvety gel texture blurs pores and fine lines, allowing makeup to glide on smoothly.