Primer is a magical step that creates a smooth, even canvas for your makeup. Adding another step to your already-rushed morning routine may seem like a hassle, but it's time well-invested. Because it keeps your makeup on longer, there are no need for touchups throughout the day, says celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh.

Plus, a good primer hides your biggest skin woes -- dullness, fine lines, redness, and visible pores virtually disappear, explains Gita Bass, celebrity makeup artist and Simple Skincare Advisory Board Member. The result: a flawless complexion.

If you don't like primers, it's probably because you're using the wrong one. Here, the best primer for every skin type, so you can achieve that next-level glowing complexion.



Image via Stockland Martel

What to look for: To keep skin supple and hydrated (the ideal base for foundation), choose a primer that contains hydrating ingredients, Bass says. "When your skin is dry and flaky, your foundation is more likely to settle into fine lines and look uneven and dull." Consider one with a satin-finish to give your foundation a smooth -- not flaky -- application, adds Quynh.

Try:

E.L.F. Hydrating Primer, $6. This silicone-based primer provides an even layer between skin and foundation. Plus, it's got grapeseed oil and vitamins A, C and E for extra hydration.

Phace Bioactive Soothing Day Cream + Primer SPF 46, $86. Before you balk at the price tag, just know that this primer doubles as a moisturizer and a sunscreen. The impressive ingredients list boasts a bevy of brightening, toning, moisturizing and antioxidant ingredients (think: blueberry and grapeseed extracts; lactic and hyaluronic acids).

Paul and Joe Moisturizing Foundation Primer L, $39. The superstar ingredient in this vanity-worthy primer? As much Korean Ginseng extract as you would find in a hydrating serum.

What to look for: Whether your skin is lackluster day-to-day, or the dullness is self-inflicted (too many cocktails at last night's happy hour, perhaps?), you can jolt it back to life with a primer. "Choose a primer with some warmth and light-reflecting properties to give you a gorgeous glow," says Bass.

Skip anything that will give you a whitish cast, or anything that has the word "mattifying" on it.

Try:

Maybelline Master Prime Blur + Illuminate, $9.99. The pink pearlescent formula comes out of the tube with a moisturizer-like consistency that sinks into skin quickly, and leaves behind a light, silky-smooth layer that helps foundation go on flawlessly.

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow, $55. "It has a touch of warmth and appears to blur out any imperfections, while creating a fantastic radiance," Bass says. That's thanks to the special light diffuser in the formula that manipulates UV light to create a luminous complexion. It's also got rose hip and camellia oils that moisturize skin without making it look greasy.

What to look for: If your skin is very red, try a green-toned primer; if your skin is pink, look for a yellow-toned primer. These hues counteract the blotchy hues in your skin and effectively eliminate the mask-like appearance that foundation can create on red skin, says Quynh.

Jessica Scantlin, Blushington Head Makeup Artist, agrees: "Because it helps tone down the red, you actually will not need as much makeup, so you will look more like yourself."

Try:

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Professional Color-Correcting Primer, $12.99. A small amount of this highly pigmented formula goes a long way to disguise redness -- you only need a tiny bit to cover your entire face.

Koh Gen Do Makeup Color Base Yellow, $48. Not only will this tinted primer help reduce discoloration, it also can be used to highlight, Kim Kardashian style.

What to look for: "Acne-prone skin tends to be oily and uneven so a primer is very helpful for achieving a flawless face," says Bass. She recommends oil-free primers with soothing ingredients, such as green tea and vitamin E. These help reduce inflammation while treating blemishes. Primers with salicylic acid are also a solid choice, according to Quynh.

With acne-prone skin, it's just as much about what don't put on your face as what you do. Avoid anything with silicone or mineral oils, which can trap oil, dirt and bacteria and generally gunk up your pores, Bass says.

Try:

Skindinavia The Makeup Primer Spray Oil Control, $35. This spray-on primer creates a silicone-free barrier between your skin and your makeup, which helps minimize the appearance of pores, controls oil (say goodbye to your blotting papers) and won't clog up your pores.

Becca Ever Matte Poreless Priming Perfector, $36. A Bass-approved selection, this water-based primer controls oil -- sans silicone, oil, alcohol and fragrance -- making it a solid pick for someone with sensitive skin.

Smashbox Photo Finish More Than Primer Blemish Control, $42. Bass also recommends this primer, which is a twist on Smashbox's cult classic. The lightweight, skin-perfecting formula features 2 percent salicylic to help treat and prevent acne.