This color-correcting primer from Stila is my secret to an even skin tone — it works so well that I often skip foundation altogether

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• Stila's One-Step Correct primer ($36) contains color-correcting pigments that counteract redness and brighten skin.
• Although it's a primer, it makes my skin tone look so even that I can skip foundation altogether.

Even when a beauty product has a cult-following, it's still rare to come across one that lives up to the hype. As such, my expectations were low when I decided to give Stila's One-Step Correct primer a try, despite its many high ratings and the fact that it's been a staple of the popular cosmetics brand for years.

I've struggled with an uneven skin tone for as long as I can remember, so I didn't expect this to be anything more than a regular makeup primer for me. But after using it for the first time, I was surprised to find that the helix of color-correcting pigments not only prepped my skin and kept my foundation looking fresh throughout the day, but made my complexion look noticeably clearer and brighter without any makeup at all. The difference is so apparent that I've made it a part of my permanent daily routine, no matter if I'm wearing foundation or not.

How it works

Color-correcting makeup products contain pigments that are directly opposite of those caused by common skin issues — like redness — on the color wheel (yes, the same color wheel you learned about in elementary school art class). The idea is that the opposite tones cancel each other out. These magic colors generally include green, which neutralizes redness, lavender, which counteracts yellowness, and peach, which helps with brightening blue and purple circles under the eyes. These are also all the same color pigments you'll find in Stila's One-Step Correct.

Although I've known about this makeup trick for a long time, I was skeptical about the effectiveness of Stila's primer for one particular reason: It pumps out all three colors at once, which you blend together with your fingers before applying to your face. How can the pigments work if they're mixed together in a blob? Somehow, they still do. I was surprised to find that no matter how much I mixed the serum together, my skin had the same result — even, glowy, and hydrated.

The ingredients

When looking at the Stila One-Step Correct bottle, you'll notice that the color correctors are surrounded by a clear liquid. This binds the pigments together, but it's also made with 50% water, which makes the primer feel super lightweight and refreshing. Another amazing feature of this formula is that it contains something that Stila calls a Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex — aka a proprietary blend of 15 vitamins and minerals that hydrate, control oil production, and improve the appearance of fine lines. So, along with a clearer complexion, skin is also being nourished with a number of elements that improve its overall texture. It's like using a primer and moisturizer at once, making the $36 price tag an even better value.

The bottom line

If you're looking to cut down the number of products in your daily routine, then Stila's One Step Correct primer is a multipurpose formula that takes care of several steps at once: It helps makeup last longer, it hydrates skin, and it has color-correcting abilities that work so well you might even be able to toss out the foundation, too.