The best makeup primers you can buy

Why you'll love it: Don't let the intense luminosity scare you off — Becca Backlight Priming Filter gives you a gorgeous, natural glow that shines through foundation.

I don't know what kind of fairy dust they're working with at Becca Cosmetics HQ but these people know about glow. The Becca Backlight Priming Filter is the first primer I ever wanted to write poetry about. It makes my complexion look healthy and bright, whether worn alone or under foundation or tinted moisturizer.

I tend to gravitate toward this primer in the winter when my skin is feeling dull or on occasions when I'm wearing fuller coverage foundation. Just one pump blurs imperfections and imparts the most natural champagne-colored luminosity to the skin.

The radiance comes from Filtering Luminescent Pearls that diffuse light and add subtle shimmer — not glitter. The formula also contains nourishing vitamin E.

With a 4.2 star rating on Sephora based on 1,000+ reviews, this is a fan-favorite primer that has been featured in Best Products, Cosmopolitan UK, Vogue UK, and Women's Health, among other publications.

Pros: Beautiful natural glow, can be worn alone or with foundation, cruelty-free, paraben-free

Cons: Has a strong scent, doesn't extend foundation wear time

Buy Becca Backlight Priming Filter at Sephora for $39

Why you'll love it: Quench your thirst with the hydrating, coconut water-infused Too Faced Hangover Rx Replenishing Face Primer.

Dry patches and overall dehydration are the bane of any makeup lover's existence. Enter: Too Faced Hangover Rx Replenishing Face Primer — a super light moisturizing primer that plumps skin and keeps makeup looking fresh all day.

I reach for this when I'm doing my makeup several hours after applying skin-care products to give my skin an extra shot of moisture. But if you have dry skin, you'll probably want to use it on the daily. It's hydrating without being greasy, so you can use it under matte base products without disrupting the finish.

Another plus is the travel-friendly packaging. The primer is housed in a flexible tube with a pump on the end. The design prevents spillage in transit and also makes it very difficult to accidentally dispense too much, thus cutting down on waste. The cruelty-free, silicone-free formula is packed with coconut water and probiotics to keep your complexion happy.

"New favorite face primer!" writes one Sephora reviewer. “It is the smoothest thing I have ever put on my skin, feels amazing. It is super hydrating and my makeup goes on beautifully and prolongs it so well!” Still not convinced? There are nearly 3,000 other reviews and mentions in Women's Health, Cosmopolitan UK, Women's World, and Best Products.

Pros: Moisturizing, silicone-free, cruelty-free, travel-friendly pump packaging

Cons: Strong coconut scent, not ideal for oily skin

Buy the Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer at Sephora for $34

Why you'll love it: The Milk Makeup Blur Stick is a unique solid primer that minimizes the appearance of pores and mattifies the complexion.

If you want a heavy-duty mattifying primer, look no further than the Milk Makeup Blur Stick. As the name suggests, it blurs pores and imperfections. The solid formula allows for targeted application, so you can place it only where you need it, sorta like a giant glue stick.

For example, I like to use the Milk Makeup Blur Stick on the oily parts of my T-zone and apply a different primer on my drier, rosacea-prone cheeks. The travel-friendly packaging makes it easy to bring on the go for touch-ups — you can even blot it on top of makeup to absorb oil if you get shiny throughout the day.

The Blur Stick is silicone-free, oil-free, talc-free, cruelty-free, and vegan. I love how easy this is to swipe on quickly without making a mess. The instructions recommend warming the product on the back of your hand before you apply to the skin, and I second that because otherwise the product tugs on your skin.

Though the Blur Stick sounded gimmicky at first, I was really impressed with the skin-smoothing results. The Sephora reviews are somewhat mixed, resulting in a 3.5-star rating, but many shoppers rave about the effects.

"It's not a primer that you can feel is there like others (probably because it's silicone free) but it does keep my makeup in place.," writes one reviewer.

As far as professional reviews go, the Blur Stick has been recommended by editors at Glamour, Fashionista, and Nylon.

Pros: Vegan, cruelty-free, silicone-free, oil-free, portable, non-liquid

Cons: Needs to warm up before applying smoothly

Buy the Milk Makeup Blur Stick at Sephora for $36