Primers with SPF For Effortless Protection & Flawless Makeup

Best SPF Primers

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You don’t have to choose between makeup primer or SPF or makeup that stays in place or proper sun protection. Primers with SPF offer exactly that.

Individually, these products are integral parts of a good skincare and makeup routine. While SPF makes sure your skin is protected against sun exposure, a makeup primer ensures you have a smooth canvas for makeup application.

But sometimes, when you try to layer these two, you might end up with a heavy feel from using too many products, or sunscreen pilling. That’s why primers made with sun protection factors deserve your attention.

An SPF primer allows you to maintain healthy skin by protecting it against sun exposure while ensuring your makeup looks good and lasts long.

And during hot summer weather, SPF primers can be of great use by reducing the number of products you use/need, allowing you to follow a minimalist summer-friendly skincare routine in humid weather.

Also, if you haven’t been using primer but your makeup could use the help, you can actually do yourself a favor simply by trying a sunscreen with major makeup primer benefits.

Either way, primers made with SPF multi-task big time! And I’ve reviewed the best ones out there. Find below the best primers with SPF no matter your skin type!

The Best Primers With SPF

1. Lancome UV Expert Defense SPF 50+ Primer & Moisturizer

Best SPF Primer For All Skin Types

Lancome UV Expert Defense SPF 50+ Primer & Moisturizer - Best Primer With SPF

As someone in her late 30s, sun protection is a big deal to me. And so is my makeup. And this is my personal favorite SPF primer all because of its high SPF protection. It has a very light texture and a very runny consistency that applies easily. It’s not very silicone-y, so it does not have a super skin-blurring effect to soften pores or texture, but it does help your makeup last longer. Concerning the sunscreen formula, it’s chemical. But it’s so gentle that I can even use it around my eyes. That’s why I think this is the best primer with SPF suitable for all skin types.

Sunscreen: Chemical SPF 50
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, moringa seed extract
Finish: Natural-dewy
Size: 1 oz/ 30 ml

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer SPF 30

Best Tinted SPF Primer

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer SPF 30 - Best Tinted Primer With SPF

Do you know what’s better than a primer with SPF? A primer with SPF and coverage! And that’s what’s so great about this one. You can wear it under your foundation or instead of your foundation. Because this is also a BB cream. So you’re getting coverage too. It’s got medium coverage that smooths out your skin so well that you don’t actually need foundation. Primer-wise, it has a blurring and smoothing effect on the skin with a nice, soft matte finish. And SPF-wise, it’s all mineral. So you can use it even if you have sensitive skin.

Sunscreen: Mineral SPF 30
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E
Finish: Natural-matte
Shades: 15
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free
Size: 1 oz/ 30 ml

Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer SPF 30

Best SPF Primer For Mature Skin

Dermalogica SkinPerfect Primer SPF 30

This is another tinted primer with SPF. But it won’t provide coverage. So it’s more like tinted sunscreen. But it’s madly smoothing and blurring for the skin because of the added silicones. So if you have textured skin, wrinkles, and large pores, it will prep your skin and create the perfect veil to layer your foundation on. Plus, it has anti-aging benefits too because it’s formulated with peptides to soften the appearance of fine lines.

Sunscreen: Mineral SPF 30
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, peptides
Finish: Natural
Good To Know: Reef-safe, vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free
Size: 0.75 oz/ 22 ml

Nars Radiance Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Sunscreen

Best SPF Primer For Dull Skin

Nars Radiance Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Sunscreen

I’m a sucker for illuminating primers and this is one of the glowiest ones out there. It has a pearlescent, almost shimmery finish that lights up your complexion just like that. Even if you’re wearing a super matte, full-coverage foundation, you’ll still get that glow-from-within look with a nice glistening effect. The formula is oil-free too. So even if you have oily skin, you still can get that glowy look without the grease. The broad-spectrum sunscreen formula also helps smooth out minor texture irregularities. It just gives your skin that glass skin effect all day no matter what kind of makeup you apply on top.

Sunscreen: Chemical SPF 35
Key Ingredients: Licorice extract, hyaluronic acid
Finish: Radiant
Good To Know: Oil-free
Size: 1 oz/ 30 ml

Supergoop Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40

Best SPF Primer For Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Supergoop Mineral Mattescreen SPF 40 - Best SPF Primer For Oily Skin

There’s a reason why everybody is obsessed with these sunscreens. While the Glowscreen is the perfect SPF primer for a healthy glow, this one is gold for people with oily, acne-prone, or combination skin. It has a soft matte finish that prevents shine when you wear it under foundation or alone, and a high SPF, and offers the perfect canvas for glorious makeup all day. The tinted formula blends into your skin, mattifies your complexion, and smooths out pores. The oil-free SPF is all mineral, so you can comfortably wear it if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin.

Sunscreen: Mineral SPF 40
Key Ingredients: Bamboo extract
Finish: Matte
Good To Know: Oil-free, reef-safe, vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free
Size: 1.5 oz/ 45 ml

Erborian CC Red Correct

Best SPF Primer For Sensitive Skin

Erborian CC Red Correct - Best SPF Primer For Redness

If you’re looking for an SPF primer that also color corrects, this K-beauty favorite is pretty unique. And it’s amazing for people with sensitive, redness-prone, or rosacea skin. It’s green-tinted so it neutralizes redness immediately! And a few minutes later, it adapts to your skin tone. And it has Centella Asiatica extract, which calms redness and soothes sensitivity. It’s not chalky, or heavy and it applies super easily. It does make a significant difference in how long your foundation lasts and this pertains to all Erborian primers. The hybrid sunscreen, meaning it’s both chemical and physical, has an SPF of 25 and a natural finish.

Sunscreen: Hybrid SPF 25
Key Ingredients: Centella Asiatica
Finish: Natural
Size: 1.5 oz/ 45 ml

Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50

Best SPF Primer For Dry Skin

Charlotte Tilbury Invisible UV Flawless Primer SPF 50 - Best SPF Primer For Dry Skin

Just like Lancome’s primer, this feels more like sunscreen and less like a primer. But it visibly enhances your glow and grips your foundation. And it’s pretty impressive concerning skin care. It contains vitamins C and E as the ultimate antioxidant combo to enhance your sun protection. The sunscreen primer brightens skin and gives you a healthier-looking complexion. And it’s literally invisible in that it disappears into the skin and layers well with other products without pilling.

Sunscreen: Chemical SPF 50
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E
Finish: Radiant
Good To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free
Size: 1 oz/ 30 ml

E.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 Sun Protection + Makeup Primer

Best Drugstore SPF Primer

E.l.f. Suntouchable Whoa Glow SPF 30 Sun Protection + Makeup Primer - Best Drugstore Primer With SPF

This is an affordable SPF primer with a beautiful glowy finish. And it’s an overall hydrating primer perfect for all skin types, especially dry skin. It’s made with super hydrating goodies like aloe, hyaluronic acid, and squalane. And you can actually feel the plumping effects on the skin. And that helps prevent your foundation from looking cakey and patchy.

Sunscreen: Chemical SPF 30
Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, squalane
Finish: Radiant
Shades: 3
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free, vegan
Size: 1.69 oz/ 50 ml

So these are the best primers with SPF out there. Most sunscreens can look too radiant even if the product doesn’t claim to be illuminating. That’s something I like to know in advance. That’s why I included the finish of the products in case you’re going for a certain look.

Once you find a formula you like, you can protect your skin from the sun while prepping it for makeup that lasts longer and stays in place. And on that note, I think Lancome reigns supreme because every single person I recommended it to in my circle of friends with different skin types had only good things to say about it.

If you haven’t found what you’re looking for here, below is a quick guide on how to find the best SPF primer for your skin.

What To Look For In SPF Primers

Type of Primer

First and foremost, this is half primer and half sunscreen. So you need to determine what you expect from the primer and choose a type of primer depending on the purpose. If you want it to minimize the appearance of pores or wrinkles, look for smoothing primers or blurring primers made with silicones. If you want to achieve a dewy, glowy makeup look, go for illuminating primers.

Suitable For Your Skin Type

Similarly, you want to keep your skin type in mind when choosing a primer. If you have dry skin, go for hydrating primers made with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or squalane. And if your skin is more on the oily, or acne-prone side, go for oil-free primers or oil-control primers. This will make sure your primer complements your makeup while supporting your skin’s needs.

Type of Sunscreen

Just like regular sunscreens, primers made with sunscreen come in different formulas too. There are chemical sunscreens and mineral (physical) sunscreens. Common chemical sunscreen ingredients are oxybenzone and avobenzone. Common physical sunscreen ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. In general, chemical sunscreens have the advantage of blending in with the skin tone and being aesthetically pleasing whereas mineral sunscreens can be gentler on the skin. People with sensitive skin tend to go for mineral sunscreens. So this is where you decide which one to go for depending on your personal preference and skin type.

How To Apply SPF Primers

Apply your SPF primer as the last step of your skincare routine before you start applying makeup. Use a generous amount of the product and apply an even layer on the entire face and don’t forget the under-eye area. Give it a few minutes before moving on to makeup. This is for helping your sunscreen (and primer) to settle down as otherwise you’ll just be moving the product around. After a few minutes, follow with your makeup.

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