Best of the Best: Top 5 Primers

Hey guys! I hope you're all having a lovely start to your week. Today we're flashing back to another one of the Best of the Best series, where we go over the top 5 products from a category of makeup, and today's feature is primers. I am really picky when it comes to this category, so choosing only five was a piece of cake for me. To give you an idea of what I'm picky about, I can't stand the silicone feeling on my skin, so I tend to steer away from gel or silicone-based primers, because they do irritate my skin easily. I can't stand anything that is strongly scented, and I prefer to have something that is hydrating on my dry skin. Let's get into it!

Becca Backlight Priming Filter // This is a primer you guys have already heard me rave about in my Becca Brand Lovin' post within the past month. This primer is made of gold I swear! It smells amazing, just a very light fresh and clean scent, nothing strong or unpleasant. It is so smooth, and while it does have silica in it, I can't feel it on the skin and it doesn't make my skin unhappy. It gives the skin the most beautiful radiance! It's great to wear on it's own if you want to look glowy for the summertime, you can wear it under foundation for extra luminosity, or you can pop it on highlight areas after liquid foundation. I actually had my mom try this and she fell in love and ended up purchasing one too! She wears it alone for a natural summer glow.

Laura Mercier Primer 'Radiance' // This is another primer that gives the skin luminosity and glow (not surprising since that's my go-to for spring and summer). This one is pretty similar to the Becca primer, but it is a tad more subtle and the consistency is thicker. For those with darker complexions, they have a 'Bronze Radiance' shade as well. I love wearing this one under a tinted moisturizer for a more natural glow, and it is stunning.

Stila One Step Correct // This is the primer I've fallen in love with most recently (the past few months). It feels like a serum or a moisturizer, so it goes on very smoothly and feels very hydrating on the skin. It is a triple helix with violet, green, and peach to correct and brighten the skin. This one definitely extends the wear of my makeup, and gives a healthy base prior to my foundation by brightening my skin and neutralizing redness.

Too Faced Hangover Rx // Flashback to the first primer I ever tried! I never used to be a primer girl, but this is the one that got me started. It is a silicone-free primer, and extremely hydrating. One of the main ingredients is coconut water. It feels like a moisturizer applying it, and it extends the wear of my makeup quite a bit (especially tinted moisturizers or bb creams). This is my long-time favorite! If you are oily skinned, I wouldn't recommend this, but for those dry skinned people out there, this is a life saver!

Kiehl's Micro Blur Skin Perfector // This is the one smoothing primer that I can handle. We all have those days where the pores are lookin' a little large or the oils are running high, or we have an event or a special occasion we want our skin to look flawless for, so for those days sometimes a smoothing primer is necessary. I have had a heck of a time finding one of these that doesn't irritate my skin. Silicone based primers tend to clog my pores and irritate my skin, but this one actually does good things for my skin! Kiehl's is my favorite skincare brand, and because it is a skincare product is probably why it works for me. This product has bark and lentil extracts in it, smooths the look of fine lines and pores, and says it improves the look of skin over time. Beware, this does separate after you've had it awhile, so just massage the tube and work through the oil until you get product, it's normal! If you're looking for a primer that will eliminate the look of large pores, this one may do the trick for your sensitive skin.

What is your favorite primer? What do you want to see featured on the next Best of the Best series?