14 Hydrating Face Primers for Glowing Skin—and the Foundations to Pair Them With

At the stroke of fall, our skin starts to do very strange
things. It itches, flakes, peels, dulls,
and feels as dry the Sahara. Plus, our normal lineup of face
creams, primers,
and foundations throw a tantrum in nasty rebellion. Suddenly, the
formulas we reached for to achieve a smooth, glowing complexion all
summer don’t do the trick anymore, and we’re left in want of
products that cater to our dry,
newly chapped skin. But there’s hope!

There are tons of face primers and foundations on the market,
but certain formulas are especially magical in fall and winter as
antidotes for dry, uneven skin. We’ve done the work for you and
pulled 14 amazing primers that instantly smooth, hydrate, and
brighten, plus another 14 game-changing foundations they pair
perfectly with. Of course, you can use any of the below solo or in
combination with your other favorite foundations, but we just
happen to think these 14 duos are the ultimate face primers and
foundations for those suffering from dry skin. Keep
scrolling!

I
know it’s expensive, and I’m sorry, but this is the best primer of
all time for dry skin—or any kind of skin for that matter. It
instantly hydrates and makes a bumpy or uneven complexion smooth
and velvety-soft. When I pair it with the foundation (and use the
brush), it’s like a fairy touched my face. Dullness is gone, my
acne virtually disappears, and I receive an insane number of
compliments on my “perfect” skin. This face primer boasts
ingredients like hyaluronic acid to retain essential moisture and a
special cosmetic filler powder which mimics—I kid you not—the
smoothness of actual ceramic. Fancy.

Koh
Gen Do is beloved in the beauty and film industries because its
famous formulas make celebs look flawless on film and in front of
the camera. This is one of the best face primer formulas not
only because of its hydrating perks (it’s loaded with hyaluronic
acid and ceramides to plump and quench the skin) but also because
it comes in four tints to target different skin concerns. The
lavender-pink brightens dull or sallow skin, the green counteracts
redness, the pearly white adds an extra kick of luminosity, and the
yellow (my fav) diffuses the appearance darkness and
discoloration. Pair it with the brand’s iconic Aqua Foundation,
below, and your face will glow and stay dewily hydrated all day and
night—sans oiliness.

So
I won’t say which famous face primer this affordable formula is a
dupe for, but after just one application, you’ll think you paid
about two or three times the price for this skin-perfecting pick.
It’s loaded with amazing ingredients like antioxidants and
radiance-enhancing pearls to hydrate, smooth, and soothe your
complexion. Plus, it serves as the perfect canvas for one of my
all-time-favorite drugstore foundations, below.

The
name of this face primer says it all, but this is up in the top
three primers I’ve ever used. In fact, I used to swear off primers
completely until I tried this one and it made me believe. No matter
what I put on my face afterward, it keeps my skin happy,
healthy-looking, and perfectly moisturized. In addition to
hyaluronic acid, it has an impressive roster of MVPs like algae and
marine plant extracts, calming turmeric, and probiotic-rich kefir
extract for an exemplary brightening effect. I recommend pairing it
with the brand’s lightweight, medium-coverage foundation below to
keep the skin magic going.

Laura
Mercier makes some of the most famous face primers on the market.
All are fabulous, but if your skin is especially prone to dryness,
this hydrating pick, in particular, will be a standout for your
complexion. It’s a lightweight cream-gel hybrid that contains
helpful things like vitamins A, C, and E alongside other essential
hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. To keep things from
getting too dewy, I love pairing it with the brand’s long-wearing
matte foundation below. Together, they make for a flawless,
satiny-smooth complexion.

This
is such an OG but honestly still so, so good. Benefit Cosmetics
wasn’t kidding when it came up with the cheeky name, either. It
instantly minimizes pores, yes, but thanks to an antioxidant-rich
formula, it also keeps skin moisturized and protected from
environmental threats like free radicals. For glowy,
natural-looking coverage, I’m obsessed with the brand’s latest
foundation debut, below.

Between
this strategic mix of coconut water, probiotics, and other handy
skin brighteners, this luscious little primer from Too Faced is
heaven-sent for a dull complexion. It instantly boosts hydration
and sets you up for the smoothest foundation application. We reach
for the brand’s best-selling icon, Born This Way, for lightweight,
buildable coverage that shares all the same hydrating
magic—hyaluronic acid, alpine rose, and coconut water.

This
über-convenient priming spray is perfect for anyone who’s
perpetually running late (me) or just seeks a super-fast hit of
face-priming hydration pre-makeup. It’s formulated with vitamin B3,
Sepitonic M3, and coconut water to immediately brighten, minimize
the look of pores, smooth, and, of course, de-parch ASAP. Follow
your spritz with the brand-new foundation for an airbrushed finish,
and feel free to use throughout the rest of your day or night if
you need a quick refresh.

You
already know and love Beautyblender for gifting the world
population with the most loved and sought-after makeup sponge ever.
But the brand also makes a mean primer and foundation. It has a
couple of great options, but for dry skin especially, we’re
obsessed with this equal parts moisturizing and illuminating
formula. Obviously, it’s pure magic when paired with the brand’s
top-rated foundation. Together, makeup stays dewy and perfectly in
place—no touch-ups necessary.

Just
in time for our dry winter blues, the skin masters at Giorgio
Armani blessed us with this brand-new hydrating face primer to pair
with its iconic Luminous Silk Foundation—the obvious
accompaniment for A-list-level skin. To keep skin porcelain-smooth,
the brand added glycerin, rice bran, and shea butter. It’s an
investment but worth every penny.

It
doesn’t get much better than Ren’s newly formulated, clean, vegan,
cruelty-free, gluten-free, and silicone-free Perfect Canvas Clean
face primer. It’s filled with agave extract to smooth and mattify,
plus probiotic extracts and alpha-glucans to support the skin’s
microbiome, which can get out of whack during the dehydrating
months of fall and winter. It pairs well with anything, but I love
it with another new favorite, Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous
Foundation. It makes your skin look filter-level flawless.

If
there’s anyone we trust to help us achieve a bright,
lit-from-within skin glow, it’s legendary makeup artist Charlotte
Tilbury. She makes two different face primers, but this is our
suggestion for dry, lackluster skin. An expert melding of
chlorella, watercress, vitamin B3, and olive extract works to
moisturize, reduce redness and discoloration, blur away breakouts,
nix shadows or circles, and even out overall skin tone and texture.
Just call it a miracle in a bottle. We pair it with Tilbury’s Magic
Foundation—the brand’s fan and celebrity favorite.

It
Cosmetics makes some of the best formulas for those with
perpetually parched skin. The brand’s holy-grail CC+ Cream is
honestly great and probably moisturizing enough on its own, but if
you want a seriously flawless finish or just need a little bit more
hydration insurance, we love this skin-enhancing primer which helps
grip and set your makeup with helpful additions like glycerin and
ginger root and bark extracts.

Rich
in omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9, this primer-highlighter hybrid
utilizes gorgeous ingredients like marula and passion fruit oil
which immediately flood dry skin with much-needed refreshment. Not
only will it instantly make your skin glow, but it also sets your
complexion up for an A+ foundation job thanks to a super-smooth
result. Apply it before, mixed with, or after the brand’s Sensual
Skin Enhancer Concealer, which is a high-coverage
concealer-foundation situation that buffs and smooths beautifully
for an artist-level finish. Just be warned: It’s very creamy, and a
little goes a long way.