It's prime time for makeup & skin.

Primers are often seen as optional steps when it comes to your makeup routine – but they are far from it. The right primer formula can make all the difference in both the way your makeup sits on the skin and your skin look in general. We feel so strongly about hybrid makeup primers being pivotal in your regimen that we created two of them – and they’re pretty incredible if we do say so ourselves. And because we’re Clinique, we infused them both with skin-loving ingredients so you can continue creating your dream skin look while you go about your day. Here’s a breakdown of all things prime time.

Do you need a primer for makeup?

Having a good face primer or two in your makeup arsenal is more important than you think – when applied beneath your makeup, it helps your makeup apply smoothly and stay in place. It also can subtly adjust the end result of your look, depending on whether you want boosted radiance or a matte finish. The primer basically sets the stage for your makeup look that day.

Try applying a primer before using Even Better™ Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15 and Even Better™ All-Over Concealer + Eraser. You can even wear primer alone to boost radiant skin or to get a soft look with minimized oil on those no-makeup days. Whether you’re going glam or keeping it simple, a primer helps keep your look natural and put-together.

What’s the best way to choose a primer?

It all depends on what look and result you’re going for. Want to know how to get that lit-from-within glow? Our secret lies in an illuminating prep step. With 20 billion prismatic illuminators in every tube, Even Better™ Light Reflecting Primer was developed for that exact effect – it’s silicone-free, oil-free, and illuminates skin with a radiant finish—all while locking in makeup for fresh, flawless wear. This hydrating formula is also infused with vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and acetyl glucosamine to help boost radiance, smooth the look and feel of skin and visibly even skin tone over time. This primer is an instant glow-up.

Maybe you’re looking for a smoother look. If that’s the case, you have to try out our Even Better™ Pore Defying Primer. This hybrid primer formula is designed to deliver a soft-focus effect with a weightless water-balm texture that blurs pores and reduces oil and shine. Also silicone-free and oil-free, this pore-blurring, shine-busting primer locks in makeup, while its skin-loving formula with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid helps minimize the look of pores, reduce oil, and hydrate skin over time.

How can a primer actually improve the look of your skin?

When a primer has good-for-skin ingredients in the formula, then adding a primer to your routine is a great way to boost your skincare game. Whether your primer's formula has vitamin C to help even the look of skin tone, or niacinamide to help reduce oil, rest assured you are helping your skin look good even after you’ve left your bathroom. Our best primer for oily skin would be the Even Better™ Pore Defying Primer, while our best primer for dry skin would be the Even Better™ Light Reflecting Primer.

You can even mix your primer with your favorite Clinique moisturizer. Whether you choose Even Better™ Light Reflecting Primer or Even Better™ Pore Defying Primer, your skin and makeup looks have just been taken to the next level.

What primer are you trying first?