A primer is the base coat that keeps your makeup in place, and is an absolute must if you want lasting makeup.

If you have oily skin, a mattifying primer can work wonders to keep your face from getting shiny throughout the day. Primers with names like “radiance”, “illuminating” or “glow” tend to give your face a very dewy base, so if you don’t like shine on your face or have combination to oily skin, avoid these primers in the day time. Try oil-free primers like Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimising Foundation Primer or Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pure Primer.

You should prioritise primers that suit your skin type instead of primers that can provide the makeup finish you’re looking for. Dewy or matte finishes can be achieved with your foundation choice, powders, or how you apply the rest of your makeup.

Above: Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer in Pink Glow, $100

Even if you’re just going for a single sweep of colour on your eyelids and some eyeliner, having a primer beneath them is good way to keep your eyes from looking like a hot mess of melted eyeliner at the end of the day. It also helps your eyeshadow last longer and look more vibrant.

If you’re someone with oily eyelids, a primer can keep your eyelids free of those horrid oily creases a lot longer. Concerned about veiny eyelids? An eye primer with a nude base colour like Benefit’s Air Patrol helps conceal the dark veins while providing a good base for eyeshadow.

Going out at night? Avoid primers or foundations with SPF in them as they tend to make your face look chalky in flash photography.

Above: Benefit Air Patrol, $51

Lighter lip colours like peaches or nudes will be much easier to re-apply on the go, day or night. For those of us who prefer stronger or darker lip shades, try sticking to a lipstick that has a stain. There’s plenty of hassle involved in trying to touch up dark lipsticks, especially when it comes to keeping the edge of your lipstick as clean as possible.

The Chanel Rouge Double Intensite, for example, is extremely long-lasting due to the gorgeous pigmented stain it leaves on your lips. This way, even if your lipstick smudges off after eating and drinking, your lips will still have the same even colour to them.

Above: Chanel Rouge Double Intensite, $49

Most of us use liquid foundations and concealers, which can “slide” or smudge whenever we touch parts of our face. Setting powder is a good way to keep things in place and prevent creasing of your under-eye concealer. It can also help mattify dewy foundation, help with oil-control and keep your T-zone shine-free. For a more natural look, keep your setting powder to just under the eyes and your T-zone.

Above: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, $67

You’re finally done with the process of putting your face on, so all that’s left is sealing everything in place. You’ll want a makeup fixing spray, as well as a setting one. A fixing spray will seal all the layers of makeup together, and the setting spray will hold it all in place. Check out this guide on the difference between the two to make sure you’ve got the right one.

No matter how much we try, our faces will find a way of getting oily after a few hours. Mattifying primers and foundations can only do so much. Blotting is an easy way to get rid of excess sebum and oil without moving your makeup or messing it up. Sometimes all you need is a quick blot to keep your makeup looking fresh.

Whether you like the disposable sheets or a reusable compact like the Blotterazzi by Beautyblender, keeping something in your purse to blot your face is all the touch-up you’ll need.

Above: Blotterazzi by Beautyblender, $37

An adapted version first appeared in www.herworldplus.com. 

Like this? Check out 20 awesome makeup bases for glowing skin.