These Smoothing and Blurring Primers Are Expert-Approved for Mature Skin (2025)

Using a primer happens to be one of beauty industry icon Laura Geller’s top mature skin makeup tips, and her best-selling one, the Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer, is specifically designed for mature skin. Pulling double duty as both a moisturizer and a primer, the lightweight, cream-to-gel formula helps prime skin for long-lasting makeup while also delivering a powerful boost of hydration, thanks to moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, jojoba seed oil, squalane, and aloe vera. It also contains soothing antioxidants like cammelia sinesis extract and centella asiatica.

What an editor says: “I love this primer for my dry skin. It feels super hydrating and soothing on my skin, just like a moisturizer—and it’s lightweight, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly without leaving any kind of texture or residue. Best of all, it transforms my face into a smooth, hydrated canvas for applying makeup—no more pilling or streaking with my foundation or concealer.”

Looking for an affordable drugstore pick? Greenberg recommends this top-rated primer from e.l.f., which she notes “helps target fine lines and has vitamin E and vitamin A to give the skin an enhanced glow.” It’s formulated to fill in pores, wrinkles, and fine lines, offering a blurring texture and matte finish. It’s also under $10 and has over 43,000 five-star ratings on Amazon.

What the reviews say: “This primer went on beautifully, I didn’t have to use a lot of it to get coverage,” said one shopper. “It’s great for older skin, I’m 68 and it really seems to make a difference—my concealer and foundation went on much more smoothly, and I’ve noticed a lot less fine lines.”

A rich moisturizer and primer combined in one, this top-rated pick from Bobbi Brown is packed with plenty of hydrating, soothing ingredients to nourish and plump skin. Vitamins B, C, and E help to replenish skin, while hyaluronic acid, squalane, and shea butter help hydrate, visibly plump, and prep skin for a healthy-looking glow. It comes in a rich, lightweight texture that grips foundation and layers seamlessly with makeup.

What the reviews say: “One of the best primers for dry or mature skin. It is very nourishing and works as a perfect base for the rest of my makeup,” raved one Sephora shopper. “My skin is silky smooth and hydrated and no more dry patches at all. And a little bit goes a long way!”

For a primer that includes SPF protection, Dr. Camp recommends this pick from Shiseido. “This product offers SPF 25 protection and includes niacinamide and a prebiotic to maintain a healthy skin microbiome,” he says. Great for all skin types, the formula helps strengthen the skin’s barrier, delivering long-lasting hydration and smoothing and brightening skin, for a healthy-looking, glowing finish.

What the reviews say: “Makes my 64-year-old skin look stunning... I absolutely love this primer,” shared one Nordstrom shopper. “It makes my skin look smooth and hydrated without looking too dewy. Absorbs instantly into my skin... Under my makeup, it helps improve its wear time so my makeup looks lovely for hours. The primer also contains skincare ingredients that help with improving the texture of my skin and protecting my skin's barrier. Absolutely love this.”

Tatcha’s Liquid Silk Canvas primer boasts a weightless, hydrating formula that quickly absorbs into skin. “This lightweight primer contains silk extracts, silk powder, and a proprietary blend of twice-fermented rice, green tea, and algae to enhance the appearance of makeup and improve skin over time,” says Dr. Camp. The thin layers of silk help hydrate skin while also smoothing and blurring the appearance of pores and fine lines, resulting in silky, healthy-looking skin.

What the reviews say: Reviewers rave that this primer feels “super lightweight” and “silky.” “This is an absolute must have for oily skin!” said one Sephora customer. “It makes your makeup and skin look flawless. It keeps my skin matte all day long, even through hot, long days at work. It also makes my makeup last all day as well.”

This primer checks all the boxes. Not only is it formulated with a nourishing serum to keep skin hydrated, but it also helps instantly blur the look of wrinkles and pores for a natural soft-focus effect, thanks to silicones that help create a barrier between skin and makeup. L’Oreal Paris explains that this primer was developed specifically with mature skin in mind—and reviewers can tell. It has over 8,000 five-star reviews on Amazon!

What the reviews say: “Wow what a difference, my face looks flawless. I would recommend this to anyone who has fine lines and or visible pores…magic in a tube!” wrote one Amazon user. “This primer has just replaced all of my expensive primers in my makeup bag. I am almost 60 years old with very sun-damaged skin and this fills in smaller lines and pores better than any brand I have ever tried,” another wrote.

This primer delivers a strong boost of hydration and locks in moisture, thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, aloe water, and hemp-derived cannabis seed extract. It also contains blue agave extract, which helps to grip makeup in order to prevent fading, caking, and creasing. The grippy formula—which provides a radiant, dewy finish—is great for all skin types, but the brand especially recommends it for normal to dry skin.

What a reviewer says: “Application is super easy—just one pump is all it takes! “As someone with dry, mature skin, I’m not usually a primer fan, but this one changed my mind!” a Sephora customer said. “It noticeably extends my makeup wear with minimal fading or patchiness. The hydrating formula keeps my skin feeling plump and dewy without looking greasy or overly shiny—it’s a beautifully natural finish. Best of all, it’s silicone-free and made with clean ingredients, so no breakouts!”

If you’re looking for a radiant glow, this primer from Yves Saint Laurent has you covered. The lightweight, non-greasy formula is not only packed with blend of four nourishing oils—corn oil, apricot kernel oil, passiflora oil, and rice bran oil—that soothes skin and blurs imperfections, but also light-infused pigments that boosts the radiance of your foundation and provides a subtle, golden shimmer. The result is an instant, luminous glow for all skin types.

What the reviews say: “I have combo skin (oily t-zone) but am 40 years old—I always worry about products drying me out and accentuating lines,” a Sephora reviewer said. “Whatever this stuff is, it’s freaking magical! It makes my skin SO smooth and very hydrated...And it blurs my fine lines better than anything I’ve used yet. I’m seriously in awe.”

For oily skin, Dr. Madfes recommends this blurring primer from Thrive Causemetics. It features the brand’s Color Grip Technology, which bonds to makeup and controls oil for long-lasting makeup application and a blurred, soft-focus look with a velvety, matte finish. Packed with nourishing ingredients like celery seed extract, vitamin E, and MCT oil, the non-irritating formula is also dermatologist-tested and allergy-tested—it’s even safe to use around the eye area.

What the reviews say: “Oily skin, large-pored friends, rejoice! This primer is it,” raved one shopper. “I have very oily skin and fairly large pores, and have tried them all...This primer (for me) has been more effective than any other. It provides long lasting oil control. I went from oil blotting every few hours to just a couple times a day. It also improves the appearance of skin and minimizes pores. Love it!”

If you’re looking for a primer that blurs your pores, Dr. Madfes recommends this best-selling pick from Benefit Cosmetics. Coming in the form of a lightweight, translucent balm, it’s specifically designed to minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines for softer, smoother skin, while helping makeup apply evenly and stay put. The formula also contains a vitamin E derivative, which helps protect skin from free radicals.

What the reviews say: “This is the best primer I’ve ever used for minimizing pores. The formula goes on smoothly and fills in pores seamlessly,” said an Amazon customer. “The slight hint of color seems to help camouflage other slight imperfections as well which helps to give my overall complexion a more even appearance.”

This face primer from Fenty Beauty (a brand founded by Rihanna!) keeps skin moisturized all day and smooths away dry patches, thanks to hydrating ingredients like grape seed oil and sodium hyaluronate, while also extending makeup wear. The lightweight formula is ideal for normal to dry skin types, and quickly absorbs into skin for a silky-smooth finish.

What the reviews say: “I have really dry skin, especially in the winter, and I’ve tried a looot of different primers that just never seemed to do much for my skin. I started with the trial size version of this, and let me tell you, I’m OBSESSED,” raved one shopper. “It’s incredibly hydrating and refreshing on my tired, dry skin. I notice immediately that my face looks brighter, softer, and more youthful.”

Dr. Madfes likes this primer for its “tightening” effects. It’s specifically designed to visibly firm and blur the appearance of fine lines, pores, and other skin imperfections, making it a great option for mature skin. The long-wearing formula contains a blend of skin-tightening silicates and seaweed extract, as well as 3% BarPull, which hydrates skin and helps reduce the appearance of aging—while Elastiflex IQ works to improve the look of smoothness and elasticity over time.

What the reviews say: “I’m amazed by this primer!! Within minutes after applying I can actually feel my skin firm up,” shared one shopper. “This primer helps correct the color of my skin, minimizes the appearance of my fine lines, and makes my pores much less noticeable.”

Dr. Madfes recommends this primer from Charlotte Tilbury, noting that it’s “easy all around” and “non-irritating.” Designed to transform the look of dull, dry skin, it’s formulated with hydrating hyaluronic acid and a combination of peptides (which support the production of collagen), as well as light-reflecting microspheres for a blurred, luminous effect.

What the reviews say: Shoppers say the primer adds a “beautiful glow” to dry skin without making it look greasy or shiny. “It makes my skin look gorgeous! My skin is oily some days and dry on other days, and this works no matter how my skin is feeling,” wrote one reviewer. “It gives my face a soft, luminous, almost candle-lit glow and smoothes out texture and balances uneven tone.”

This primer is a “go-to” pick for Greenberg, who notes that it’s great for all skin types. “This water-based primer is the ultimate hydration rescuer and is packed with probiotics to enhance skin health with each use,” she says. “The lightweight formula applies smoothly on the skin and is super breathable. I would recommend using this for targeting wrinkles and pores as this has a blend of green, blue, and white blurring properties.”

What the reviews say: Shoppers say that it’s especially great for reducing redness in skin. “I have struggled with redness on my cheeks and nose for the past 10 years...I am so pleased with the effectiveness of this product. It is lightweight and feels wonderful on the skin. Highly recommended!” one reviewer wrote.

True to its name, StriVectin’s Instant Wrinkle Blurring Primer effectively blurs and smooths the look of wrinkles with the help of ingredients like optical microspheres. Suitable for all skin types, the breathable, lightweight formula also helps keep makeup from filling into creases, while improving skin texture and extending makeup wear.

What the reviews say: “I love this primer! I just turned 50 and have some fine lines and the dreaded 11 between my eyes on my forehead,” said one reviewer. “This is not only a great primer, it is also a filler. My makeup goes on very smoothly and it instantly blurs my wrinkles. Love it!”

“For combination skin, I actually use NEOVA’s Silc Sheer 2.0 because UV protection is important too—especially for aging skin!” says Greenberg. “It has a universal tinted formula with SPF 40 that layers perfectly under makeup.” Thanks to this skin-perfecting sheer finish that evens out skin tone, this tinted sunscreen works great as an under-makeup primer (though it can also be worn alone). The oil-free and fragrance-free formula is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

What the reviews say: “Finding a mineral sunscreen with no white cast and that doesn’t pill under makeup is pretty much impossible. However, this is the one,” wrote an Amazon reviewer. “It has a very light tint so there’s no white cast, but it’s not dark enough to resemble makeup. And the consistency is great for wearing under makeup...Highly recommend.”

Do you always struggle with your eyeshadow creasing or wearing off? Enter Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer. Designed to prep eyelids for shadow and eyeliner, the creamy formula is packed with anti-aging skincare ingredients to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, leaving your eyelids looking smoother and crease-free.

What the reviews say: “I’m 47 years of age and have always had problems with my eyeshadow creasing, smudging, or just plain wearing off,” shared one Amazon user. “I’m so impressed by this primer that I’m mad I didn’t find it sooner...This is a must try and I promise you’ll fall in love with it and your favorite eyeshadow with NO creasing and NO smudging whatsoever!”

✔️ Choose hydrating ingredients. When it comes to ingredients in a primer, “hydration is key,” says Greenberg. “As the skin ages, the collagen production slows down—making the skin become more dry over time,” she explains. That’s why experts recommend opting for primers that contain moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, a powerful hydrator that can boost moisture and also help smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Niacinamide and vitamin E are also great “for smoothing texture and giving the skin a nice radiant glow,” adds Greenberg.

✔️ Consider your skin type. You’ll want to choose a formula that’s suitable for your specific skin type. If you have dry skin, for instance, you’ll want to look for formulas that are packed with hydrating ingredients. On the other hand, if you have skin that tends to be more oily, opt for formulas that are designed to help control shine. For sensitive skin, you should look for non-irritating formulas that won’t irritate your skin.

✔️ Look for ease of application. Dr. Madfes advises looking for primers that easily slide over the skin. Ideally, a good primer should have a lightweight formula that applies smoothly and quickly absorbs into your skin, creating a nice, even base for makeup application.