Is primer really necessary? That is a question I've seen a few times by those who've never used primer (or never used a good primer). The truth is, if you wear very little makeup or can do a few touchups throughout the day, you probably don't need primer. If you just wear a good tinted moisturizer or bb cream and have no large visible pores, pimples, dark spots or red spots you want to cover, you are probably fine without. But, for the rest of us, primer is a very useful tool.
I use primer because I have very little time for touch-ups--generally one a day. I also use primer to correct any issues I have. In the summer, to fight the oily shine I see halfway through the day, I'll use a mattifying primer or a light, oil-free primer. In the winter, I love a primer full of vitamins and nourishing elements for drier winter skin.
This summer I'm loving Neutrogena's Shine Control primer--lightweight, matte, and it's only $12.99 at the local drug store. It stops my makeup from settling into my pores for that large-pore look and it also stops the fine makeup creases from forming around my mouth.
Last winter was Prime Time from Bare Escentuals. Packed with vitamins, it keeps my skin from getting chapped even in 10 below zero weather. It is the best year-round primer i've found as well since it is lightweight and gives your skin a smoothness few other primers do.
So, how to choose a primer? Go with one that promises to correct problems your skin has such as large pores, oiliness or dryness, and always make sure that you see a visible difference in your skin's smoothness after application. If it doesn't seem to make you makeup last longer, switch to another. Finding a good primer is just like finding a good foundation; it takes time. So stick with it and if you change makeup from liquid foundation to powder, if you primer no longer works well with one or the other, change primers. I've found not all primers are formulated to work with powder foundation and some work better with powder, so experiment!
