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8 best illuminating primers for glowing skin, tried and tested
Achieve flawless dewy results, whatever your skin type
Tested by Maria KumarBeauty and Grooming Testing Manager
This article was updated in February to reflect the most up to date prices and deals.
If you’re looking for a flawless finish (that’ll be all of us then!), an illuminating primer could be the skincare step your routine is missing.
Primers work by smoothing and evening out skin tone, creating the ideal base for applying foundation. An illuminating primer goes one step further, adding more of a radiant glow with the clever use of subtle luminescent particles. It can be a particularly useful product for brightening mature skin and can provide a little extra confidence on non-makeup days too.
One of the most common reasons to apply a primer is to help makeup stay put for longer (particularly useful during hot weather when it has a habit of sliding off). Some can also provide an extra layer of hydration.
To help you decide which one to add to your beauty kit, the Good Housekeeping Institute recruited a panel of testers to try a range of market-leading primers. These are their top picks at a glance:
Best illuminating primers 2023
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Who should use an illuminating primer?
"An illuminating primer can suit all skin types but is particularly great for lacklustre complexions,” explains Dr Sonia Khorana, dermatology ambassador for Hero Cosmetics.
It can help to smooth and even out a flat skin tone, giving you a brighter, glowing appearance.
Those with oily skin may prefer to choose a matte primer to help tackle shine.
What causes dull skin?
If you're prone to dull skin, at best your complexion lacks radiance, at worst it can look dehydrated and even grey. While glow primers can go a long way to boosting skin's appearance, it’s important to consider the underlying causes.
According to Dr Khorana, dullness can be down to a variety of factors, including inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, too much screen time, an unhealthy diet, environmental aggressors, a build-up of dead skin cells and natural ageing.
While we can control lifestyle factors such as diet and lack of sleep, cell turnover will naturally decrease with age. “As we get older, our skin cell cycle gets slower, which results in an accumulation of dead skin cells that can make your complexion look dull,” Dr Khorana explains.
UV damage can also accelerate the breakdown of skin collagen, contribute to dull looking skin and increase premature signs of ageing, which is why you should never skip your SPF.
British weather isn’t on our side either. “Dry skin during the autumn and winter months when the air holds less moisture can also make skin appear lacklustre,” says Dr Khorana.
Water-based vs silicone primers
When selecting the right primer for you, there are two formulas to consider. Lightweight water-based primers offer hydration without clogging, making them best suited to dry, sensitive or acne-prone skin.
However, if your foundation is silicone-based, you’ll want a compatible silicone primer. Slightly more mattifying, silicone-based formulas are recommended for oily skin.
How to apply an illuminating primer
Primer should be the last step in your morning skincare routine. For the best results, apply with your fingertips. Here's a quick reminder of the order we should be applying our products in:
How we test illuminating primers
The GHI asked 180 women of various ages and skin tones to put 15 illuminating primers to the test.
They tried them for a two-week period, giving us feedback on ease of application, texture, finish, design and more. These were their favourites.
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Illuminating Primer
Score: 93/100
Part of the brand’s silicon-free “Pure Canvas” primer collection, this water-based formula is an excellent all-rounder.
Our panel found it smoothed the skin's texture, creating an ideal base for even makeup application. Testers reported that their complexions felt brighter, resulting in a radiant, natural-looking glow. And at 50ml, this one was the largest tubes in our round-up.
Key specifications
| Type | Water-based |
|---|---|
| Size | 50ml |
Score: 92/100
Although one of the more expensive products we tested, this was the only primer that offered a choice of seven shades. Soothing, smoothing and hydrating, our panel found it easy to apply and mix with other products, providing a nice glow without looking glittery.
Our panel also praised the quality packaging, handy pump dispenser and subtle scent. Blending into skin easily, it gave a healthy-looking dewy finish, making it useful on makeup-free days too.
Key specifications
| Type | Water-based |
|---|---|
| Volume | 30ml |
Revlon Photoready Rose Glow Hydrating and Illuminating Primer
Score: 86/100
This water-based primer is infused with oil beads, which are designed to dissolve in warm hands — something some of our panel initially struggled with.
However, once they’d got the knack of applying it, they found the formula gently illuminating without being shiny. Skin felt softer and more even and it created a subtle glow under foundation — particularly highlighting the cheek area.
Key specifications
| Type | Water-based |
|---|---|
| Size | 30ml |
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Blur Primer
Score: 86/100
Inspired by the iconic Touche Éclat concealer pen, this makeup-perfecting primer claims to have the same brightening effect. Filling in pores and smoothing the skin's texture, our panel found the gel formula sank in quickly, ready for foundation application.
One tester described it as having a “luxurious velvet” texture, while another said it had a “glass-like” effect. Adding a slight shimmer, everyone agreed that skin looked brighter and more radiant after use.
Key specifications
| Type | Silicone-based |
|---|---|
| Size | 30ml |
Score: 80/100
If your skin feels like it needs a dose of hydration, our panel found this to be a particularly thirst-quenching formula. It provided an amazing glow under semi-matte foundation and makeup stayed in place all day without any unwanted shine.
Key specifications
| Type | Water-based |
|---|---|
| Volume | 25ml |
Score: 80/100
Evening out skin tone and discolouration, this fast-absorbing, golden formula provides an intense glow — so go easy for a more subtle sheen. Testers found the pearlescent nature best suited to highlighting the cheeks, as opposed to using all over.
Key specifications
| Type | Water-based |
|---|---|
| Size | 30ml |
MUA Make Up Academy Pro Base Primer Oil Foundation Base 15ml (With Gold Flakes)
Score: 77/100
If you're looking for a subtle dewy glow, MUA's primer oil left testers' skin with a lovely, light-reflecting finish. It also scored highly for its smoothing texture and our panel loved how “radiant” their skin looked after use.
Some found the consistency a little greasy, so it may be best for drier skin types in need of a bit of extra hydration. Overall, the panel loved the illuminating formula, although not everyone was on board with the gold flakes.
Key specifications
| Size | 15ml |
|---|---|
| Type | Silicone-based |
Score: 72/100
This fast-absorbing gel formula was praised for being hydrating, and a little drop goes a long way, making it good value for money.
It was easy to layer under foundation and the majority of our testers found it kept their makeup looking fresh for longer. The illuminating effect wasn't quite as strong as other products on our list, so it's better suited for those looking for a more natural glow.
Key specifications
| Type | Water-based |
|---|---|
| Size | 30ml |
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
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