Create a seamless palette for you to put your makeup on with these top Korean primers!
Primers are hugely underestimated when it comes to makeup. The common misconception is that, when you use high-end makeup, you don’t need a primer. I beg to differ as even that expensive makeup can use a good base.
Primers help make your makeup last longer, and as with most Korean skincare and makeup products, Korean primers come chock full of other ingredients that help improve the texture and health of your skin.
What is a primer?
Apart from helping your makeup last longer, primers also smooth the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines, pores and wrinkles. They form a good base for your other makeup.
What to look for in a primer?
Like any makeup product, you have to choose a primer based on your skin type. If you have oily skin, go for a primer that has sebum controlling ingredients. Dry skin can benefit from a moisturizing primer. For hyperpigmentation and wrinkles, choose primers that can color correct and tighten the skin.
Read on for the reviews of the top Korean primers you can find:
Best Picks For Top Korean Primers:
- MISSHA M BB Boomer – Reduces fine lines, sagging and wrinkles
- TONYMOLY Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm – Helps tightens your skin
- Etude House FIX & FIX Tone Up Primer – Provides sun protection
Table of Contents
Best Korean Primers
| Top Korean Primers | Best For | Price |
| INNISFREE NO-SEBUM Blur Primer | Oily Skin | $11.99 |
| TOUCH IN SOL No Pore Blem Primer | All Skin Types | $15.50 |
| VDL Lumilayer Primer Fresh | Hydrating | $32.00 |
| Too Cool for School All-in-One Egg Mellow Cream | Anti-wrinkle & Skin Tightening | $36.00 |
| MISSHA M BB Boomer | Using Under BB Creams | $11.40 |
| TONYMOLY Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm | Skin Tightening | $20.00 |
| BANILA CO Prime Primer Classic | Normal Skin | $24.00 |
| Miguhara B.p Cream | Minimising Pores | $42.00 |
| Etude House FIX & FIX Tone Up Primer | Sun Protection & Toning | $12.00 |
| Aritaum Poremaster Sebum Control Matte Gel | Controlling Excess Sebum | $14.99 |
INNISFREE NO-SEBUM Blur Primer
Top Korean Primers For Oily Skin
Trust the K-beauty industry to take care of your skin in every single skincare product they make. If you have extremely oily skin, the Innisfree No-sebum blur primer is the right choice to give you a mattifying look.
Key Features:
- The active ingredient is the extract of the camellia sinensis leaf
- It effectively controls the sebum production in the skin
- Keeps skin free of oil all day long
- Also contains titanium dioxide which offers sun protection
- Contains Jeju green persimmon extracts
- Firms the skin
Pros:
- Gives oily skin a mattefying finish
- Blurs the skin and hides imperfections
- Alcohol-free formula
Cons:
- Too much of the product can clog the pores
Related: You cannot miss out on these K-beauty products. Check it out here!
TOUCH IN SOL No Pore Blem Primer
Top Korean Primers for All Skin Types
The Touch in Sol No Pore Blem Primer is a versatile primer that can be used by all skin types, thanks to its hypoallergenic formula. It minimises the pores, tightens the skin and helps your makeup last all day long.
Key Features:
- Contains green tea extracts
- Refreshes the skin and hydrates
- Tightens the pores and gives a smooth texture
- Contains collagen that makes the skin more elastic and supple
- Hydrates the skin and keeps it moist all day long
- Gentle formula that is safe for the skin
Pros:
- Hypoallergenic formula
- Safe for sensitive skin
Cons:
- Takes time to get absorbed into the skin
Related: Acne ruining your makeup look? Here are the best Korean skincare products for acne!
VDL Lumilayer Primer Fresh
Top Korean Primers For A Glowy Finish
What use is makeup if it doesn’t make you sparkle and glow? Try the VDL Lumilayer Primer Fresh for that subtle glow on your face that comes from the added sparkling pigments in the product.
Key Features:
- Contains sparkling pigments that lend the product its shiny effect
- Contains ingredients that are intensely hydrating
- Keeps the skin moist and well hydrated all day long
- Tightens the skin
- Helps makeup last until it is washed off
- Gives the skin a smooth and even texture
Pros:
- Gives skin a glow
- Hydrates the skin intensely
Cons:
- Contains alcohol and silicones
- Too much of it can clog the pores
Related: Improve your overall skin health with these nourishing Korean vitamin C serums. Check it out!
Too Cool for School All-in-One Egg Mellow Cream
Top Korean Primers For Anti-wrinkle & Skin Tightening
Infused with the benefits of egg whites, the Too Cool for School All-in-One Egg Mellow Cream instantly tightens the skin and keeps wrinkles and fine lines away. It nourishes the skin and brightens it, while helping your makeup last longer.
Key Features:
- Active ingredients are albumin and collagen from egg whites
- Has the properties of tightening the skin and minimising the pores
- Makes skin firmer almost instantly
- Increases the elasticity of the skin
- Makes skin more supple and plump
- Contains niacinamide as another active ingredient
- Brightens the skin and fades pigmentation
Pros:
- Instant firming of the skin
Cons:
- Contains added colourants
MISSHA M BB Boomer
Top Korean Primers for Using Under BB Creams
The Missha M BB Boomer is specifically formulated to be used under BB creams. It does work well under your favorite foundations too, but we find that with a BB cream, your skin looks almost flawless. Not just that, this primer is also effective in keeping the skin hydrated and nourishes it with its active ingredients.
Key Features:
- Meant to be used with BB creams
- Contains adenosine and arbutin
- Moisturises skin and tightens it
- Contains extracts of moringa and squalene
- Locks in hydration and keeps skin plump
- Reduces fine lines, sagging and wrinkles
Pros:
- Works beautifully under BB creams
Cons:
- Not suitable for sensitive skin
TONYMOLY Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm
Top Korean Primers For Skin Tightening
TonyMoly’s Egg Pore Silky Smooth Balm is a blend of all the good herbs you can lay your hands on, to keep your skin fresh and smooth all day long. From the packaging, I’m sure you have already guessed that one of the main ingredients is egg, which helps tighten your skin.
Key Features:
- Contains egg extracts as the main ingredient
- Tightens the pores and firms the skin
- Contains a blend of herbs that include lemon, pepper and burdock
- Smoothens the skin
- Nourishes the skin and keep infections away
- Brightens the skin
Pros:
- Comes in a cute packaging
Cons:
- Comes in a jar, makes it difficult to dispense and use the product
BANILA CO Prime Primer Classic
Top Korean Primers For Normal Skin
Get a smooth, matte look for your skin with the Prime Primer Classic by Banila Co. The primer is light, with sebum controlling properties, while still keeping your skin hydrated.
Key Features:
- Light in weight
- Spreads easily and gets absorbed quickly
- Reduces the production of sebum and keeps skin looking fresh
- Hydrates the skin
- Can be used over makeup as well
- Leaves skin feeling smooth
- Evens out the skin tone
Pros:
- Effective in reducing the sebum production
- Available in three variants, for dry skin, normal skin as well as oily skin
Related: Your wings always on fleek with these amazing Korean eyeliners!
Miguhara B.p Cream
Top Korean Primers for Minimising Pores
The Miguhara B.p Cream comes in a tiny squeeze tube as a solution for your oily skin and blackheads. The primer has a blurring effect that blurs not only your blackheads, but also other skin imperfections, and leaves you with smooth, flawless skin.
If you have oily skin, fret not, cos this primer also absorbs the excess oil and gives your skin a mattifying finish.
Key Features:
- Tightens the skin
- Minimises the appearance of pores
- Has a blurring effect
- Diminishes the appearance of blackheads and other imperfections
- Leaves skin with a matte finish
- Reduces the shine on the face by absorbing oil
Pros:
- Effective in minimising pores and blurring blackheads
- Suitable for oily skin
Related: Keep the pimple away with these amazing Korean pimple creams. Check it out!
Etude House FIX&FIX Tone Up Primer
Top Korean Primers For Sun Protection & Toning
The Fix&Fix Tone up Primer by Etude House not only tones your skin and makes it smoother, but also protects it from the harsh and damaging effects of the sun. Not just that, this toner comes in 4 varieties, so you choose the one you want depending on what results you wish to achieve.
Key Features:
- Comes in four varieties
- “Pores” is for minimising pores and tightening the skin
- The “rose” variant is for toning the skin and brightening it
- “Mint” primer is for soothing the skin and reducing inflammation and redness
- The “Lavender” variant is for calming the skin and correcting the tone
Pros:
- Protects your skin from sun damage with SPF 33
- Variety of four to suit every skin issue
Related: Gently scrub away dead skin cells and other impurities with these nourishing Korean exfoliators!
Aritaum Poremaster Sebum Control Matte Gel
Top Korean Primers For Controlling Excess Sebum
The Aritaum Poremaster Sebum Control Matte Gel is a lightweight primer that smoothes out the skin while also helping it heal. It reduces redness and inflammation, and provides enough hydration. It controls the production of sebum, making this a blessing for those with oily skin.
Key Features:
- Contains centella asiatica extracts as the active ingredient
- Repairs the skin and helps it heal
- Soothes the skin
- Reduces the production of sebum
- Hydrates the skin without making it greasy
Pros:
- Heals the skin and gives it a matte finish
Cons:
- May clog the pores
Which is the best Korean primer?
I tried and tested several Korean primers on different parameters. While all Korean primers in this list were great, the Etude House FIX&FIX Tone Up Primer stood out to me the most.
Etude House FIX&FIX Tone Up Primer is rated the best Korean primer. It not only covers up blemishes but also gives you sun protection as it has SPF 33. It comes in 4 different variants – Pores, Rose, Mint, and Lavender.
The Pores variant minimizes pores and tightens the skin. The rose variant tones and brightens your skin tone. The Mint variant soothes skin and reduces inflammation. While the lavender variant calms the skin and corrects the skin tone.
When and how to apply a primer?
Complete your skincare routine and apply a primer as your first layer of makeup. Even if you don’t wish to use makeup, you can apply a primer for that smooth and toned look.
Take a small amount of the primer and dot it on your face. Spread it using your fingertips for good absorption.
How to choose the most suitable Korean primer for your skin?
Choose a Korean Primer the way you would choose any skincare product- based on your skin type and the problems you want to address.
Many Korean primers today come with ingredients that nourish the skin and improve its health, like added SPF for sun protection, sebum controlling properties for oily skin and hydrating ingredients for dry skin.
If you have scars and blemishes, opt for a primer that has blurring properties for covering imperfections.
Always test a sample first and make sure it suits your skin type as well as matches your foundation before buying a larger quantity.
Also Read:
- Add a Korean ampoule to your skincare routine to target specific skin concerns. Find out which one is the best for you here!
- Easily cover up dark circles with these amazing Korean undereye concealers!
- Here are Korean lip tints that will keep you looking stylish and your lips moisturized. Check it out!
