No one wants to walk through life with oily skin. Cruising around with a shiny face is no fun, and clogged pores and blemishes gets old fast. The good news is that you can make your own primer at home, and your oily skin will become a thing of the past. The best part is that you’ll have more control over the ingredients you put on you skin.
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The first thing you should know is that there is plenty of evidence that primer can help keep skin healthy and glowing. Primers can help even skin tone, smooth texture, and refine the appearance of pores. Primer acts as a foundation for your face that leaves you looking polished once you’ve applied makeup. Primers can also help your makeup running or smudging, including your eyeshadow. It also serves the purpose of keeping your skin from bunching up, which can also ruin even the best makeup job. Without the use of a primer, you aren’t getting the most out of your makeup, even if you consistently use high-end products.
There are several different types of primers, but you will find that there is are definite benefits to using them.
Why Use a Primer?
When your skin is oily, primer is your best friend. This is especially true if you frequently wear makeup for extended periods of time. But primer benefits your skin whether you are wearing makeup or not. It opens your pores and keeps your makeup from sinking into them Primer also eliminates the sight of dark circles under your eyes. You may even notice fewer lines on your face once you start using it on a regular basis. If you are prone to acne, or even pimples, wearing it may even help you to avoid them. And even if you aren’t, when you use a primer it adds a protective layer to your skin in much the same way sunscreen would. So if you spend a significant amount of time outdoors, it can help your skin glow rather than burn. If you spend time outside, be sure to add the sunscreen step in the recipe as noted below.
Though you can find plenty of great primer options out there, it’s not hard to make your own makeup primer at home. You’ll know exactly what goes into it (just like cooking at home) and you can save a lot of money making products at home. You should take our word for it, we just dropped over $100 testing this vitamin C & E serum.
How To Make Your Own Primer At Home
To start making your own primer at home, the first thing you need is a clean, airtight container to store it in. There are many different recipes you could choose to use, depending on your preferences. It only takes a few steps to make a great primer for oily skin:
1. Add 1 oz. Aloe Vera Gel (same as 2 tablespoons) – Find our favorite Aloe Vera Gel here.
2. Add a small dab of Glycerin (1/2 teaspoon to be precise) – Find out favorite Glycerin here
3. Add a drop of Witch Hazel Toner – Find our favorite Witch Hazel Toner here
4. (Optional) Add a small dab of your favorite sunscreen (1/2 teaspoon to be precise) for daily sun protection
5. Mix ingredients together and it’s ready to use!
Once you mix it all together it’s ready to use when you need it. To use, apply a small amount to a clean face. Rub in and let it dry for a few minutes. After that, you can apply makeup as you normally do.
This mixture is expected to stay fresh until you finish it. Just remember this doesn’t have any preservatives so it’s better to make in small batches so it doesn’t go bad. We also recommend refrigerating after mixing if possible, to avoid any bacterial or fungal growth.
You can build off this super simple primer recipe too. It’s also popular to add liquid foundation to add a tint or add sunscreen so it offers UV protection as well. However, it’s best to start simple and add-on from there. Start with the basics and then make it yours over time!
How to Make Your Own Moisturizing Setting Spray
Though primer is mostly used in cream/gel form, you can also make your own face spray at home. With just a few tweaks to the recipe above, you can make this into your own on-the-go spray. This can be used as a primer, setting spray, or a midday refresh.
For the setting spray, you’ll need a small spray bottle, a funnel, and some rose water. Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients:
- 1 Teaspoon Aloe Vera Gel
- 1 Teaspoon Glycerin
- 1 Tablespoon Witch Hazel Toner
- 1 Tablespoon Rose Water
- 1 Funnel
- 1 Spray Bottle
1. Using the funnel, add all ingredients to the spray bottle.
2. Put on the lid and shake it all together.
3. Enjoy your DIY spray primer
These DIY primers are super easy to make and you can customize to match your skin type. Start with the recipes above and then change based on how your skin reacts. Once you start making moisturizers such as this you start to second guess all the products on store shelves with hundreds of unneeded preservatives and fillers.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like the following DIY skincare articles:
- How to use potato for your face
- DIY Tea Tree and Aloe Vera Moisturizer
- How to get rid of hooded eyes naturally
- DIY sour cream face mask
If you’re battling oily skin you’ll also want to check out our article on the best way to wash your face – warm or cold water.
