Primer & Skin Prep · Product guide
Illuminating primer
A primer with light-reflecting particles, used to add glow under base.
Written by Lamyaa Aissi, professional makeup artist, Casablanca. Part of the Primer & Skin Prep guide.
When to use it
Under a base on dull or tired skin, or on the high points for a lit-from-within finish.
On Moroccan skin, in a Moroccan climate
Under flash, light-reflecting particles can cause flashback. Test before a photographed event.
The rule that runs through every product on this site: check undertone, not just depth. Most Moroccan skin is olive or golden, and a neutral or pink-based product greys within the hour however precisely the depth matches. And for any long event, set in thin successive passes rather than one heavy layer — accumulated product slides in coastal humidity, while product laid down thinly stays.
What it will not do
Skin with visible texture. Luminosity magnifies what it sits over.
The most common mistake
Applying it all over and then adding highlighter on top. Choose one.
Questions
What does illuminating primer actually do?
A primer with light-reflecting particles, used to add glow under base.
When should I use illuminating primer?
Under a base on dull or tired skin, or on the high points for a lit-from-within finish.
Does illuminating primer work on Moroccan skin tones?
Under flash, light-reflecting particles can cause flashback. Test before a photographed event.
What is the most common mistake with illuminating primer?
Applying it all over and then adding highlighter on top. Choose one.
Part of: Primer & Skin Prep
Preparation is the technique, not the prelude. Most complaints about a foundation are complaints about what was underneath it.
Read the full Primer & Skin Prep guide →
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