Having combination skin is like being the child of battling divorced parents - you can’t please one without offending the other.

Caring for this skin type is a constant balancing act, as combination skin is having oily skin in some areas of your face and dry patches in other parts.

Finding the right products that would suit combination skin is difficult, as most skin care products and cosmetics are geared towards normal, oily, and dry skin.

Pick the ones that suit your oily skin, and you might as well get ready to do battle with flakes on your cheeks. But if you choose products intended for dry skin, your t-zone will resemble an oil slick in no time at all.

The good thing is that there are makeup primers on the market that are suited for combination skin, and these products may help balance this finicky skin type while prepping it for makeup.

On that note, here’s our complete list of the best face primer for combination skin.

Women have different techniques when they’re doing their nails in the comforts of home.

Some go full-on and go through a salon-like routine, complete with long soaks, hand massages, and four different products on their nails, while others simply swipe on a coat and be done.

But however you choose to do your nails, one of the most important steps that you should never skip is the application of a nail primer.

So what is nail primer?

A nail primer, also called a base coat, can make your manicure last longer, and it may even protect your nails from yellowing. Some nail primers may even help to strengthen weak, brittle nails.

More importantly, a nail primer acts as a foundation for your nails, so your polish will go on smoothly.

On that note, here is our list of the top five best nail primers.

At First Glance: Our Top Picks For The Best Nail Primers

OUR TOP #1 PICK - Taking the top spot on our roundup of the best nail primers is Seche Clear Base Coat. This product prevents nails from yellowing and may even help weak and brittle nails get stronger over time.

OUR TOP #2 PICK -  The next product on our list is essie Color Corrector For Nails Primer. This base coat neutralizes the yellow tones of dry, stained nails and gives nails a healthy glow.

OUR TOP #3 PICK - The third on our list of the best nail primers can be used both as a base coat and sealer and more importantly, it’s safe enough for pregnant women as well as children. These are just some of the reasons why we love Piggy Paint Base Coat & Sealer.

OUR TOP #4 PICK - The next nail primer on our list comes from a fashionista and celebrity favorite brand. Butter LONDON Nail Foundation Priming BaseCoat fills in ridges, protects nails, and makes manicures last.

OUR TOP #5 PICK - The last spot on this roundup belongs to OPI Natural Nail Base Coat. This nail primer prevents staining of natural nails and ensures the longevity of your manicure.

What Is Nail Primer Used For

Beyond finding the perfect nail color, experts believe that the key to a good and long-lasting manicure is to use a nail primer or a base coat.

While it may be tempting to grab a nail file, brush on some nail polish, and go, adding one more step to your basic manicure can be beneficial for these reasons:

1. Nail primers prevent polish from staining your nails.

You love your nail polish but hate the fact that it leaves your nails with a sickly yellow stain.

So you do what most girls do—cover up the stain with more polish, hoping that it goes away.

If you use a nail primer or a base coat, you can prevent this from happening in the first place. 

Staining occurs because of a chemical reaction between the ingredients in the nail polish and your nail plates (source).

By brushing on a nail primer before you apply your nail color, it provides a protective barrier between the nail and the pigment, resulting in nails that look healthy and beautiful even without nail lacquer.

2. A Good Nail Primer May Fill In Nail Ridges

If you’re frustrated because your nail polish never looks good due to the bumps on your nails, that’s because you have vertical nail ridges that start at the cuticle and go all the way to the tip of your nails.

These are fairly common, especially for aging people. Though it’s not a cause for concern, it may be annoying if you love doing home manicures (source).

Just like what a face primer can do for your face and foundation, a nail primer can fill in the ridges on your nails for a smoother and glossier surface.

3. A Nail Primer Can Make Your Manicure Last Longer

If your nail polish chips just one day after you apply it, it means that your favorite nail color needs a little help to make it stick.

A nail primer contains chemicals that help nail polish to adhere to your nails, and it also gives it the flexibility to move with the nail as it bends.

This means that you won’t have to fear that your polish will chip if you do anything at all that involves your hands.

How to Choose the Right Nail Primer

There are a lot of nail primers or base coats on the market, but the best thing to do when selecting one is to find out what you need or if you want to address certain nail issues.

For instance, if your nails are ridged, look for a ridge-filling formula. This type of nail primer is often very thick, and that viscosity allows it to fill in those vertical lines on your nails.

If you want a remedy for your stained nails, look for a color correcting nail primer.

This product can be worn alone, which is a good thing if you want your nails to look good yet you also want to give them a break from your beloved cherry red polish.

Weak, brittle nails will benefit from a nail primer that has a strengthening formula.

However, don’t expect it to work immediately; it may take several applications before you see a noticeable difference in your nails.

You could also choose a base coat without toxic ingredients.

Look for ones that don’t contain formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, or toluene, which are common nail product ingredients that are said to cause potential adverse health effects.

The Best Nail Primer To Support Your Beauty

The Bottom Line

For its ability to protect nails from staining, our top pick for the best nail primer is Seche Clear Base Coat.

We love how easy it is to apply and how it made our manicure look great.

It also prolonged the life of our manicure, as it was more than seven days until we saw some slight chipping on the tips of our nails.

Moreover, it also prevented our nails from staining and yellowing, which made us more confident to wear our favorite dark red nail polish.

This nail primer, along with the other products on this list, may help you get a smooth foundation for your nail color while protecting your nails from stains.

And finally, make sure you check out this complete list of some good gel polish nails as well.

If you love this roundup, feel free to check out our latest reviews of other types of primers here: https://supportyourbeauty.com/makeup-products/primers/

Makeup is not just aesthetics. For most women, putting on makeup is like putting on armor before charging into battle.

Women find makeup empowering as it gives a confidence boost, no matter what the situation may be.

So, of course, it’s a disaster if you didn’t blend your foundation well or when your makeup didn’t manage to make it through the night.

Another disaster for us is when large pores, instead of our face, becomes the highlight of our look.

In fact, most women would agree that large pores are a bother and will do anything just to cover these pores.

Luckily for us, there is a product that can help keep your makeup intact while covering up those unwanted big pores on your face.

And that’s where we come in! We give you our top five picks for the best primers for large pores. Let’s take a look!

Does your job require you to put on makeup? Do you have spots which you would like to conceal?

Are you fond of exploring cosmetics? Regardless of the goal, the end result desired by many is a spotless gorgeous look.

Application of other cosmetics on the face starts with a good quality base makeup you can rely on. It is the key component that holds them together.

Base makeup includes a foundation and a face primer. In order for either a liquid or a powder foundation to look crisp and neat on the face, a primer is placed first.

Face primers come in the form of powder, spray, gel, and cream. They can extend the longevity of makeup on the face.

You may come across various kinds of face primers at beauty shops and these days, they are designed to serve many purposes. Some are made to blur areas that are seemingly imperfect like enlarged pores, blemishes and fine lines.

Some primers have SPF element, anti-aging attributes and glowing ability. These kinds appear appealing to users, too.

Moreover, an innovative kind of primer of different  shades has emerged to correct skin color. Plus, there are those primers that can offer hydration and moisture to skin.

Whatever the function is, a face primer can definitely help achieve a flawless makeup look. In order to optimize the functions and maximize the benefits of this tool, here are some tips to consider.