Makeup is a very fulfilling process - it’s like baking and cooking in a sense that you follow steps to make it look right, but you also play it up and “decorate” with the various colors and shimmers available on the market.

Unlike what most people think, makeup is not just powder, eyeshadow, mascara, and lipstick; there are a lot of products that can be considered makeup even if they aren’t that visible.

An example of these “invisible heroes” is the primer. It can’t be seen, it can’t be felt, but its effects and function are greatly beneficial to the skin.

Now, the primer, and other makeup products for that matter, may be of good quality but this does not mean that it’s suitable for you.

The issue may now lie in your skin type, and choosing the right primer for sensitive skin may be a little challenging.

This is where we come in! We give you our top 5 picks for the best face primer for sensitive skin. Let’s take a look.

Almost everyone who has gone through puberty knows what it’s like to have oily skin.

Unfortunately, for many people, this annoying skin condition may last until their 40’s or 50’s, and women know how much of a pain oily skin can be.

Apart from making one look unkempt and unhealthy, oiliness is the number one enemy of women who wear makeup, as extra facial oil can cause makeup to melt into a greasy mess before the end of the day.

If you have oily skin, it’s extremely likely that your eyelids are similarly oily as well, and your perfectly applied winged eyeliner doesn’t dissolve to a sludgy smear on your face. 

In that case, you’ll need a product to ensure that your eyeshadow stays crease-free.

Here are our top picks for the best drugstore eye primers for oily lids.

For most women, using a primer seems to be an unnecessary step in a makeup routine.

But whether you opt for the no-makeup look or go full-on with contouring, baking and four shades of eye-shadow each day, using a primer will ensure that your skin looks fresh.

Moreover, a good matte primer for oily skin can help makeup stay in place the whole day.

You’ll find that using a primer on its own or under makeup will be beneficial, especially if you want to stay shine-free all day.

This is because a primer can do more than just keep your foundation from smearing - it can also absorb excess oil, give you the look of fresh, matte skin, and even blur imperfections such as acne scars and redness.

If you want to find a good cheap face primer for oily skin, look no further than your favorite drugstore.

You’ll find that there’s a wide variety of products on the shelves that will help you achieve a clean and matte look for a fraction of the price of department store primers.

So what is a good primer for oily skin? Let's find out...

At First Glance: Our Top Picks For The Best Drugstore Primer For Oily Skin

OUR TOP #1 PICK - The number one spot on our list of the top drugstore primers for oily skin goes to e.l.f. Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer. This clear, satiny primer goes on smooth like silk, keeps your face from oiling up, and helps makeup to stay on longer.

OUR TOP #2 PICK - If you want the best affordable primer that makes your skin look great even when you don’t wear makeup, then check out Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer. It gives you the look of smooth, pore-free skin with a velvety texture.

OUR TOP #3 PICK - The next pick on our list is L’Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base. The name may be a mouthful, but this mousse-like primer delivers its promise to give you smoother and more even-toned skin.

OUR TOP #4 PICK - Coming in at number four on our roundup is Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer. This pink-tinted formula has a lightweight feel, and it makes your face selfie-ready by diffusing light to minimize imperfections.

OUR TOP #5 PICK - Last but not the least on our list is Rimmel Stay Matte Primer. This creates a soft, matte complexion that stays shine-free for up to eight hours. We tried this drugstore matte primer for oily skin on a hot day to see if it would help our makeup stay in muggy weather, and we liked how lightweight it felt on our skin.

You Need to Find Out the Benefits of a Primer 

Beauty bloggers would never dream of putting on makeup without applying a thin coat of primer first. They actually consider the product a godsend, as it makes their makeup look better.

But for women who barely have time to slick on some lipstick, putting a product that’s not foundation or a powder on their faces seems to be superfluous, maybe even annoying.

In fact, those who often stick to the bare minimum when it comes to makeup might even ask, what exactly is a primer?

A makeup primer is a base for foundation or face makeup that allows it to go smoothly and last longer (source).

Primers usually contain silicon-based polymers like dimethicone, which is popular for its smoothing effects. A good primer should smooth out fine lines and make large pores less noticeable.

More importantly, it should keep oil at bay and help your makeup to look as fresh as it did when you first put it on.

If you have oily skin and have more important things to do than blot up excess facial oil throughout the day, then an oil control primer might be the solution to your skin woes.

Apart from helping your face to stay matte and shine-free, you can also support your skin's health with some of the best primers for large pores and acne scars. 

Moreover, if you’re a fan of the no-makeup look, a primer can be your best pal as you don’t even need to put on that much makeup to look polished (source).

In fact, it can be a good alternative to BB cream or foundation. A primer can also be the key to looking good even in extreme weather.

If you’re traveling to a place that’s very hot or extremely cold, this product can help your skin look better, and it locks in your makeup to keep it from melting or sweating off your face.

For those special occasions or crazy nights out, you can utilize some of the best drugstore eye primers just as well.

But How to Use a Cheap Primer for Best Results?

Using a primer is as easy as putting on moisturizer. But the key to a smooth, matte finish is how you layer your beauty products.

Follow this step by step instructions and say hello to a fresher, more polished you (source).

The Best Drugstore Primers for Oily Skin, Large Pores & Wrinkles

The Bottom Line

There you have it - a complete list of the best inexpensive primer!

For its ability to keep makeup in place even in the hottest weather while keeping oil at bay, we declare e.l.f. Mineral Infused Primer as the winner of this roundup of the best drugstore primers for oily skin.

We simply love the fact that this primer kept our makeup looking as fresh as it was when we put it on in the morning, and it kept it that way throughout the day.

It also controlled shine and oil, helping us to look polished and put together even on a hot day.

When worn on its own, the primer made our faces look clean and fresh. When used together with makeup, it made our foundation and powder look better on our skin, and our faces looked smoother and healthier.

This foundation primer, along with the other great drugstore primers on this list, may help you achieve a flawless look while keeping your face matte and shine-free all day.