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You can use the best foundation money can buy, but when it comes to smooth, long-lasting makeup that won't crease or flake, there's nothing more important than the canvas you start out with. When prepping your skin for a full face of glam, it's essential to start off by applying one of the best moisturizers under makeup. Formulated with a base of hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, they can brighten the skin, provide sun protection, or provide a matte surface for foundation.
When it comes to ingredients, Orange County-based makeup artist Betsy Kelly Marshall calls glycerin the “ultimate hydrator,” and one that you’ll (luckily) come across in most moisturizers, but if you’re working with dry, creased skin, she recommends amping up the power with hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate, which is a form of hyaluronic acid. Kelly Marshall continues, “These [ingredients] bind moisture to the skin, so they’re best when used with a rose water spray or other hydrating mist.”
Beyond that, you’ll want to keep your specific skin goals in mind. For a brighter complexion, opt for ingredients like vitamin C and niacinamide which help stimulate cell turnover, and if you’re looking to curb oil, look for a mattifying formula, or one that prevents acne by by purifying pores with salicylic acid. You can also buy a moisturizer with sunscreen for UV protection, or — if you’re looking for a formula that’ll improve skin while you go about your day, opt for a lightweight serum that sinks deeply into pores to deliver active ingredients.
No matter what your primary skin concern is, you'll want to avoid any night creams or rich moisturizers that will be too heavy to penetrate the skin, since that can mess with your makeup application. With all that in mind, you'll find five of the best moisturizers to wear under makeup to help get you started.