Go-To primers are finally here. Intrigued? Excited? Smidge skeptical about your favourite skincare brand flirting with makeup? We get it.
We asked a few of Australia’s best and brightest makeup artists to test out our primers before they hit our peachy shelves. Here’s what they had to say:
To start: Do we really need a primer?
Bianca Brown
YES. Primers can be a complete game changer. Especially when there is a specific skin concern to address or to assist with longevity. Some people don’t believe in primers but the truth is the right primer for your skin type and needs can completely transform your makeup and take it to the next level. It’s the secret step that will make or break your look.
Peter Beard
Yes, primers extend the wear and performance of the makeup you already have. You can tweak the finish and wear of your foundation. Primers are my secret weapon to sculpt and perfect the complexion.
Madeleine Grace
For me, primer is essential! I see it as the final step in skin prep - both for myself and my clients. I like to use primers as a cocktail product that helps you get the best wear time out of your makeup. Most people have different needs across their face, someone might have an oily T-zone but dehydrated cheeks, so I love layering different primers in different areas to address what the skin actually needs.
You’ve been trialling Go-To’s primers—how did they hold up?
Bianca Brown
I’ve had the pleasure of trying and testing Go-To’s brand new primers and as a self proclaimed primer enthusiast I can confidently say... wow, they have really nailed these formulas. They’re so easy to work, no weird pilling over skincare, and they really live up to their promises.
I also love that there’s a primer for whatever vibe you’re going for glowy and radiant or more matte and smoothing they’ve covered all bases. They have definitely earned a permanent spot in my kit.
Peter Beard
Shoot days are always long—like 10, sometimes 12 hours—and the makeup has to stay looking fresh and consistent the whole time. Prepping the skin properly makes all the difference, and primers are a big part of that.
I’m always cautious using luminous primers on skin with fine lines—since glow particles can sometimes exaggerate texture. But not with this one. It actually softened the look of texture while still giving that gorgeous radiance. Total game-changer.
And of course, they always want to shoot the close-up at the end of the day—after ten hours. This primer really held up.
Madeleine Grace
I was so impressed! I have oily skin, but I also love a purposeful glow, so finding that balance between dewy and greasy can be tricky. Usually by hour four or five, without touch-ups, I’m looking like an oil slick through my T-zone. But with the Very Mattifying Primer, everything still looked perfected without feeling flat! Since I’m oily and breakout-prone, I also really appreciated its skincare-first formula that it controlled oil throughout the day without causing any breakouts. It’s such a winner in my eyes.
How did you apply the primers—fingers, brush, sponge? Why?
Bianca Brown
Okay so, this may be controversial coming from a makeup artist but I actually love to use my fingers for most ski care / primer products. Very Glowy Primer, for example, is a finger application for me. There’s something about that direct contact that helps me work the product into the skin more evenly.
But Very Mattifying primer, however, works with either fingers or a brush, but I personally reach for a flat brush. It lets me lightly sweep the formula over targeted areas, creating a smooth, invisible barrier that keeps shine in check without disturbing the skin underneath.
Peter Beard
I always apply primers and skincare with my fingers so I can feel the texture of the skin and where more or less product is required.
Madeleine Grace
I always opt for fingers when applying primer. The warmth from my hands helps really work the product into the skin, which I find gives me the best wear time throughout the day!
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