7 Best Silicone

Feb 27, 2024

Silicones reign as a key ingredient in many makeup products, particularly primers, though their presence is not always welcomed by everyone. But don't worry because, with the best silicone free primers, you can get a flawless base, without the icky silicones.

The primary purpose of primers is to serve as a base for makeup. They create even and smooth skin for makeup by filling in the pores, fine lines, and wrinkles, providing a seamless application of foundation and other makeup products. And no other ingredient does this "filling" job better than silicones. However, they have gained somewhat of a bad rap in the beauty and makeup industry.

While silicones are excellent occlusives, they may cause breakouts or contribute to skin pilling. They are also difficult to rinse off and are said to be damaging to the environment (as they don't break down!). Silicone-free face primers come to the rescue for those seeking a flawless canvas without the drawbacks of silicones. Our team discovered the best silicone free primers after putting several products to the test. You can now achieve picture-perfect makeup while caring for your skin and the environment with our top recommendations.

The wet n wild Prime Focus Impossible Primer is an incredible do-it-all. It is the best silicone free primer on the market that caters to all skin types — a feat not every primer can boast of. It works surprisingly well for both oily and dry skin types as it is a hydrating and mattifying primer. It glides on the skin effortlessly, leaving a soft and silky finish. Drawing from our experience, we can confirm that it does not leave any greasy or cakey residue behind. It is a versatile gem that will keep your makeup intact for hours.

This silicone free primer from MILK Makeup is a holy grail for many individuals. Its key ingredients include hyaluronic acid, hemp seed extract, and niacinamide, which nourish the skin and give hours of hydration. The blue agave extract gives it an unmatchable holding power. As indicated by our tests (and its name), this oil-free primer grips the makeup and enhances its longevity. With this as a base, you can easily expect a smooth skin texture and makeup that lasts for more than 10 hours.

The Dermablend Professional Insta-grip Jelly Primer is an intriguing product that delivers truly worthy results. It is a clear jelly primer with a lightweight yet thick, sticky consistency. Our team discovered through using this product that it requires some practice for mastering its application. It does take longer to dry down compared to other primers but don't worry, it won't be so long as to push the limits of your patience. This silicone free face primer will keep your makeup flawless and in place throughout the day, justifying every second of the wait.

A silicone-free primer for oily skin that is in the form of a spray might just be the thing you need this summer for long-lasting makeup. This is a water-based primer spray from Skindinavia. It is trusted by both makeup enthusiasts and professional makeup artists. It works extremely well for oily to combination skin without drying it out. After putting it to the test, we found that this primer is true to its claims. It helps minimize the pores, reduces the look of fine lines, and calms the skin.

A good primer can make a lot of difference to your makeup. But not all primers are made the same. Some even come with skin-benefiting and natural ingredients. This silicone free makeup primer from TULA Skin Care is one such primer. It is gel-based, comes in a beautiful blue tub, and has a yellowish hue that goes invisible on the skin. It has a non-comedogenic and nourishing formula featuring incredible ingredients like yuzu, willowherb, turmeric root extract, and vitamin E. Based on our firsthand experience, it does a great job at gripping makeup, making it worth every penny spent.

This silicone free blurring primer from facetheory is winning quite some hearts with its incredible pore-minimizing action. It effectively minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Formulated with a plant-derived silicone alternative, it feels soft and silky on the skin. It also contains vitamin C as one of its key ingredients that helps brighten up the skin tone. Our findings show that it is more like a silicone free priming moisturizer given its creamy texture that is moisturizing yet lightweight. It works rather well for mature skin too.

Add it to your skincare routine and make your makeup picture-perfect. This non silicone face primer from the house of REN Clean Skincare is a radiance-boosting primer formulated with blue agave extract, probiotics, and alpha glucans. It has several long-term skin benefits while also providing a flawless base for your makeup. It hydrates and plumps up the skin to give a youthful glow. After trying out this product, we found that this primer has a mattifying finish and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You only need a few drops to get the best coverage ever.

You now know the best silicone free primers but that's only half the work done for achieving a flawless makeup look. In order to make the right and informed choice, there are still a few more things that you must keep in mind.

Skin Type

First and foremost, determine your skin type. Assess whether you have oily, dry, combination, or sensitive skin. It will help you choose the primer that is best suited for your skin's specific requirements.

Skin Concerns

Consider what your skin concerns are. Do you have fine lines, wrinkles, huge pores, or do you battle with redness? It will help further narrow down your choices as there are different silicone free primers for tackling different concerns.

Ingredients

Read the product label carefully to confirm that the primer is silicone free. Silicones can be identified as compounds that end with "-icone". Avoid them (as that's the whole point, isn't it?). Moreover, you must look for ingredients based on your skin's requirements. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, and aloe extract hydrate skin while antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, and niacinamide help brighten up dull skin. If you have acne-prone skin, you must be extra careful with the ingredients.

Texture and Finish

Choose a texture depending on your skin's needs. A gel-based texture works best for oily and combination skin types while a creamy or lotion-like texture works well for dry skin. You must also consider the finish of the silicone free primer you want to purchase, whether you prefer a mattifying finish or a dewy finish. Choose what aligns with your needs and desired makeup look.

Blurring Effect

Pores, fine lines, and wrinkles are some of the most common skin concerns you might need coverage for. Thus, look for a primer with a good blurring effect whose intensity may depend on the size of these concerns.

Non-comedogenic and Sensitive-skin Friendly

Look for a lightweight and non-comedogenic silicone free primer to avoid any potential risk of getting breakouts. Opt for a primer that is hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin, if that's your case.

Customer Reviews/Feedback

Research online for customer reviews on different platforms to get a better grasp on the performance of the silicone free face primer of your choice. These are real experiences from other users that can provide valuable insights into the primer's effectiveness and performance.

Get Samples/Trial Size

It is wise to first try out a few samples before purchasing the full-size silicone free makeup primer. This way you can test the primer's texture, performance, and compatibility with your skin.

Silicone-based foundations and primers have received a lot of flak over the years. However, after thorough research and testing, our team has unearthed the true game-changers in the beauty and makeup market – the best silicone-free primers. In response to the concerns raised about silicones, cosmetic chemists and the makeup industry have shifted their focus toward these incredible alternatives. We explored the market for silicone free primers and tested them for their texture, coverage, hydration, oil-control prowess, moisturizing effect, and longevity. So, if you are looking to elevate your makeup game without compromising your skin's health and well-being, give these silicone free primers a go. With our recommendations and buying guide, you can stop suffering at the hands of silicones. Pick your ideal makeup partner from our wide array of silicone free primers that cater to different skin types and their different needs.

Sayantani, the author is a makeup expert who has tried almost every product listed here. After a lot of research and experiments, she is certain that using one of the best silicon-free primers not only makes the makeup look dewy but also protects your skin from pollutants and the side-effects of long duration makeup.

Our product experts study the specifications of every product we suggest and try them out to bring what’s proven to be worthy of your money, time, and energy. We also have subject matter experts from various fields like Fashion, Skincare, Haircare, Home Decor, and Health & Fitness onboard to make sure our suggestions are credible and trustworthy. You can trust Select to be your faithful shopping guide for all the right reasons!

Sayantani is a certified hair and makeup professional turned writer with 2+ years of experience in the same genre. Ap More

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