Best Japanese Pore Primer

We’re all looking for multipurpose products. Like a serum that addresses fine lines and visibly firms the skin (aka The Silk Serum) or a treatment that visibly calms irritation, strengthens the skin’s barrier, and balances the microbiome (like the Indigo Overnight Repair). If you’re investing time and money into beauty products, you’d like it to be beneficial in numerous ways. This is where choosing the best primer for your skin type comes into play. Keep reading to discover what makes an effective primer and how to best use them.

What Is A Japanese Pore Primer?

In general, a primer is designed to be applied underneath makeup. However, the best Japanese pore primer is crafted to create a base for long-lasting makeup, act as a barrier between the skin and pore-clogging makeup formulations, and add skin-benefiting boosts (like hydration). Primers can not only extend the look of your makeup products, especially for those with oily skin, but also support the overall appearance of your skin, too.

The History of Japanese Primers

For hundreds of years, the Geisha skincare routine has included the use of Japanese pore primers, notes Tatcha’s founder Vicky Tsai in her bestselling book Pure Skin. “Before geisha apply their signature white base—which can highlight, rather than conceal, any skin imperfections—they must create the perfect canvas by pressing a light layer of wax known as bintsuke-abura onto their skin,” she writes. In addition to creating a smooth, poreless canvas to help their makeup last all day, their primer protects the skin from makeup and pollution while holding moisture in, all at once. In essence, geisha have used face primers for hundreds of years.

The Best Japanese Pore Primers

The Tatcha Institute has worked tirelessly to perfect the best Japanese pore primers. With a nod to tradition (inspired by bintsuke) and supplemented with modern ingredients and technology, Tatcha is proud to have two primers—each with a specific focus.

Liquid Silk Canvas

This light-as-silk formula feels weightless on the skin, gliding on seamlessly to help makeup look more flawless and last longer. The primer is designed to create a skin-benefiting barrier that shields skin from makeup, helping to minimize clogged pores. Additionally, the oil-free formula leaves a soft-focus finish that diminishes the appearance of pores and fine lines, while also enhancing skin with a slight pink pearlescent hue. While many skin types will enjoy this liquid formula, oily or combination skin might particularly find it beneficial. In a clinical study, 100 percent of users demonstrated an improvement in skin texture, tone, radiant, and the appearance of pores in just seven days, and 98 percent demonstrated an improvement in the appearance of fine lines after two weeks.*

The Silk Canvas

Shield skin from pollutants while allowing makeup to apply better and last longer with The Silk Canvas. The rich balm has a unique velvety soft feel on the skin, making it one of the best skincare products for dry skin and combination skin. It inherently acts as a barrier between makeup and skin, but also impressively leaves behind a flattering blurred, soft-focus finish, which instantly diminishes the look of pores and fine lines. Plus the flattering, pearlescent formula leaves skin with a healthy glow, making it ideal for makeup-less days, too. In consumer studies, 100 percent of subjects agreed that the satin finish primer made their skin feel soft, fresh, more even-toned, younger, and healthier after two weeks of use.**

*Based on once-daily use in a clinical study of 40 women.

**Based on a consumer study of 20 women.

How to Apply a Japanese Pore Primer

While the benefits of a Japanese pore primer are impressive, they won’t work as clinically studied if applied incorrectly. The trick to using a primer is to sandwich it between skincare and makeup. Apply your skincare routine as usual, finishing with a moisturizer and then sunscreen (if using the primer during the day). Then apply your primer, ideally in the areas you’d like to focus on most (like the T-zone). As discovered in The Best Primers for Sensitive Skin article, you only need a small amount of primer, about a “pumpkin seed-sized” dollop. When it comes to primer, a little goes a very long way. While fancy makeup tools can be beneficial for makeup applications, your fingers are the best tools when it comes to applying primer. Allow the primer to set for a few minutes to ensure it’s fully dry before applying makeup—or perhaps you’re going makeup-free today, in which case, you now have a pearlescent, radiant glow to take on the day.