Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer Illuminating

My morning routine is usually pretty rushed, so I appreciate that this spreads quickly and sits well under makeup. I don't have to wait forever before moving on to foundation.

I use this on days when my skin looks tired and needs some life brought back into it. Sometimes I don't even put foundation over it because I like how it looks alone.

This has been really nice for my dry skin. Makeup goes over it smoothly, and I get a healthy-looking finish instead of the dullness I sometimes see around my cheeks.

I wore this under my makeup for a long wedding day and was really happy with how everything held up. My foundation still looked fresh hours later.

At 45, I've moved away from super matte makeup. This primer gives me just enough radiance to make my complexion look brighter without emphasizing texture.

The first time I tried this I expected a lot more shimmer, but it's actually very wearable. Once my foundation is on top, it just looks like my skin has a little extra luminosity.

My foundation can look a little flat on its own, and this gives it a much fresher finish. The illumination comes through subtly without making my whole face look shiny.

I've started mixing a tiny bit of this with my foundation when I want a lighter, more radiant finish. It works especially well when my skin is looking dry.

My foundation tends to catch around the dry areas near my nose. Prepping with this has helped everything go on more evenly and look less patchy.

I bought this for a vacation because I wanted that fresh, luminous makeup look for dinners. It ended up being one of the products I used every night.

This is my favorite primer for date nights because it gives my makeup that little something extra without looking glittery. My skin photographs really nicely with it too.

I have combination skin and only use a small amount through the center of my face. It gives me brightness without making my oily areas look even shinier.

I didn't think primer made much of a difference until I forgot to use this one morning. My makeup definitely didn't look as smooth or fresh by the afternoon.

On minimal makeup days, I'll use this with concealer and cream blush and skip foundation completely. It gives my bare skin a really pretty finished look.

My skin naturally leans dull, especially during the winter. This gives it a little brightness before I even start applying the rest of my makeup.

A lot of illuminating products are too sparkly for me, but this is much more subtle. It looks like healthy skin rather than obvious highlighter all over my face.

I especially like this around the tops of my cheeks where I want a little extra radiance. It catches the light nicely without me needing to pile on highlighter afterward.

My daughter convinced me to try an illuminating primer instead of my usual matte one. I have to admit she was right because my makeup looks much softer and more natural with this underneath.

I've been using this consistently for work and special occasions, and it works for both. I can keep it subtle for everyday makeup or use a little more when I want my complexion to look extra fresh and luminous.

I use a light layer after my skincare and SPF, then give it a minute before applying makeup. My foundation blends beautifully over it and doesn't feel like I'm wearing a bunch of layers.