Our Best Illuminating Primer for Glowing Skin

Our Hydro Grip Primer set the standard for hydrating face primer with countless accolades and 5-star reviews to prove it. Now, we're introducing our best illuminating primer: Hydro Grip + Glow Primer.

We took the award-winning hyaluronic acid primer formula that you know and love—complete with its lightweight gel texture and skin-loving ingredients—and infused it with light-reflecting pearls. Hydro Grip + Glow Primer imparts a surreal, golden-hour finish like a luminizer, but locks in makeup all day like only Hydro Grip can. Not only is our new illuminating primer a dream for dry skin, but it also makes you look like you’ve maintained your summer glow all year long. Get ready for 12-hour luminosity on lock.

Ahead, Milk Makeup’s Director of Artistry Sara Wren shares what makes Hydro Grip + Glow our best illuminating primer, how to incorporate it into your makeup routine, and why you’ll fall in love with the latest addition to our face primer family.

What is an illuminating primer, and what does it do?

Illuminating primer instantly provides complexions with soft radiance and warmth via light-reflecting particles, like mica, glitter, or crushed pearls, Sara says. In the case of Hydro Grip + Glow, our best illuminating primer is flecked with multi-toned pearls that give all skin tones a luminous, bronzy glow that’s noticeable in all the right ways. We specifically picked out pearls that are on the warmer side, so they won’t cause flashback in photos like cooler, silvery ones do. They’re also so finely milled that you won’t feel any grittiness as you smooth Hydro Grip + Glow onto your face.

Best of all, our illuminating primer ensures your lit-from-within glow lasts as long as your makeup does—up to 12 hours to be exact. It won’t fade midway through the day like typical luminizers. Plus, your skin will never feel greasy or dry throughout the day—no matter your skin type. Hydro Grip + Glow melds with skin like your favorite serums do and is packed with skincare ingredients, too. Its refreshing, ultra-breathable formula is spiked with hemp seed extract, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to boost hydration and lock in moisture while blue agave extract ensures your makeup and golden glow won’t budge.

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Do you put illuminating primer on before foundation?

Absolutely. “I like applying Hydro Grip + Glow right on top of damp skincare,” Sara says. It acts like the final step of your skincare routine and the first step of your makeup look, she adds. Reason being: It hydrates, plumps, and smooths skin for the most seamless and radiant foundation application.

Hydro Grip + Glow has the same grippy—never sticky—consistency as Hydro Grip to help literally grip foundation, so it never fades, creases, collects in fine lines, or gets cakey. Our illuminating primer’s light-reflecting pearls even shine through matte foundations to make them appear glowier. They also enhance the dewiness of skin tints.

Although Hydro Grip + Glow can be worn alone or under makeup, Sara suggests opting for a traditional cream or liquid highlighter, like Bionic Glow and our Highlighter stick, on top of makeup instead of the illuminating primer “to avoid any disruption of makeup or grippy feeling.”

How to apply an illuminating primer, like Hydro Grip + Glow

While your moisturizer and sunscreen are still damp on your skin, spread a thin layer of Hydro Grip + Glow onto your skin. “This gives [the primer] extra time to blend the luminous golden glow across the whole face while avoiding any patchiness,” Sara explains.

Sara recommends focusing the majority of your Hydro Grip + Glow application on the areas you usually put highlighter, such as the tops of the cheekbones, down the nose, and under each brow bone. “Focusing on these areas creates a golden glow versus looking too shiny in areas that may have texture or get oily throughout the day,” she says.

Next, allow the illuminating primer to absorb and activate its grip for 60 seconds before layering your complexion products, like foundation, concealer, and skin tint, on top of it. For extra makeup-locking insurance, finish off your makeup look with a spritz of Hydro Grip Set + Refresh Spray.

Mark our words: Your skin is about to be so luminous that it’s surreal. Glow off, Milk Fam!

Meet the Expert

Sara Wren (she/her) is the Director of Artistry at Milk Makeup. In her role, she does all the makeup artistry and direction for our Milk Makeup global campaigns, educates the staff and field team on application methods, stars in the brand’s social media videos, and travels to different markets spreading Milk Makeup’s good vibes. When she’s not on set, Sara loves experimenting with DIY hair colors, eating tacos, watching basketball, and scouring for vintage cosmetics to add to her impressive collection.