Demystifying primers and toners – What are they and do we really need them?

Before I attended my Artistic Makeup program and way before the time of youtube makeup tutorials, the only way I could really teach myself about makeup was by reading everything I could find on the subject  but also by getting my makeup done professionally in the hopes of  picking up live pointers . 

Leaving these makeup application bookings, I always wondered why my makeup, more specifically my skin, always looked significantly better than when I applied the makeup myself.
Sure their technique was stronger but I knew there was more to it than that but WHAT?

That is until I started my Artistic Makeup course, and there they were, right where I couldn’t ignore them anymore: the toner and the primer.

OK so maybe a picture depicting magic potion bottles is a bit much, but I'm trying to stress a point here. 

You might wonder how had I managed to ignore these products all of these years, surely the makeup artists used them on my face, and you would be right, they always did. Here is the somewhat embarrassing truth: when I would get my makeup done at a counter,  it was easy to ignore the toner and primer because I thought it was the artist’s attempt at selling more products thus making more money.

However, when i started my makeup course, I knew my teacher didn’t gain anything by pushing the products, if anything it would put his students: future makeup artists, at a financial disadvantage by making them purchase material that is, let’s face it, on the pricey side. So what other reason could he have had than to push products unless the end result would make up for the price. So I threw in the towel, tried it and got hooked.

Having said all that, if you are still skeptical or on a budget and you had to skip one of them, don’t skip the primer! No wait, the toner! ummm  ... how about i leave it up to you to decide?
Here are the benefits and use of each:

Toner:

Designed to cleanse/decongest the skin of remaining residue, to shrink the appearance of pores, to eliminate oils and to get the skin ready to absorb the active ingredients in other products.
All that sound good? Great but I've saved the best for last, the best and main function of the toner is return the skin to its natural PH level. 

Primer:

Designed to prep your skin for makeup by creating a smooth base, to "set" your makeup to make it last, and more importantly, to prevent your skin from absorbing talc and pigment from your foundation. 

My current favorite primer? Make Up For Ever HD microperfecting primer.