I'll be the first to admit I've never really gotten the point of primer. I've understood what it's supposed to do in theory: It's the glue between your makeup and your face that's meant to keep everything locked in place and shine-free. But in reality it just never seemed like it made that much of a difference. I've long been a fan of Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer (the finish it gives is perfect), and didn’t want to add yet another step to my daily makeup routine. So I've happily gone about getting ready without it for years.
Then Tatcha's The Silk Canvas Primer came along.
For anyone unfamiliar, Tatcha consistently gets reviews as glowing as Meghan Markle's skin. (Which is probably unsurprising, given her longtime friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin is an ambassador of the brand, and that the duchess herself has credited her radiance to the brand's Rice Enzyme Powder.) Everyone who's tried its new Dewy Cream moisturizer says it makes your skin look like a dewy dumpling. Its Water Cream sold out multiple times at Sephora. So even despite my skepticism, when The Silk Canvas Primer dropped, I felt the impulse to buy it (the fact that it looks like an adorable pink marshmallow cake also didn't hurt).
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What makes this primer feel special from the get-go is that it comes with small disk for application. I’m convinced it’s to prevent people from diving in for a handful of the silky cream, which I was honestly tempted to do myself. Instead I behaved, resisted sticking my face in the tub and used the disk for portion control. It has a line on the back side that indicates how much of the product you should be using—about a dime-size dollop—which I promptly scooped up on the back of my hand.
The trick is to resist the urge to slather it all over your face. Martin suggests first starting with your T-zone (where most people need the most shine control) and working it out with your fingers. "You don't want to use it everywhere—only where you need it," he says. "You want your natural glow to come through.” Obviously, if you’re Markle, you have a lot of glow (they don’t call it the Markle Sparkle for nothing), but I have to agree with Martin. My favorite thing about the primer is how big the payoff is for so little product application.
Its ability to blur away pores is also immediate. I tried using it over a big pimple once, and although the primer didn’t completely conceal it, it definitely helped fade the redness. The same can be said for my dark eye circles—the primer helps dull them and brightens up my undereye area. It's also so lightweight it barely feels like anything is on. I'd almost forget if it weren't for every time I look in the mirror, I'm amazed by how bright and airbrushed my skin looks. It's like the Paris filter come to life.
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After religiously applying The Silk Canvas Primer every day, I noticed that people started to compliment me more and more on my “natural glow” and “perfect skin.” And though I’m lucky to have never had problematic skin, I’m always quick to point out the look isn’t completely natural and that primer really isn't bullshit. Well, at least Tatcha’s isn't.
Buy Now: Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer, $52, Tatcha. Check out all 214 winners from this year's Glamour Beauty Awards, here.
Tara Gonzalez is the commerce editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram at @tarigonzalez.
