15 Best Tried and True Japanese Foundation Primers for Sensitive Skin in 2022 (Hair and Makeup Artist-Reviewed)
Our editors searched Japanese e-commerce sites (such as @cosme, Amazon, and Rakuten) for the best foundation primers for sensitive skin. We then chose the 15 most popular products and tested them.
We focused on four things for each product: its moisturizing ability, its finish, its durability, and how easy it was to apply. We then compiled everything we learned into a buying guide about and list of the best Japanese foundation primers for dry skin available online.
Quick List - Top Japanese Foundation Primer For Sensitive Skin
She's a freelance hair and makeup artist and an expert in aromatherapy certified by the Aroma Environment Association of Japan. She also pens beauty columns. She studied under Mr. Hiroki Murooka from the hair and makeup studio ThreePEACE for four years before going independent.
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How to Choose a Foundation Primer for Sensitive Skin - Buying Guide
Here are six big things to look out for.
① Choose a Primer That is Labeled Hypoallergenic or Specifically for Sensitive Skin
For people with sensitive skin, irritation can start at the primer level, so you should put as much thought into your foundation primer as you would your normal skin care.
Hypoallergenic primers and primers for sensitive skin are labeled specifically because they try to avoid as many common allergens and irritants as possible.
② Choose a Moisturizing Primer to Avoid Dryness
If you have sensitive skin, then you know how much moisture can help. If your primer is lacking in moisture, however, you may notice your skin drying out before the day is done.
So look for ones with plenty of moisture; some primers include beauty serums that care for your skin while covering it.
③ Look for a Durable Primer to Help Prevent Irritation
Choosing a durable primer can make a world of difference for people with sensitive skin. Many products on the market that prevent breakdown from oil and sweat contain ingredients like fluoro, but since this ingredient can be hard to remove, it's not used in a lot of products for sensitive skin.
What is in a lot of sensitive skin primers are silicon-based ingredients, which come off with sweat. If you want to see which primers were especially durable, check out our ranking again.
④ Buy a Primer That is Easy to Spread for Even Less Irritation
You've probably realized by now that we're a big proponent of watery-textured primers for sensitive skin. That's because not only are they moisturizing; they also prevent unnecessary friction. Find a primer with this kind of texture for maximum gentleness.
⑤ Go for a Primer That Has UV Protection
UV protection can come in one of two forms; here's what we recommend.
UV Scattering Agents are Best for Sensitive Skin
Most primers for sensitive skin contain UV scattering agents for sun protection, but some may be absorption types. Here are some ingredients you can look for to help you tell the difference at a glance:
<UV scattering agents>
- Titanium dioxide
- Zinc oxide
<UV absorbers>
- Oxybenzone-3
- Oxybenzone-4
- Octyl methoxycinnamate
- Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate
- Drometrizole trisiloxane
In other words, look for primers that contain titanium dioxide or zinc oxide.
There Are UV Absorbers That Are Safe for Sensitive Skin
If all you have are UV absorber primers to choose from, don't panic! There are different levels of these UV absorbers, and some of them are gentle enough for those with sensitive skin to use. These would be ingredients like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and drometrizole trisiloxane.
⑥ Don't Choose an Organic Primer Just Because it's Organic
Japanese standards don't allow for a clear definition of which products are truly organic or not, so if you really want something organic, look for something that has a USDA or BIO mark on the label.
These have cleared strict regulations and contain mostly natural ingredients, so you know you're getting the real deal.
*The image above is not the official USDA mark.
15 Best Japanese Foundation Primers for Sensitive Skin
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ya-man Only Minerals Mineral Plus Base Natural | | The Very Best Foundation Primer for Sensitive Skin | |
2 | Acro THREE Ultimate Protective Pristine Primer｜Glow | | The Best Primer for a Prefect Natural Finish | |
3 | Nature's Way Naturaglace UV Protection Base N | | The Primer with the Most UV Protection | |
4 | Daiichi-Sankyo Minon Amino Moist Bright up Base UV | | A Balanced Primer for Sensitive Skin | |
5 | Etvos Mineral UV Glow Base | | A Primer with a Super Dewy Finish | |
6 | Acseine Super Sunshield | | The Most Durable Primer for Sensitive Skin | |
7 | RED Aqua-Aqua Organic Moist Makeup Base | | The Primer That Makes You Look Like You Have No Makeup on | |
8 | Shiseido d Program Allerbarrier Essence BB｜Natural | | The Best Primer for Hay Fever and Full Coverage |
Ya-manOnly Minerals Mineral Plus Base Natural
The Very Best Foundation Primer for Sensitive Skin
This primer had a balance of high scores all around, and for good reason. The slightly yellow beige shade reduces the appearance of skin discoloration with a perfect texture.
It's also easy to get out of the bottle and off of your face. We'd recommend this especially to those that don't look great in pink-toned makeup.
AcroTHREE Ultimate Protective Pristine Primer ｜ Glow
The Best Primer for a Prefect Natural Finish
This primer sits at a well-deserved second place in our ranking due to its naturally dewy finish. It evens out texture while hiding discoloration with its creamy texture (which is just a tad hard to spread).
This primer won't melt off halfway through the day and we think those looking for a natural finish would like this in their makeup collection.
Nature's WayNaturaglace UV Protection Base N
The Primer with the Most UV Protection
Our makeup specialist keeps this in her collection of favorites, and now we see why. It was super easy to spread and gave our skin a flawless finish.
We also liked that it gave us a naturally dewy look using its natural ingredients. It also has an organic scent. We'd recommend this to anyone prioritizing sun protection.
Daiichi-SankyoMinon Amino Moist Bright up Base UV
A Balanced Primer for Sensitive Skin
This primer achieved above-average scores in every category but moisturizing power. This bright beige primer uses its soft texture to cover discoloration and naturally tone up your skin.
The biggest downside we saw to this product is that it may be too bright if you have a darker skin tone. We think this product would be best for lighter skin tones.
EtvosMineral UV Glow Base
A Primer with a Super Dewy Finish
Out of all the products we tested, this gave us the dewiest finish, which can bring some vitality to dull-looking skin. If you have oily skin, though, it might be a little too much shine.
It also didn't stand up to sweat very well, so we'd recommend this for autumn or winter use.
The Most Durable Primer for Sensitive Skin
This primer leans more on the pink side of beige, and it has a smooth and veil-like texture that doesn't feel heavy.
It won't moisturize your skin very well, but it will definitely last the whole day. That's why we'd most recommend this for summertime use.
REDAqua-Aqua Organic Moist Makeup Base
The Primer That Makes You Look Like You Have No Makeup on
Some people don't want to give the illusion that they've caked on makeup, and this primer will help you do that. The finish looks totally natural and it won't budge even when faced with sweat and oil, making it great for warmer months.
We wish it had UV protection, so if you're going to be outdoors, we recommend pairing it with sunscreen. Then you're on your way to achieving a perfectly natural look.
Shiseidod Program Allerbarrier Essence BB ｜ Natural
The Best Primer for Hay Fever and Full Coverage
Maybe your list of allergies includes seasonal pollen allergies; if that's the case, perhaps this d Program primer can alleviate some of your symptoms.
Besides that, it offers pretty full coverage, though we did find it particularly difficult to spread. The result is a veil that can help protect your skin from outside irritants. If protection is your priority, we'd suggest this primer.
How We Tested the Foundation Primers
We put each of the primers through a series of four tests, each designed to gauge a specific factor. Ms. Fujiwara helped us gauge its finish with her makeup techniques. We also tested for durability, moisturizing power, and ease of application on our own.
Test ① Finish
Ms. Fujiwara applied each primer to our model and rated each primer based on whether or not it evened out skin tone and texture.
We found that the best primers gave us a natural and dewy look and were easy to blend in. These often came in a watery texture that made our skin look more beautiful even before applying foundation.
Some products use glitter to show shine in a way that looks natural, but too much can make it look, well, unnatural. We also noticed that products that were hard to blend in made us look paler.
I recommend products with a watery texture as they tend to make your skin look dewy naturally! People with sensitive skin also tend to dry out easily, so a finish with a slight shine will make your skin look more moisturized.
However, primers that are a little too watery will actually make your skin dry out faster. That's why you should always follow a skincare routine before applying makeup.
Test ② Moisturizing Power
Next, we checked how much moisture each primer would provide to our skin.
To do this, we applied each product to sliced sweet potatoes and left them in an air-conditioned room. We checked their moisture retention after 4 hours, then again after 8 hours, and finally checked to see how their color and texture changed.
Our test results showed that none of the primers we tested received a perfect score in the moisturizing department, since every sweet potato showed signs of drying or color changing. So if you have sensitive skin, you should focus on pre-makeup skin care instead of relying on your primer.
Test ③ Durability
Our third test measured how each product stood up to environmental factors like sweat and sebum. First, we applied each primer to a patch of artificial skin.
Then we applied an equal amount of durable foundation on top of each primer.
Then we sprayed fake sweat (warm water and horse oil) over each product to see how much would come off and how nicely it would come off.
We'll be honest: primers made for sensitive skin don't hold up well. Not many of our products were able to take the heat (or sweat), and only a few of them came off in a way that wasn't a complete mess.
This is probably due to the fact that many primers for sensitive skin use ingredients like fluoro and silicon that don't mix well with sweat. You might want to get used to touch ups throughout the day!
④ Ease of Application
Our last test gauged how easy it would be to apply each product.
We tested this by dragging an equal amount of each primer across a sheet of artificial skin and measuring how long of a trail they left before the color ran out.
As you may have already guessed, the primers that went the farthest were those with a watery texture. We hardly had to put any effort into spreading them over our skin.
Thick-textured primers tended to run out of steam halfway through a swipe. On your actual sensitive skin, this could cause irritation, so we advise avoiding them.
Need More Sensitive Skin Products? We've Got Plenty
We've tested a plethora of products that are specifically for or tested for effectiveness with sensitive skin. Take a look!
Top 5 Japanese Foundation Primer For Sensitive Skin
No. 1: Ya-man｜Only Minerals Mineral Plus Base Natural
No. 2: Acro｜THREE Ultimate Protective Pristine Primer｜Glow
No. 3: Nature's Way｜Naturaglace UV Protection Base N
No. 4: Daiichi-Sankyo｜Minon Amino Moist Bright up Base UV
No. 5: Etvos｜Mineral UV Glow Base
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.