Benefit

Benefit POREfessional Primer.

Primer

About this product

Benefit POREfessional Primer is a silicone-based face primer with a whipped texture, designed to smooth the look of pores and prepare skin for makeup.

Full ingredients

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isononyl Isononanoate, Silica, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isododecane, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Cyclohexasiloxane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance (Parfum), Mica, Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Limonene, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Bht

Guru Score

64%

Mixed

5 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

That whipped, silicone-smooth feel is the whole argument: fans love how it blurs pores and leaves a powdery, velvety finish, while others find it too slippery, especially on oily skin. Fans also call it a classic that stays lightweight. If you try it, tap it gently into your pores instead of spreading it, since rubbing is what makes it pill.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take August 2026

What they liked

Whipped texture fills the appearance of pores
Temporarily minimizes pore visibility

What they flagged

Slippery on oily skin
Pills if spread instead of tapped on

Type

PrimerGel

Key actives

Vitamin E

Formula notes

Contains fragranceNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Ulta → Amazon → Google →

Opens a store search. We may earn from these links.

Scan it in the shopFree iPhone app. Scores in the aisle.

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Clogged or visible pores2 experts

“If you have large open pores one that I kind of did really really enjoy is this one it is the Benefit POREfessional light primer this is like a watery it is like a water-based one yes so it comes when it comes out you will see it looks like a silicone thing just the original formula but when you apply it you can use a primer make sure it's very very lightweight.”

Nipun Kapur, watch at 3:35

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Robert Welsh

1.11M subs

~Nay

"I don't like POREfessional Primer on oily skin. I just think it's like quite slippery."

All 4 takes from Robert Welsh

Do you even need primer? | Why you do and dont need to prime! Makeup Monday!

"I despise Porefessional. I don't like it for anyone because it's too siliconey, it's too slippery, and it's just not good."

A TOTAL FLOP FOR BENEFIT?? | POREfessional Foundation wear test on oily skin

"I don't like POREfessional Primer on oily skin. I just think it's like quite slippery."

Makeup Products You THINK You Need (But You Don’t!!!!)

"You have your silicone primers. Think Benefit POREfessional. Your smoothing primers, your glow primers, your oil control. And skincare does a lot of that already, so bear that in mind. Think about your skincare before your primer. A serum and a sunscreen. Great skin prep for makeup. That's all you need to do sometimes."

FOR GREASY PEOPLE!! Your makeup CAN last all day!! | PRO MUA MAKEUP PREP

"Take something like the Porefessional, it's not one of my favorite ones, but comparing the texture, it's a good go-to because it has that smoothness to it. It does smell a little bit more like sunscreen, but it has that powdery, velvety finish. If you're not even going to wear makeup and you like that matte appearance with your sunscreen, and you don't like how greasy it makes you look, this is the one to go for."

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

~Mixed

"Benefit has expanded their primer options to three now. I think this can work, just make sure you press it into your pores instead of rubbing it in, otherwise it can pill."

All 2 takes from AliceintheRabbitHole

Ulta 21 Days of Beauty WEEK 2! Hits & Misses

"Benefit has expanded their primer options to three now. I think this can work, just make sure you press it into your pores instead of rubbing it in, otherwise it can pill."

Ulta Sale Week 2: UGH! Scammy, Stinky, Frustrating Products?! A lot to avoid IMHO...

"The four Benefit POREfessional Primer options are good for temporarily making your pores look less prominent. It is important to remember you must apply these by tapping just gently into your pores. I've seen a lot of people say these cause pilling, and yes, they do if you spread them instead of tapping."

Abbey Yung

887k subs

~Nay

"It feels way nicer to me than that. I always remember that product [...] feeling a bit suffocating, and this does not. And unlike the Milk primer, this is something that does change what my complexion looks like, because it actually blurs the skin. So it's really great if you have large pores or if you're trying to minimize the appearance of texture. I have just been applying this in my T-zone, which I would say is the main area I'm prone to my pores looking a little bit bigger."

Allie Glines

829k subs

~Yay

"This benefit POREfessional Primer [...] is one of the very first high-end makeup products I ever tried. It's just one of those classic primers with a very interesting whipped pore filling texture. I'm going to use this in the center of the face to smooth everything. The smell even takes me back, [...] I think it was 2014 that I discovered this product."

All 2 takes from Allie Glines

Full Face of NOTHING NEW 😍 Do you still use these?

"Now I'm going to take my Benefit POREfessional Supersetter. I use this daily. For a hot minute I forgot about it again, so I'm just going to go ahead and spray it. Whoa, there it is. Spray the face with this, and I'm going to pat that in with my sponge. I'm going to go in with a little bit more of the Patrick Ta powder, just right through the T-zone, very lightly."

YOUR Daily Makeup That Nobody Talks About (Anymore)

Nipun Kapur

413k subs

~Yay

"If you have large open pores one that I kind of did really really enjoy is this one it is the Benefit POREfessional light primer this is like a watery it is like a water-based one yes so it comes when it comes out you will see it looks like a silicone thing just the original formula but when you apply it you can use a primer make sure it's very very lightweight. I used to use the Elf putty primer I have used the Nyx Marshmallow they just are very very heavy go in with a primer that is light."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Sunscreen filters

Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Benefit POREfessional Primer?

Benefit POREfessional Primer is a silicone-based face primer with a whipped texture, designed to smooth the look of pores and prepare skin for makeup.

Is Benefit POREfessional Primer worth it?

The gurus are split. 2 of the 5 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 64%.

What is Benefit POREfessional Primer's Guru Score?

Benefit POREfessional Primer holds a Guru Score of 64%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected.

What is Benefit POREfessional Primer good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say Benefit POREfessional Primer is good for clogged or visible pores (2 experts).

Is Benefit POREfessional Primer good for clogged or visible pores?

2 experts who reviewed Benefit POREfessional Primer say it is. Nipun Kapur put it this way: “If you have large open pores one that I kind of did really really enjoy is this one it is the Benefit POREfessional light primer this is like a watery it is like a water-based one yes so it comes when it comes out you will see it looks like a silicone thing just the original formula but when you apply it you can use a primer make sure it's very very lightweight.”