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e.l.f.

Poreless Putty Primer.

e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer
Powder & Setting

About this product

A lightweight putty primer designed to blur pores, mattify the skin, and create a smooth base for makeup application.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

79%

Yay

6 experts · Strong agreement
6Gurus
6Yay
0Mixed
0Nay
#10 in Powder & SettingSee the ranking →

What they liked

  • Smooths pores without breaking up foundation
  • Extends makeup wear throughout the day
  • Gentle matte finish, not harsh or drying

What they flagged

  • May increase oiliness in pore areas for some

What the gurus are saying

This primer visibly blurs pores and smooths the skin without going hard matte, making it especially good for the T-zone on combination skin. Gurus praise how a little goes a long way and that it keeps makeup in place all day on oily areas while preventing dry patches from flaking. The putty texture sits on top of the skin in a way that feels pressed into the pores rather than heavy, and several experts rate it as a worthwhile alternative to higher-priced options.
Synthesized from 6 expert reviews · most recent take September 2025

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
Yay
"The Poreless Putty Primer is considered a dupe of Tatcha's Silk Canvas."
Yay
"I'm still very much loving my e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer but technically that was a favorite from last year so I wanted to make sure to include things that I tried this year and really fell in love with."
All 13 takes from Allie Glines
THE BEST DRUGSTORE MAKEUP 2024!! 😍
"I'm still very much loving my e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer but technically that was a favorite from last year so I wanted to make sure to include things that I tried this year and really fell in love with."
My #1 Products from July 2023 😍
"I have been using this basically daily since trying it out. It really does something special to the T-Zone. I feel like it smooths my skin out so beautifully. I also feel like the longevity of my makeup is really improved, which is not always the case with products like this. Anything like pore filling or semi-matifying sometimes actually does the opposite on my skin for some reason and will break up foundation, but not this one. This is incredible. Love that it's from the drugstore. 10 out of 10."
UPDATED: The BEST Primers ACCORDING TO YOU 😱
"This is hands down the best primer I've ever tried. Not only does it noticeably make your makeup look better and blur all imperfections, it also has the power to make foundations that would normally look cakey and pill up smooth again. I really love this formula, it's so nice, it's one of the best performing primers out there. I cannot say enough good things about this primer, it is amazing how great my skin looks with it. I have mature dry skin and it blurs my pores to perfection. The thing I like best about it is no matter what foundation or skin tint I use, it pairs with everything. I also agree, I feel like it really does pair with anything, that's one of the reasons why it's one of my favorites in my collection."
My #1 Makeup RIGHT NOW 😍
"For primer, my top primer right now has to be the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. It's just so good, and I love that it's affordable too. It's not everyday that I use primer, so when I do, you know it's good."
The NEW e.l.f. LIQUID Putty Primer 🙉 Is it different?
"I'm leaning towards this and favoring this overall. I like the feeling of it upon application, it just feels really special, feels like silk. Once this dries down it has a very similar feel to it, and there's just something about it, I really do feel like it's different, and I feel like it's controlling my oils a little bit more on this side. It's really good, I'm a fan. [...] It's a thumbs up for me. [...] Definitely has my stamp of approval and I'm excited to use it again, I'm actually going to keep it on my desk."
The Makeup I'm Thankful For This Year 🥹
"I am thankful for the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer, this is one of my favorite primers ever, and it just so happens to be one of the most affordable ones as well, which I love. I love how it starts out as a liquid so it's easy to use, and then it just dries down and gives you an airbrushed effect. I feel like this primer for me actually makes a difference in how my makeup looks and wears, you know, how some don't really. This one actually does for me, so I love this one."
I was losing faith in the drugstore.. UNTIL NOW 😍
"This is an incredible product from the drugstore that I can't get enough of. It has an incredible way of smoothing out the skin, but also I swear to you it makes my makeup last so much longer."
The PERFECT Back to School Makeup (all affordable)
"I'm going to go in with the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. This stuff is incredible, especially for longevity and for a situation like going back to school or work where you just don't have as much time to worry about your makeup slipping off throughout the day. So this is a really, really important quick step that can really help with longevity. I like to give that a second to sink into the skin and dry down a little bit before going into foundation."
Makeup YOU Said You'll NEVER Buy Again..
"I personally actually really do like this one. I feel like it's better than the Tatcha one, but hey to each their own. That's the beauty of makeup, you know, is that we don't have to all enjoy everything."
TRYING DRUGSTORE ALLURE WINNERS 2024!!!
"I'm going to apply a primer that won best mattifying primer, [...] and it's the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. You guys know how much I love this. I [...] don't feel like it's mattifying or super drying per se, but I do feel like it does give you a more velvety finish to the skin. It's one of my all-time favorite primers, I adore this, so I was excited to see that it won an award again. I do feel like this one deserves a double award. I'm still using it and I'm still loving it years after it launched, so I do think it's very very good. [...] I love this primer. Honestly, if you've never tried this, it's one of the best between drugstore and high-end."
We Need to Talk About e.l.f. (& try their new makeup)
"The e.l.f putty primer was initially supposed to be a dupe for the Tarte [...] putty primer, and that line has since expanded into the liquid Poreless Putty Primer, which I love."
The Makeup I'm Thankful For This Year
"I just love that it's affordable it grips foundation so beautifully but it like smooths the pores it's so beautiful"
Here's the BEST Drugstore Makeup RIGHT NOW 😍
"This to me is the best primer at the drugstore right now, it's the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. This checks off all of my boxes and I actually notice a difference when I use this underneath makeup. There's so many products you can use under makeup, even skin prep, and a lot of them can just feel nice but actually not make a difference. I find that this actually makes a difference because it smooths the pores, but it's a liquid so it just blends easily. I feel like my makeup looks much better on top of this. It's actually one of my favorite primers period, not just from the drugstore, it is so good. I focus it in the T-zone and then I just kind of apply whatever's left on the outside of my face. It's one of my favorite products for a skin product. There's so many good ones at the drugstore, but this one really takes the cake for me right now."
Yay
"I've tried many primers and there are many that I like out there. The e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer, the liquid version, I like this because it's mattifying but not like casket sharp matte. So I get like a gentle mattifying of the T-Zone area because I'm not trying to be matte matte matte. I just want to be matte, you know, like matte not matte."
All 2 takes from The Style and Beauty Doctor
Summer Skincare for the SWEATY AF! (Comprehensive Guide)
"I've tried many primers and there are many that I like out there. The e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer, the liquid version, I like this because it's mattifying but not like casket sharp matte. So I get like a gentle mattifying of the T-Zone area because I'm not trying to be matte matte matte. I just want to be matte, you know, like matte not matte."
My Current AM & PM Skincare Routine + Makeup (DETAILED with Timestamps)
"This is the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer. Typically I just need the primer in my T-zone because that's where I get really oily. I'm oily all over, but the T-zone is like Crisco, Crisco, Crisco. At my age I'm not trying to be casket sharp matte, y'all can have all that super matte foundation, I like more of a satin natural finish. Sometimes my pores right here just say hello, so sometimes I put a little primer there too. I don't like a super matte finish, I like more of a satin natural finish, so I like a little bit of luminosity, but since I have oily skin I can't go too hard or that mess will be like a grease bowl on me."
Yay
"I'm going to use a little bit of the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer in the center of my face. I'm gonna swipe it on and then press once it's like evenly distributed."
All 2 takes from Alexandra Anele
Yummmy, latte makeup but make it drugstore
"I'm going to use a little bit of the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer in the center of my face. I'm gonna swipe it on and then press once it's like evenly distributed."
Tragedy occurs during the longest drugstore makeup tutorial ever
"I also have the elf liquid Poreless Putty Primer which I don't know, poreless primers I kind of have a difficult time with but whatever we're trying new things. I'm gonna try this in my T-Zone since I do tend to get a little bit oily there and I kind of prefer the idea of a liquid over the one in the little pot or compact. For some reason I feel like poreless primers always make me more oily in those areas and kind of make my pores stand out more."
Yay
"The E.L.F. Poreless Putty Primer is made to help smooth out skin texture, pores, and things like that. What she does is warm up the product, which is a great thing to do with makeup and foundation. When you're rolling and pressing, you're pushing that product onto the skin, keeping it in place, and therefore achieving a more smoother look on the skin, on the nose, any larger pores. It's a really really good technique."
All 2 takes from Robert Welsh
Are We Still Doing This In 2024? | Pro MUA reacts to Makeup hacks
"Before I do anything, I prep my skin with all my skincare. I then put on the e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer"
Would You Steam Your Makeup?! Pro MUA Reacts To TikTok Hacks!
"The E.L.F. Poreless Putty Primer is made to help smooth out skin texture, pores, and things like that. What she does is warm up the product, which is a great thing to do with makeup and foundation. When you're rolling and pressing, you're pushing that product onto the skin, keeping it in place, and therefore achieving a more smoother look on the skin, on the nose, any larger pores. It's a really really good technique."
Yay
"The e.l.f Poreless Putty Primer makes a really good eye primer for the eyeshadow."

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

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer?

A lightweight putty primer designed to blur pores, mattify the skin, and create a smooth base for makeup application.

Is e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer worth it?

Yes. All 6 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 79%.

What is e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer's Guru Score?

e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer holds a Guru Score of 79%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 6 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer best for?

e.l.f. Poreless Putty Primer is generally suited to oily skin.

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