Reviewed: A Makeup Artist Puts Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip Primer to the Test

We put Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip Primer to the test after receiving a complimentary sample from the brand. Keep reading for our full product review.

Primers are somewhat controversial in the beauty space; some people swear by them, while others don't notice a difference in the longevity of their makeup after using even a high-quality primer. Personally, as a professional makeup artist, an important step in my beauty routine is prepping my skin for my complexion products—and I love a good primer that will help get the job done. One such primer is, apparently, Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip primer (in case you haven't seen, the formula recently went viral on TikTok). Ever skeptical, I decided to take it for a trial run myself. Ahead, read my full review of Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip primer—I'll reveal if it's worth your coins.

About My Skin: Acne-prone and sensitive

I’ve dealt with acne for many years, and I tend to break out when I am stressed, hormonal, or consume too much dairy. Knowing all of this, I am pretty vigilant with my skincare routine and use gentle products that soothe my sensitive skin. To cleanse my skin, I use the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser (view at Amazon). I moisturize my skin with my La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Soothing Repair Moisturizer (view at Derm Store), and I use my prescription retinoid cream every other evening. This has been my routine for a couple of years now, and it’s helped keep my breakouts to a minimum. My moisturizer is lightweight but hydrating, and I love the fact that it makes my skin look really plump and supple. Since I like that type of look, I was curious to see how the Hydro Grip Primer would work on top of my skincare products before I applied my foundation.

How to Apply: Fingers or a makeup brush will do the job

The Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer has a cooling, semi-watery, gel-like texture that spreads easily and evenly. Because of the consistency of this product, I pressed the pump twice into my hand and spread it over my skin like a moisturizer. The Milk Makeup website suggests to pump the product onto the back of your hand and apply it to your skin from there with your fingertips, but I think either method works well. If you prefer to use a brush, you can also use a brush with synthetic fibres that will disperse the product onto your skin.

The Results: Fresh, Beautiful Skin

After waiting one minute for Hydro Grip to absorb, I applied my foundation and was instantly impressed by the natural, soft glow that appeared. This product gave me everything that I was looking for in a primer; it’s hydrating, refreshing, illuminating, and long-wearing—all without looking artificial. Because the Hydro Grip Primer is translucent, it worked well with my skin tone and elevated the look of my makeup application without my skin looking sparkly (like many other primers that claim to help with a glow have done in the past). Concerned about my T-zone looking too shiny, I was doubly amazed at the fact that my forehead and nose didn’t need much touching up midday; Hydro Grip contains niacinamide, an ingredient that helps to balance oil production. Milk was thorough when this product was created, striking a solid balance between moisture and oil control. The Hydro Grip Primer is exactly the type of product I will gladly spend money on. 

The Value: Worth your coins

A radiant glow is integral to my beauty routine, and I consciously purchase products that contribute to giving me the look of fresh, luminous skin, regardless of if I am wearing foundation or not. Even for the amount of primer you get in the bottle and its high-performing ingredients, I think that $30 for 1.52 fl. oz is a tad pricey. Dropping the price of this product by a few dollars would make it much more attractive to me, but, to be honest, I’d probably still repurchase it anyway—even with the $30 price tag.

Similar Products: You have options

MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Natural Radiance: MAC’s Natural Radiance is a hydrating primer that feels like a gel or lotion when you put it on, disappears upon contact, and leaves skin with a stunning glow. Available in two shades, this product accommodates fair and deep skin tones beautifully but is a little more expensive than the Hydro Grip primer.

e.l.f. Jelly Pop Dew Primer: Circulating through the beauty community as the quintessential dupe to Hydro Grip, e.l.f.’s Jelly Pop Dew Primer is a skin-friendly product jam-packed with nourishing ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamins E, A, and C. If you’re looking for a product similar to Hydro Grip that’s more affordable, you really can’t go wrong with this one.

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Hydrating Primer: Another primer that feels like a lotion Fenty’s Hydrating Primer leaves skin supple and radiant. Softening skin and creating a filter-like effect underneath makeup, this product is perfect for normal to dry skin. If your skin is super sensitive, though, exercise caution with this product: it contains fragrance, and fragrant products don’t always agree with sensitive skin.