Face, Skin

Primers that work as well as Tatcha Silk Canvas — for a fraction of the cost

Ditching the drama from your professional life or personal life takes time. Luckily, ditching the drama from your makeup routine is as easy as applying some primer. (If you haven’t discovered this pore-minimizing miracle yet, listen up.) And the gold standard of primers is Tatcha’s Silk Canvas primer. There’s only one problem: it’s $52. And that’s where thee Tatcha Silk Canvas dupes come in.

OK, there are two issues with the beloved pre-makeup balm. The first is the price. Even if a pot of it lasts a while, it’s still painful to shell out that much dough for only one step of your beauty routine. The other issue is that it has a habit of selling out.

tatcha silk canvas dupes original

So why not opt for a less expensive, constantly available, primer? These Tatacha primer dupes have the same pore-minimizing, skin mattifying benefits as the original. But they happen to be a fraction of the cost.

The best Tatcha Silk Canvas dupes

  • e.l.f. Cosmetics Poreless Putty Primer
  • Winky Lux Whipped Cream Primer
  • L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Resurfacing Primer

Other noteworthy Tatcha primer dupes

  • e.l.f. Cosmetics Poreless Face Primer
  • Milani Prime Protect SPF 30 Face Primer
  • Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer

Tatcha Silk Canvas dupes people swear by

The best Tatcha primer dupes are easy to judge. Just take everything makeup artists and beauty bloggers love about the original, and use those as your standards. That’s exactly what we did with these contenders for best Tatcha primer dupes.

These primers needed to have that same balm consistency. They also needed to melt seamlessly into your skin without causing makeup runs later in the day. Like Tatcha Silk Canvas primer, they also needed to be worthy of solo-wear. By that we mean that gorgeous glow you can get simply from applying this silk primer to your face, and nothing else.

Which ones made the cut? And, most importantly, how do they stack up against the original? Here are the Tatcha Silk Canvas dupes that people keep talking about and rebuying.

tatcha silk cavas dupes elf putty primer

e.l.f. Cosmetics Poreless Putty Primer

Overall verdict: If you’re less concerned about skin nourishment than priming for your makeup, this is a great Tatcha primer dupe. e.l.f is, obviously, more affordable and also includes fewer ingredients that help improve the quality of your skin. Though it’s the tiniest bit drier, the formula is a remarkable dupe for the beauty cult classic product and a good option.

How they’re similar:

  • Both formulas use skin-nourishing ingredients like squalane
  • Both products boast a gorgeous velvet-like application
  • The same two main ingredients are used in both formulas

How they’re different:

  • e.l.f.’s primer formula takes more time to work into the skin
  • This Tatcha Silk Canvas dupe is slightly drier than the original
  • e.l.f. primer feels slightly thicker than that of Tatcha
tatcha silk canvas dupes winky lux

Winky Lux Whipped Cream Primer

Overall verdict: If you like your makeup routine to feel lighter, Winky Lux makes the Tatcha Silk Canvas dupe for you. Its lightweight feel is the only significant difference between these two products. And since they share the same main ingredient, you can expect similar mattifying effects.

How they’re similar:

  • Both formulas get most of their feel from the same active ingredient
  • Winky Lux and Tatcha both have products that apply very creamy
  • Both products have a mattifying effect on your skin

How they’re different:

  • Winky Lux’s formula is more lightweight than Tatcha’s
touch in sol no poreblem primer

Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer

Overall verdict: While most users agree Touch In Sol’s formula isn’t ideal for oily skin, it’s a great Tatcha primer dupe for everyone else. Since it uses the same two main ingredients, you can expect the same feel and application. Save yourself some bucks, and potentially a waitlist, by opting for this cheaper primer.

How they’re similar:

  • The same main two ingredients are used in both formulas
  • Both apply smoothly without balling up at all
  • The formulas both leave your skin feeling velvety

How they’re different:

  • Touch In Sol uses a pump, which makes it hard to get the last ¼ product
  • Tatcha Silk Canvas is more mattifying than Touch In Sol
tatcha silk canvas dupes elf poreless face primer

e.l.f. Cosmetics Poreless Face Primer

Overall verdict: This should probably be your go-to Tatcha primer dupe. In terms of application, the e.l.f primer is remarkably similar. Fans love the velvety finish it leaves on your skin and pore-blurring abilities. Some people are torn about the smell, but even those who don’t like it report that it goes away quickly.

How they’re similar:

  • They both give you a subtle glow if used alone
  • Both formulas use ingredients to help improve your skin
  • Both products leave your face with a velvety finish

How they’re different:

  • e.l.f. is slightly mattifying, though it does impart some dewiness
  • Some users report an unpleasant smell with the e.l.f product that dissipates
milani prime protect spf 30 primer

Milani Prime Protect SPF 30 Face Primer

Overall verdict: It’s not the best Tatcha Silk Canvas dupe out there, but it does save you a step. Milani’s formula seems to work best with combination or dry skin, since the SPF adds a dewiness that can feel like grease on oily skin. Just make sure to let it soak in for a few minutes before applying foundation for best results.

How they’re similar:

  • Both formulas contain skin nourishing ingredients

How they’re different:

  • Tatcha Silk Canvas primer doesn’t include SPF
  • Milani’s formula is a gel whereas Tatcha’s is creamy
  • Milani leaves a slight dewy finish; Tatcha is mattifying
tatcha silk canvas dupes l'oreal

L’Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Resurfacing Primer

Overall verdict: The key to this Tatcha primer dupe is its main ingredient, which is very similar to that of the cult classic. L’Oreal’s primer has tons of believers, though even they recognize it needs some time to sink in. But if you’re willing to give this creamy primer time to set, you’ll save some major bucks on your makeup routine.

How they’re similar:

  • L’Oreal uses a very similar main ingredient to Tatcha
  • Both products will feel like they melt into your skin
  • The formulas from both companies are mattifying

How they’re different:

  • L’Oreal’s formula isn’t as great when used without makeup
  • The L’Oreal primer feels thicker and may need time to soak in