A foundation cannot be used as a primer for the face. An exception is to use it as a lip or eye primer. 

Foundations do a great job at covering blemishes and other skin imperfections. However, it cannot replace a primer because it cannot create a smooth surface on your skin or make your other makeup last longer.

If you apply foundation directly on your skin, chances are that the natural oils on your face will break it down, causing it to look patchy and slide off your face.

If you have smooth skin and want to skip the primer and go straight to foundation, you can try to apply two coats of liquid foundation to build coverage and then set it with powder. This will help your foundation last a little longer. 

Use Foundation as Lip or Eye Primer

An exception is if you want to use your foundation as a lip or eye primer. Foundations can actually work very well as an eye shadow primer because the skin on these areas are usually less oil-prone.

You can use a foundation alone on your lip or eye areas or create a quick “foundation eye / lip primer” the can help your makeup last even longer.

Here is an easy DIY eye shadow or lip primer recipe using foundation:

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of natural lip balm, 1 teaspoon corn starch, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of liquid foundation. Apply the mixture to your eyelids before you apply eye shadow to help it last longer.