What is the Best Eyeshadow Primer?

Hey Ladies! I have some next level beauty knowledge to share with you. As we have discussed in my other articles, eyeshadow works best with a good primer.

Can you build a house with no foundation? Sure. But that is going to be a disaster very, very soon. So let’s avoid a beauty disaster and start our eye makeup routine with the proper foundation. Now for the million dollar question. What is the best eyeshadow primer?

What is the purpose of primer?

OK. we have touch on the subject of primer and what it does before, but we will go a little more in depth about it in this article. You may not think it is a big deal, and may be on the hunt for the right primer, but with a bit of skepticism.

I want to you to try something. The next time you are at the mall or doing little shopping elsewhere, pay attention to the ladies you see throughout the day. Are they wearing eyeshadow? If so, how does it look? Can you barely tell that they have any on? Is it creased and fading in spots? Or, is it bold and beautiful, vibrant and full of color? Is it smooth and even?

Depending on the answer to your questions, you will know if she used a primer or not. If you are super social, ask them and see what they say. And remember, there are some really good, highly pigmented eyeshadows that will provide a really brilliant color. However, even the best eyeshadows will look noticeably better with a good primer.

• No creasing. The primer will create a barrier between your skin and the eyeshadow. This barrier will allow your eyeshadow to adhere to your eyes and not shift with the motion of your eyes.
• No eyeshadow migrating into the corners of your eye causing irritation. As mentioned, the primer will keep the eyeshadow where you put it, and nowhere else. So as you go about your daily activities, sweating, crying, napping, your eyeshadow will not move.

• Helps keep eyeliner, especially liquid eyeliner from bleeding
• Helps you to blend your colors together so that each shade fades into the next seamlessly
• Makes your colors POP!
• Keeps you with a flawless, freshly applied look, all day. A smooth canvas, unhindered by oils and imperfections, will allow you to seamlessly blend your colors.

 What will happen if I don’t use a primer first?

The better question would probably be what WON’T happen. But instead of complicating things, let's just list the possible issues that will occur if you skip this step.

• Your eyeshadow will crease. Why? The natural oils and creases in the skin of your eyelid will lift the eyeshadow, and push it away from the center of your natural eye creases.
• It Burns!!!  If you don’t use a primer, your eyeshadow will roam about wherever your sweat, tears, and pillow takes it.
• I can barely see it! If you don’t use a primer, you will not have the perfect, unbiased shade canvas for your beautiful colors.  Without it, your colors will be dull in comparison.
• When using multiple colors, it will be difficult, even impossible to blend.

 Is there anything I can use other than a “primer”?

 Quick answer, Yes. Here is the “but”. BUT, they do not work as well. In my opinion, not by a long shot. Some people use their foundation or concealer as their primer as a shortcut. Shortcut me no likey. Let me tell you why.

Think about it. What is keeping your foundation and/or concealer in place on your skin? (Jeopardy music playing in my head?) That’s right. Absolutely nothing. So let’s not forget that you absolutely MUST lay a foundation (primer) for your makeup, or it is going to be a long makeup stained day. If you need to use a primer prior to applying your foundation to keep it on your face, and nowhere else; To create a smooth canvas on which your foundation and concealer to flow, then how can foundation or concealer make a good primer? I’ll tell you how. It will not.

Bottom line? Use eyeshadow primer as eyeshadow primer, and everything else for what it was intended. Don’t believe the hype!

What is the best eyeshadow primer?

So far, I have tried several different brands of eyeshadow primer. Some that I have tried were not good at all. When you apply your eyeshadow primer, it should go on smooth and even, not leaving flakes or clumps of product.

I find that a nude primer works best for most common uses. These usually dry clear, leaving a flawless, smooth canvas to apply any color. My favorite is:

All About that Base Nude Shadow Primer 

For years I used Urban Decay’s Potion Primer and really liked it. It comes with a little felt brush. I find it easier to apply the primer evenly with the tip of one of my fingers. But, to each his own. If you feel more comfortable using the brush then that is perfectly fine. Whatever works best for you.

I am currently using the All About that Base Nude Shadow Primer mentioned above. It works great and is available for a fraction of the price of Urban Decay. But they both work well in my opinion.

The primer by All About that Base doesn’t have a fancy brush to go with it but that doesn’t matter to me because I don’t use it anyway. As I try new primers I will be sharing how they worked for me as well so that you can make an informed decision before you make your purchase.

Go all the way!

 You are obviously here today because you know the importance of doing things right. And you value your hard-earned money, and don’t want to waste it on something that doesn’t work. High five! Great minds think alike lol. If you are going to use eyeshadow as a part of your makeup routine, don’t skip the all important step of starting with a quality primer. Notice I said a “Primer” ladies. Not, something like a primer.

Take your beauty to the next level. Try out one of the two primers that I have tried and like. And if you are an avid primer user and have a different primer that you find to work good, please share it with me in the comments below!