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How important is your eyeshadow's longevity?

Pretending that I’m a normal consumer, I’d look for a minimum of eight hours of solid wear but would want closer to 10-12 hour wear without creasing. A little fading or minimal fallout doesn’t bother me, but I don’t like to see creasing or patchiness!

— Christine

24 Comments

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Deborah S. Avatar

I am a registered nurse and was working 12 hour shifts. I want my e/s to last the full 12 hours if possible. I have very hooded eyes so 12 hours was asking a lot and many did not make it. I don’t have particularly oily eyelids and use a primer under all e/s so I would normally get a good 8-10 hours. Between the 9-12 hour range many shadows would just disappear. They wouldn’t be in my crease or on my lid and what I would normally see was just my mascara and my eyebrows done. My eyelids seem to just eat eye shadow sometimes.

Nancy T Avatar

Because I can remember a bit too well the days of not having any eyeshadow primer, and having the same heavily hooded eyes that also were even oilier back then, now that we do have primer, I sure do expect it to hold up until I take it off! I abhor creasing of my eyeshadow! No excuse in my mind since I use primer underneath all my eye looks. Therefore: 10 hours at barest minimum, 12-14 is optimal for me. Oh, and please, no weird oxidation or tons of fallout during wear either!

Josha Avatar

It is extremely important to me. I have seriously oily eyelids so lots of eyeshadows just crease and slide off in less than 4 hours. I’ve found only Wet n Wild, UD, KVD and Anastasia eyeshadows stay put with primer for 12 hrs.

Mariella Avatar

Very important. My days are pretty long during the school year (makeup on by 6 am) and I really dislike creased shadows. I always wear eye cream too (or LRP rich sunscreen as an eye cream) which can exacerbate creasing so I always, ALWAYS wear a shadow primer unless I’m wearing something like Maybelline Colour Tattoo or a MAC Paint Pot and sometimes, even with the Paint Pots, I’ll apply a bit of primer first, because of the oiliness of the eye creams.

Aj Avatar

I need it to last a minimum of 8 hours and little to no fading. I would like no fallout since most of the time I don’t have all that much time to clean up any makeup mistakes in the bathroom.

Seraphine Avatar

It’s extremely important! I put my makeup on at 7:00 a.m. and get home from work around 6:00 p.m., and I never have to do eyeshadow touchups.

I have UD Primer Potion, but I mainly use NYX Proof It Waterproof Eyeshadow Primer for my day-to-day makeup, and my eyeshadow usually stays nearly perfect all day.

I never use drugstore eyeshadows, but I did just pick up a few NYX singles that were on clearance for around $3. I haven’t tried them out yet.

Miska Avatar

Very important to me indeed! I’m with Shannon N in the oily (primer helps me with this) hooded lid department. The struggle is real my friends! It annoys me to no end when my eyeshadow disappears. The #1 worst one for me is the bare Minerals ready pressed eyeshadows. They totally vanish on my lids within hours. Nothing…I repeat nothing I use will make them stay. It’s such a shame as there are so many gorgeous shades. Now their loose pigments last all day long on me, what gives? If I really need something to stay all day/night on my eyes with out creasing or oxidizing from oil, I’ll just line my eyes and “set” the liner with a eyeshadow of the same or similar color. It’s a nice color pop with minimal effort that’ll withstand the dreaded makeup meltdown…a good 9 out of 10x’s anyway.

Miska Avatar

Seraphine, I’ve been very happy with both the NYX singles and the eyeshadow palettes I’ve purchased. Certain shades definately need a primer underneath. I almost always use one anyway. And others (Mermaid for example) do better with one of their shadow sticks underneath (Milk is a good one to use under the Mermaid shadow. Or go the opposite route with a dark base). Let me know what you think of them once you’ve had a chance to try them out!

Agona Avatar

My primer does a pretty good job at keeping my eye shadow on for 8-10, maybe 12-14+ hours. I have oily lids and hooded eyes, and it probably doesn’t help that I probably get some of my skin care in the area in the mornings–especially under eye area.

Since I’ve seen my primer perform with eye shadows from multiple brands, when something doesn’t last, I know it’s the eye shadow. I recently toss a Shiseido trip because the highlight color would crease immediately unless I made sure my eye lid was bone dry and my finger applying primer was bone dry and then I had to maybe even prep the area with powder and really press the shadow in there to stay–too high maintenance! (The other two colors in the trio performed beautifully though.)

I can’t do much about the really hot, humid days though. 🙁 I’m just happy if it lasts most of the day on those days but honestly, I don’t fault makeup for melting off in 90+ degrees w/high humidity.

Blue Avatar

Lol you imagine being a regular consumer very accurately, Christine. Eight hour minimum, ideally longer wear. I need my makeup to last through a work day and there’s no way I’m reapplying eyeshadow. Ideally it should still look cute even if imperfect if I decide to go out right after work.

MacKenzie G. Avatar

I use UD primer potion every single time, so I’ve rarely had a problem with eyeshadows creasing. I think it’s happened once and I had actually used the CP highlighter in lunch money on my eyes so I wasn’t really upset. But, since my eyeshadow never creases with that primer, I know that if it ever does happen it’s the shadow’s fault. Anyway, I normally only need my eye makeup to last 8 hours, but I’ve worn it up to 12-15 with no problems other than maybe a little fading, but it faded evenly so it still looked okay. Fall out is a big no no for me though. I do not have the time or patience to spend 5-10 minutes in the bathroom touching up makeup or trying to remove stray glitter without disturbing my concealer. Uh uh no way.

kellly Avatar

Pretty important to me, but if a color is totally gorgeous, I’ll try using primer to help it wear longer. I’d still probably use it if I love it, even if it ends up a mess or not showing up by day’s end.

Oleńka Avatar

Extremely important! I don’t like to use primer other than concealer as a base- eyeshadow has to stay for 10+ hours. Because what’s the point of doing makeup if it disappears after a couple of hours? That’s why I love Sleek shadows- they stay on my eyelids for the entire day. Shadows from TheBalm and Zoeva, though extremely blendable, fade so fast.

ShariP Avatar

My work day is usually at least 14 hours long by the time I add travel time in, so I hope for that length of time. As you said, minimal fading and fall out I’m ok with, but I’m pretty much a stickler for it looking good the whole time. I don’t have issues with oil and seldom wear primer. I have no problems getting 14 hours with UD, MUFE, and MAC Extra Dimension shadows.

Genevieve Avatar

It’s pretty important because at the very least, you want your eyeshadow to last for the whole working day. It’s not like lipstick that you can touch up. So a minimum of 8 – 10 hours is a must. As you have said Christine, a little fading is fine, but patchiness and creasing is not.

Alecto Avatar

Given that I often work 12 hour days, important in theory, but I don’t actually expect my makeup to last that long, so I rarely pay attention to that. (Also, skin type, foundation, climate, etc. seem to make a lot of difference, so what does/does not work for someone else might for hold true for me).

MoMerrell Avatar

As long as it lasts during my entire work shift (8.5 hours) and while I’m out with the girls (5 hours) then it’s ok for me! I also base the time off the price I paid for it, if the brand is labeling itself as higher quality then that’s what I want; High quality in longevity.

Usually my eyeshadow will last until the next day if I slept in it.

lisa Avatar

I don’t require a really long lasting shadow as usually I only do a full face of makeup for going out to dinner, but I do not like creasing, uneven application, powdery finish or fallout. I usually like a satin finish as I think matte actually makes my mature eyelids look older. 🙁

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