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Do you wear eyeshadows alone (without primer or a base)?
Do you wear eyeshadows alone (without primer or a base)? Is that important to you? Why do/why don’t you?
I do, actually! I didn’t know in the beginning that eyeshadows could be worn alone, but many brands actually market their eyeshadows this way. Since testing them out, I’ve found myself skipping primer/base for the ones that do work.
Thanks to Constance for today’s question! Got a question idea? Submit yours here.
I don’t. Even over proper primers eyeshadows crease on me. >:
i wear e/s alone allll the time. i find they often look the same with or without a primer =]. when i first started with mac makeup, i used all the shades without a primer or base, shades like amber lights were and still are my faves and were just as vibrant then as they are now. if its a great quality shade, it should glide across the skin evenly and pigmented without a base, the first time. the base is just a plus.
Never, my lids are on the oiler side so eyeshadow slides right off. I used to use UDPP for about a year and I thought it was great, until I let it expire and decided to try out TFSI, which I love, it’s my HG primer. It never leaves my shadows looking muddy, which UDPP used to do after a few hours.
I wish eyeshadow primer had been invented five+ years or so ago. Before I discovered it, eyeshadows almost always creased on me. (I have oily lids and semi-hooded eyes.)
I would never wear an eyeshadow without primer =) .. i feel like there’s no point.. =s
I have to but i find my lids are getting so oily lately that it still creases on me or fades after a few hours! Ive tried mac paint pots, nars eye primer, benefit creaseless cream shadows, mufe aqua cream, tfsi, & udpp. I alsk try experimenting with thethe amount of use and try I adjusting the amount of eyetime cream i use. Help!
Have you tried changing your skincare routine or changing what you use to remove the makeup? I also had pretty oily lids, but now that I just use water and a microfibre washcloth, my lids are barely even oily by the end of the day! Going water-only for my face also helped, but the lids didn’t decrease in oiliness substantially until I ditched the remover – Lancome, btw. I’d recommend that you try going about a week if you can without any eye makeup (or just mascara if it washes away in the shower/sink easily) so as to give the skin a product break, and then try a few pieces of makeup and remove it all with a microfibre washcloth. You can get them at most stores I think, my mom bought the ones I use at a general supermarket.
Oh, and the way I use mine is to soak it in some very warm water (unless I’m in a rush and don’t want to bother), squish the dripping water from it but still keeping it fairly moist, press it up against my lids for 10 seconds at a time or so, and gently blot/swipe the lid. Then repeat until all makeup is removed. If I’m really in a rush, I just wipe with more pressure, but that habit can result in ashy lids if done too often (same occurred if I’d be too quick with using cotton pads and Lancome to remove my makeup). It doesn’t remove all the glitter if my shadows were shimmery, but by the time I wake up the next day it’s pretty well gone anyways.
All the time. Way back in my day when I first started wearing eyeshadow there wasn’t such a notion as “primer”. Now I use them on my less pigmented ones, or the finicky ones with longevity issues, but I tend to find that primers can take away the intended look of the eyeshadow or a particular creation. It is a hard to a soft sheer wash with a primer, for example.
Almost never. Once in a while I do when I sweep a light shimmery shade all over and just a bit of mascara. But generally I don’t. It makes application smoother for me.
I used to not wear primers, put now it makes all the difference! It really defines the eyeshadow & makes it shine. 😀
I don’t -even though I used to before I bought my first primer, which wasn’t that many years ago…
No, I always use a primer.
Due to having VERY oily eyelids, I almost never use eyeshadows without a primer. I’ve yet to find ones that don’t crease on me
Never, unless it’s a creme shadow (then I top it with a powder anyway). I always experience some sort of creasing otherwise.
Now I’m curious: Which eyeshadows are designed/marketed to work without a primer?
I have only skipped a primer a few times, with a creasing nightmare as the result. I started off as a teenager just using my foundation as a base on my eyelids. I also use primer or a base to hide veins. The first real primer I used was Urban Decay Primer Potion. I am currently using a cheap one by E.L.F. that works just fine, or L’Oreal HIP paint as a base. I am curious about Too Faced Shadow Insurance and the Nars primer.
Powder eyeshadow with nothing underneath? Never. I will use some creams alone – MAC paint and UD cream shadow, for example, because they wear decently on their own. For dry shadow, I occasionally skip UDPP, but I still will put foundation on my lids as a base. I have oily skin, so if I use dry shadow without layering it over something, it creases. Besides, I much prefer the application with a primer/base.
Never! I always at least have a primer on and I have 3 different types to choose from. I skip the base now and then but its very rare I dont wear a base
When I use MUFE eyeshadows I always have a primer underneath cause it stains my lids a lot.
I used to wear e/s alone, but they always creased on me since I have oily lids and live in the philippines where it’s hot most of the year (even now in december! boo!). I sure am glad e/s primers were invented. 🙂
Not unless I’m just testing something really quickly. My eyelids are really troublesome and it seems like almost everything creases on them (unless I use primer, then some sort of colored base, then eyeshadow on top).
not since I discovered UDPP!
Not really.I have extremely oily eyelids so, if I don’t wear primer, everything will just crease.
I often find myself debating primer, then putting it on just in case. I have tried UD’s shadow pencils enough times to trust them without primer, and I will wear some cream shadows on their own, but I just don’t want to risk my powder shadows migrating.
I tried all types of primers
shadows still crease on me 🙁
So I rarely use them
I almost always wear a primer, but if I’m in a right rush to get out the door, I’ll reach for shadows that I know will work without them.
I would never wear eyeshadow without a primer or base…my eyelids are very oily and without a primer/base,eyeshadows crease on me within 2-3 hours…even the best ones…so I always use the ArtDeco eyeshadow base,which to me is the best eyeshadow base out there and even after 12 or more hours ,my eyeshadows look as if they were applied on my lids a minute before….!!!!!!!no more creasing…!!!not to mention that even the lightest of shades look perfect over this base…!!!!
I always wear primer, even with shadows that claim to be long-lasting (like Mac’s Pro Longwear shadows). I don’t even think about it, really – I just like the knowledge that with primer, any of my shadows will last all day and not crease even a bit.
Yes, for everyday nude make-up I usually wear MAC eshadow without base.
I wear a primer when I want intense colour and don’t when I want something more subtle. Quick application with my fingers is easier without a primer too.
I always use primer, but I think it’s more habit than anything at this point.
It’s funny, I’ve fallen into such a habit of using primer that I don’t even think to apply shadow without it. I think I skipped primer a couple of times last year, when I was on a trip to Albany and when I was just running errands and couldn’t be bothered with full makeup.
Hello, this is my first time comenting on Temptalia besides I’ve follow’d it for a long time! Excuse any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language. I’m not actually answering this question but I have a doubt regarding it. So when people ”do” their face first, they tend to put the foundation on the eyelids also (this is what I see on youtube videos), so, what’s the point of using an eye primer after to prevent creasing and help products stay on longer, when the eye had makeup already? Hope someone takes the time to answer me, thank you!
Never! I use Urban Decay Primer Potion and a Sephora or Urban Decay eyeshadow pencil, THEN I use powder shadow. I get long wear and no creasing. It would be a pure disaster if I didn’t have my primer!
When I first buy them, I always give them a try alone, especially if they claim some sort of special wear time. Unfortunately, I have oily asian fold lids so I have yet to find an eyeshadow that can truly be worn alone…I even have to use two primers its that bad!
i dont, and if an eyeshadow was marketed as not needing a primer, i still wouldnt lol i dont take any chances. i like udpp and painterly paint pot
You didn’t know that eyeshadows could be worn alone? I don’t get it. Eye primers haven’t even been around that long.
They’ve been around for as long as I’ve been using makeup – sorry!
oops – I’ve only heard of them for like about 10 years
😀
when I started using make-up, the only advice for e/s was to possibly powder the lids a little bit (and yes, e/s creased). I agree that primers have been around for me rather “recent”, too, face primers as well. Both were used first by professional MUAs and then later on their use trickled down to the general public. Of course there are always exceptions but that’s how I perceived it. I do remember also when it was thought face primers were basically for stage make-up and often-photographed people but not necessarily for everyday use.
I think the primer-use coincides with the increase in use of silicone in make-up and that is also a rather “new” phenomenon. Older formulas of make-up were for example with paraffins, there was no silicone anywhere at_all. Plus, silicone was first used in technical products actually. Somehow then the use shifted to make-up, too.
Nope, not since I found out about UDPP. It makes too big of a difference in terms of vibrancy and lasting power that I’ve never been able to go back to not using a primer.
Never. My lids are prone to creasing, I have to wear two bases. I usually wear UDPP, followed by UD shadow pencil or a cream shadow from benefit, then powder eyeshadows.
No, I don’t like primer too much. The application without a primer is much more smooth. And also a primer creates a “fishscale” surface !!!!!!! while wearing an eyeshadow alone does not create such terrible effect!
agreed
i get this “fishscale” , kind of “patchy dry ” effect too with both too face shadow insurance , udpp and benefit lemonaid. i have not tried any others yet, i didn’t really know what to call it. It happens when i apply a creme shadow / shadow base / liquid foundation /pencil, and does not go away. i think it has something to do with humidity because it happened less in the summer if i spread the creme around with a specific concealor brush and not my finger. i don’t get this nasty effect with a powder only( on top of the primer). If i dont use primer i get creasing 🙁 does anyone else have this problem?
The effect you are noticing is the product clinging to the ashy dry skin on your lids that aren’t very noticeable when you don’t apply those products. I get the same thing, but it only occurs if I remove my eye makeup a certain way, which causes ashiness. In the summer my lids are oilier and my skin in general is more moist, so I don’t get the problem.
I’d suggest either changing your makeup removal technique/product to something gentler (perhaps try using normal lotion on a cotton round), using lotion on the lids before makeup application, or a wet application to help smooth the look and doesn’t cling as much.
You might be using too much product! I sheer out my UDPP and its perfect!
I have oily lids so I never go without a primer. I often wear a primer and a base along with shadows.
I wear eyeshadows without a primer or a base. Maybe because I use foundation/ powder before applying eyeshadow colors, that the shadow sticks and not wear off….and I have Asian monolids, so I dont understand about the creasing problem. I dont recall having a eyeshadow primer in my time when I first learned to apply makeup..so this is a habit routine and now I feel there is not use for the primer..But I do use pixie poxy by Fyrinnae for the loose shadows.
Never. I got oily lids and hooded eyes and e/s do not stand a chance alone -crease within 1-2hrs.;((((
I prefer primer or base under eyeshadow.
not anymore since I’ve found the perfect paint pot (nubile)
I always use a primer and or base regardless of the long wear claims as I find it even helps those last long, easier to blend over a primer and can help the intensity which in tern you end up using less eyeshadow.
The Yaby Pearl Paints have a built in primer in that shadow formula but the primer means I use a lot less on my brush. 😉 (I wish they make more shades!!!)
I ALWAYS wear a primer base, unless I am wearing super-lazy-makeup and only doing a swipe of light shadow (like, if it’s a quiet day off and I’m only leaving the apartment to do laundry or check mail, so I don’t really want to bother… but you never know who you’ll run into, lol).
I work full time and go to school full-time, and some days I leave the house at 6 in the morning and don’t get home to around 10 at night. I NEED my eye makeup to stay put, and I don’t trust any company’s claims of all-day wear with no creasing.
Even if I see a review here and you get good results, I still don’t trust it since my skin type is probably different, and with my luck it WOULD crease and fade on me.
I always use urban decay primer potion.
Very rarely. Depends on my mood/if I’m in a hurry. I just find it really worthwhile to use some kind of base. Though matte shades I find apply more smoothly without. Go figure.
I only discovered that primers existed about a year and a half ago and I haven’t looked back since. I wore eyeshadow for a good 7-10 years before that always wondering why eyeshadow creased and disappeared and that you’d think someone would invent eyeshadow that stayed put on eyelids. No matter what the product is, it will either crease really badly or disappear completely on me, so primers and necessary. For a while now I have also layered a paint pot on top to up the staying power and that has really helped!
I never do.
I’ll wear eteshadows alone if I’m in a rush. I’ll take some Mac shroom all over the lid and put cork or handwritten in the crease 🙂
Unless it’s a long wearing cream eyeshadow, no. Powder eyeshadows always crease on me after a couple hours if I don’t wear them over a primer.
Ever since I discovered primers I use it everytime I wear eyeshadows! It makes such a big difference, my days are pretty long (some times 16+ hours, nope, not exaggerating). So I need everything to stay put all day as I don’t have time to do touch ups during the day.
No I don’t. All my life my eyeshadows have creased and looked “oily” after a few hours. This summer I found urban decay primer potion and now eyeshadows never creases. I will never be without it again!
i sometimes forgot to use primer…but i dont think it makes a major difference~
When I first wore makeup, I would use foundation/concealer or even lotion on my eyes to help the makeup stick, but experienced creasing. I eventually started using the MAC Paints (the thing in the tube?), but after a year of use they started creasing on me even when I bought a new tube. I’ve been using UDPP since 2008, and it definitely makes a huge difference. Even when I just swatch eyeshadows on my arm over bare skin vs UDPP, I see the difference. When I apply it to bare skin, it just doesn’t really stick, so it’s a very sheer application even if it’s a high-quality, pressed eyeshadow. Especially worse for loose shadows. When applied over a primer, it actually shows up, but I do still require a few layers (regardless of quality and brand). I’ve found now that wet application for pressed and loose shadows works best, but I still put it over UDPP. I have no idea if it would crease without it, but I’d rather not take that chance. UDPP only costs about 20 bucks a year, which isn’t that bad. And it evens the skin out a bit, so why not use it.
I usually wear eyeshadow alone. I do wear primer or cream shadow bases to enhance color (or give staying power to weaker shadows), but I rarely use primer.
i never wear primer…maybe i will someday
If I’m in a hurry and it’s simple
if it’s elaborate, I use a primer or base.
No – I just don’t want to risk creasing – and I find that my eyeshadows glide over primed eyelids better vs non-primed (I used TFSI)
It really depends on the look I’m doing. Most days the only eyeshadow I wear is a neutral matte shade like cork or saddle in the crease and I have never had any trouble with it creasing or migrating. If I am wearing a more colourful look I will always use primer, or sometimes when trying a new product where I’m not familiar with the wear. When doing other people’s makeup though, I always use a primer. I think I am just lucky that I rarely experience creasing
I wish I would’ve discovered primer years ago because for my oily lids it has been my saving grace. At one point I became so fed up with the creases and fading that I stopped wearing shadow. Now I can’t get enough and now wearing eye makeup is much more enjoyable all because of primer.lol
No, never. I used to – primers seem to be a newer thing, or at least something that wasn’t on MY radar until maybe 10-15 years or so ago – and even my best shadows always creased within hours and had to be touched up. I have very oily, hooded lids, so primer is absolutely necessary for me!
I almost always wear Stila Primer Pot and pair it with a variety of sticks as a base depending on the shadow I am using. The only time would even consider skipping the primer step is when I am in a super rush and only have time to use a waterproof eyeshadow crayon.
When I first started using makeup (years ago), I didn’t use primers. I’m still looking for my HG primer, but I do like using them.
I’ve only started using primers for ~4 months now. XD
I think that they do help eyeshadows last longer without creasing and stay in place more.
I can’t wear eyeshadow w/o a primer!! they crease on me like crazy.
Unless I use a good concealer set with translucent powder (which I did on my last trip ’cause I forgot my TFSI)
I rarely use eye primers. I got tons from UD/toofaced/BE but I compared my e/s with primer and without and honestly the vividness and staying power was longer lasting without the primer regardless of primer brand. Sometimes I use a cream eyeshadow and layer over it with powder shadows to prevent creases and more vividness but for everyday just e/s alone is good enough for me
I always wear a primer under my eye shadows and as for a base I wear it sometimes depending on the look I want
i have extremely oily lids that crease so easily, it’s rare that i don’t use a primer. if i don’t use something i will still “prime” my eyes with an astringent to help remove oils and also spray on a mattifying spray like skindinavia, it totally smooths and sort of “dries out” my lids in a way.
side question, have you heard of lime crime primer? i am really really really interested in looking into this brand and your opinion means everything to me when it comes to purchasing cosmetics, i’d really like to hear what you think of it…
I do not use Lime Crime products and will not do so in the future – we do not do business with them!