22 Comments

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Becca Avatar

I swear by MAC’s Prep and Prime Lip, especially with MAC l/s. This stuff makes lipsticks last, glosses don’t bleed and it just does what it says it will do.

amy Avatar

Almay had an incredible one many years ago; I was a waitress back then, and I could apply my lipstick before my shift started, and at the end of 8 hours (11pm-7am), at a diner on the Sunset Strip, my lipstick looked as freshly applied as when I started. Of course, for some strange, unfathomable reason, it was discontinued. I guess women felt it was an unnecessary step and an added expense. It worked just as well on the brightest reds to the palest nudes.

Sharlie Gugel Avatar

I love UD lip primer for the express purpose of holding my OCC Lip Tars in place without using a lip liner. Colors like Chlorophyll, you can’t find lip liners for. Using the lip primer changes the consistency of the Lip Tar to a more lipstick like texture, and I get no feathering at all. Has anyone se tried this??

Carrie Avatar

I love lip primers! I just recently got into the TooFaced one and it really makes my lip color last and look smooth and true-to-color.

My problem with lip primers though is that I have small, thin lips– so if I want to put a lip plumper on top, it doesn’t really penetrate through the primer. Hence, small lips 🙁 Also, they can be slightly drying.

The optimal lip primer would hydrate, plump, AND act as a primer! 🙂

Brittany Avatar

my favorite is from e.l.f Studio Lip Primer & Plumper it not only primes my lips but it makes them look a bit fuller and plumper 🙂 i know you can get it at target and stuff, but i usually get mine online. i’m always looking for new products to try though!

Esther Avatar

I love lip primers! I don’t typically use one with glosses, if I don’t wear one under my lip color, it’ll barely last and/or it’ll feather horribly. I use either MAC’s prep + prime lip or Boots’s protect and perfect lip care (originally bought it to use as a balm, but it’s a great primer).

Valerie Avatar

For every day, I use Elizabeth Arden LipFix, a cream that absorbs, but, works very well. For special occasions or an event, I pat a bit of Laura Geller Lip Primer over the EA product for bullet proof lips! I did this for a wedding I was in recently and it worked very well 🙂

Em Avatar

I’ve never felt a need for a lip primer. I find putting on a moisturizing lip balm before I start my makeup, makes my lips smooth and hydrated, so by the time I’m ready to put on lipstick/lipgloss, my lips are prepped.

Carla Avatar

I’m not one to use a lip primer. However, I *do* use a lip stain, in a color similar to that of the lipstick I’ll be wearing, and a dab of balm under my lipstick. This helps the lipstick wear longer; I don’t get ring-around-the-mouth.
I did try MAC lip primer, and it didn’t seem to have much effect, one way or the other.

Leeza Avatar

Blahhhh…. Extraneous. I feel like they dry out my lips, making me lick them and thereby defeating the purpose of the lips primer. I suppose if I really needed a lipstick to work I would use Benefit’s Lip Plump.

kate Avatar

I’ve tried ones from Mac and Guerlain, but I’ve never noticed enough of a difference- if any- to justify having one around all the time. I just keep my lips moisturised and exfoliated and that seems to do the trick. That and making sure I’m properly hydrated myself, since dehydration always seems to show in my lips.

Candice Avatar

Even though it is not a lip primer, I enjoy Benefit’s D’finer Liner. I have a YSL lipstick that really feathers quite a bit after applying, I use the liner to line my lips and outside my lips and it does not feather at all. Its like a waxy crayon, but I bought it cheap and has served me well.

Dominique Avatar

I actually started using MAC Prep + Prime Lip after a Sephora MUA recommended it to me! I tried it out for the first time when I went to Disneyland yesterday and I didn’t have to re-apply my lipstick all night. I was surprised it actually worked since I never saw the benefit of using it, but now I do!

Veronica Avatar

I tried them for the first time this past week after a recommendation by a fashion blog I follow, and I have to admit I’m really surprised at how much of a difference it makes. Given that I most often wear makeup to work, where I’m always drinking coffee and whatnot, I have noticed that the color stays put longer, even with my lower end lip shades.

I wouldn’t say they’re completely perfect – while it does inhibit feathering on my mouth, so I still use liner with red and fuschia shades because it doesn’t completely stop it. Not a lot of them have moisturizing ingredients either, so I still have to lay a balm down underneath. But overall, I was impressed enough that it’s now an official part of my lip routine. I carry my UD primer with me all the time. 🙂

Christy Avatar

I have a very thin upper lip and very dry lips… Too Faced lip primer has been a game changer for me! I can now wear reds and deep colored gloss without bleeding or it disappearing after 15min. I highly reccomend it as well as the clear makeup forever lip liner!

Danielle Avatar

The Mac lip primer is amazing. Lipstick usually lasted on me, but primer makes it last even longer, about 5 hours sometimes. But, not all lipstick is created equal; some last longer than others.

Kelly B Avatar

I have always felt like a clown in lipstick but I love colorful saturated glosses and have a lot of great colors…reds included. I know, it’s weird. When they were on Haute Look…I purchased every Eve Pearl gloss you have reviewed Christine…thanks!!! I LOVE Face Atelier as they have beautiful colors and feel so good on the lip.

Does anyone who wears colored lip gloss have a primer recommendation to help eliminate the need for such frequent re-application?

To reduce feathering I use Urban Decay’s eyeliner in Yeyo (clear) as a lip liner…silly me didn’t realize they had a clear lip liner named Ozone when I bought it. I also have Mally’s lip fence which does the same thing. Mally’s leaves a waxy buildup I don’t like the feeling of plus it costs $12.50 for .01 ounces (ouch) compared to UD’s $19 for .04 ounces.

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