Are primers necessary? Face, eye, lip… what have you!
They’re not necessary for me, but they’re a nice thing to have on hand/have available, even when products wear decently on me without them, because the reality is I’d rather add that extra layer and know for sure that my makeup will last 12-16+ hours than chance it.
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Absolutely! Well, at least for me, LOL! My eyelids are sooo dry, even the “best” shadows don’t adhere without a base of some sort, and even if they do, why not add a quick product that adds less than 30 seconds to my routine to get the maximum payoff? I have invested a lot of money into my makeup collection, so I want optimal results. Even before primers were available to the masses, I used cream shadows or concealer to aid in application, so I’m actually used to it, and it doesn’t seem like an “extra” step. As for face primers, again I have drier skin, and heavy moisturizers tend to break-down my foundation, and therefore any product I use on top. Also, my skin soaks up the “base” if I forgo a heavier moisturizer, leaving little “pools” of pigment in my pores. Fortunately, many of my sunscreens contain silicones, so I can often skip true primers. I’m not big on lip products, and even when I do wear something other than lip balm, I’m constantly removing it to eat/drink & reapplying, so I don’t care if I have a lip primer. When I was waitressing, it was a necessity, though!
They are for me as well. But I have the opposite problem – oily eyelids. Eyeshadow and liner lasts, ooh, about 15 minutes (well, maybe that’s an exaggeration but not by much) without but lasts all day with a good primer.
Foundation as well, goes on a lot better and lasts longer with primer.
For some people they are, but if I wear primer it just makes my makeup look cakey and/or flake off.
*For my oily lids, eye primer is a must, even when I wear “crease proof” cream shadows.
*For my face, I only use primer occasionally — to make sure my makeup lasts longer than normal or when my skin is oilier.
*Have never used a lip primer and hope I don’t ever need one.
DITTO!
I feel the same exact way as you do.
Same here…you said what I was going to exactly!
I always use an eyeshadow primer (I include MAC Paint Pot in that category) – I just never wear eyeshadow without a primer. Face/foundation primer most of the time. I’ve not tried a lip primer but I keep meaning to buy MAC’s Prep+Prime Lip but have yet to try it.
For oily eyelids, eyeshadow primer is a must to keep the look and color of the design you worked on. Everything else is optional.
my oily eyelids says yes. My face says once in a while/ most of the time
For me, eyeshadow primer is a must, as I have oily lids and any eyeshadow, regardless of formula, would crease on me without it.
I go back and forth on primers. I’ve recently started using smashbox’s primer again just bc that extra step seems to make my makeup look so smooth and effortless when applied. Now that it’s warming up I’m also getting some more oil around the tzone so it’s breaking down my foundation a tad. The primer stops this from happening. I really think it depends on the seasons but I go through phases.
Yeah I always went back and forth between primers for my face until Smashbox came out with their spray primer. It’s absolutely amazing, I won’t use anything else
The Smashbox spray primer is actually a toner. You could put a spray nozzle on your toner and it would do the same thing, for a lot less money. Read the full review on Beautypedia.com.
I have oily skin, so face primer is a necessity for me or my base products will melt off and pool in my pores.
I nearly never use eye primer, unless concealer counts… I simply forget about it and I never experience creasing.
Lip primer isn’t something I’ve even thought about investing in… Does it really work? I mean, if I eat/drink the lippie will come off anyway,and I don’t have a problem with any of my lippies in terms of wear besides that.
yes,it’s a necessary thing for me.I have combination skin and every foundations that claimed to be for oily/combination skin are oily control type,it’s good for my oily T-zone but they’re bad for my dry skin on the cheeks.so,I have to used a primers for moisture my skin when I used oil-free foundation or used a oil control primers when I like to used moisture foundations. eyes primers are my best friend too!
Sort of–I mean, makeup itself isn’t “necessary,” but it helps me feel and look and perform my best, even if I’m awesome without it; similarly, primer (in my experience) helps makeup look and perform its best, even when the makeup product is awesome without it.
Also, I really hate reapplying makeup. So there’s that.
I don’t think every primer needs to be a product specifically marketed as “primer,” though; a tube of lip balm does as nice a job ‘priming’ my lips as a pricey ‘lip primer,’ and a moisturizer containing silicones works pretty well to prime my face for foundation.
I use them by habit. They are necessary here in the warmer months, and my facial primer has a SPF so I just use it year around.
So I always use a facial primer and an eye shadow primer… can’t stand the feel of a lip primer though!
I would love a primer with spf! What do you use?
Eyes, absolutely. My lids are oily and most eyeshadows will melt off in no time. Face, not so much. My skin is normal to dry, so foundation generally lasts a decent amount of time.
For me yes, I live in such a humid place, but I think that it all comes down to personal preference, how you want your makeup to look, what skin type you are and where you live.
xx
YES! Not a single eyeshadow lasts more than 30 minutes without a good primer on my lids. Crappy brands like NYX crease within 5 minutes. I wouldn’t be able to wear eyemakeup at all if primers didn’t excist. They prolong the wear to 8 hours if I’m lucky (most mattes, MUFE, burberry, Inglot). The average is 6 hours, though (most high end brands). I’m still looking for a primer that works well with very frosty/metallic shades. Most non-matte UD shadows crease within 4 hours, so I wish I could something that would make them last for 6 hours. Currently using NARS Smudgeproof.
Eye primer- yes!
Lip primer- on occasion when I’m wearing nudes.
Face primer- NEVER- waste of $$$….but always, always wear sunscreen!
I adore primers, they make my skin feel so mush smoother and I just find my makeup applies more smoothly over them. I believe a good primer can make a world of difference 😀
A eyeprimer is absolutely necessary. If I want my eyeshadow to stay longer on than, let’s say, an hour I can’t go anywhere without my NARS Smudge-proof. Face primer, meh. I use a green primer but I use that more because of the green tint than the primer aspect. For lips I never use a primer, can’t be bothered 😉
I have very oily eyelids,so eye primer is essential. My lips are dry and lined so lip primer is great for matte and drier lipsticks. My BB is so perfectly spreadable and moisturizing that face primer is unnecessary, plus I’m not sure how my rosacea would react to one.
Necessary only for me if I want my makeup to last for longer periods of time. I tend to get much better wear and coverage when I wear a primer. I think my makeup looks more natural without, but.. take your pick for your day.
For me, YESSSS! I wouldn’t put any mu on without a primer (Hourglass Veil – gorgeous!).
Also, thanks to a tip from magical Wayne Goss, i brush on a light dusting of loose powder BEFORE (yup beeefore) my liquid foundation (apparently, it works for all foundations). This gives my face an even more poreless finish. It sounds odd, but it works!
Just to change the subject a bit Christine, have you (or will you) be reviewing the Foreo? That other cleansing tool? I’m considering it as one of the bigger ticket items on my VIB Rouge list but i value your opinion and would love to know what you think of this device. As well as the Issa toothbrush from the same company. Thanks for all your fabulous work!!
Sorry, I don’t have that!
In summer, I use BareEscentuals Mineral Veil under and over their Original Foundation. That combination really stands up to the heat, oil and sweat.
I haven’t tried it under a liquid or cream foundation, but now I’m going to. Thanks for the tip.
For an oily skinned gal like me, YES.
Face primers? Absolutely! Not just to hold your foundation, but to orotect the skin and to even out the texture of the skin, producing a more beautiful effect with the foundation on. To blur out, to brighten , to even out… A must.
Eye primers? I hate them.
Lip primers? What is dat?
Hair primers? Im starting to know them and like them.
For eyes, definitely. My eyes are very hooded and without primer, my eye makeup creases instantly and lasts about 30 minutes. With primers (I use UDPP and a MAC paintpot together), my eye makeup doesn’t crease and lasts all day. I even fell into the lake once and while my mascara ran, my eye makeup was perfect.
But I’ve never noticed a huge difference when I’ve used face or lip primers so I don’t usually bother.
Eye primers are the only thing I find necessary for me. I have super oily eyelids that will crease anything I put on them if I don’t prime, and not all primers work on me. My favorite I’ve tried so far is NARS Smudgeproof, and if I’m using pigments/glitters, Too Faced glitter glue also doesn’t crease on me.
I rarely use face primers because I don’t really care too much about oil control and I hate silicone primers. For lips, I will, every now and then, use a lip primer like the Nyx or the ColourPop ones. They do prolong the wear of some of my lipsticks, but they don’t work with all of them and they often make my lips dry out faster.
As someone with oily lids, eye primer is a must whenever I’m wearing powder eyeshadow. I only use face primer on special occasions to prolong my makeup, but I don’t use lip primer. Honestly, I can’t feel the difference whether I’m using lip primer or not (in terms of the wear time of my lipstick on my lips).
I think that if I want my eyeshadow to last all day for sure, NARS eye primer will do that for me. I have problems with creasing and some buttery formulas because I have deep set eyes and that product will eliminate that almost entirely.
I think eye primer is necessary for high intensity, long wearing makeup.
Lip primer, definitely not. All you need to do is exfoliate and apply a balm, then blot it before putting on lipstick.
Face primer can be useful to increase foundation wear time but I wouldn’t say it’s absolutely necessary.
I use face and eye primer, but I think my oily skin can overcome just about any face primer even if I blot throughout the day. My holy grail eyeshadow primer is Too Faced Shadow Insurance. My workday is usually 11-12 hours, but there are times I’m on call and at work for over 24 hours and my eye makeup doesn’t budge. I’ve never tried a lip primer.
As an older woman, I find both eye primers and face primers give me a smoother pallet to work with and the eyeshadow stays on and doesn’t crease.
However, I use the Monistat Chafing gel for my face as I swear it gives me the exact same base as Smashbox at a fraction of the price.
I haven’t been able to find an eye primer I like as much as Urban Decay’s anti-aging formula.
My response is pretty much in agreement with Christine’s . I generally use 2 face primers. A pore minimizing one on my t zone and a hydrating one on the rest of my face while my skin is dry and if it is behaving , a smoothing one. I have primers with SPF, some without. They can do so much for your look. I love lip primers too. they can make a lipstick that would last 3 hours, last through dinner and drinks.Lipliners work as well. I am huge on mascara primer. love Lancome’s cils booster!
Oh yeah..eye primer..geez..everything is primed these days,lol.They didn’t have this stuff when I cam into makeup. You just touched-up a lot!
Eye primer is a must for me to get the best pigmentation. And even though my eyelids are dry now at age 56, not oily, some eye shadow still creases if I don’t wear primer. I’ve tried face primer and don’t like it nor do I feel I need it — a good BB cream topped with Mineral Veil from Bare Minerals and I’m happy with the look. No lip primer either. Good question!
I have to use eyeshadow primer. I have oily, hooded lids. I never knew why my eyeshadow would crease and disappear until I tried primer.
My skin type is normal/dehydrated, so I don’t necessarily NEED primer. I do prefer to use some primer on the areas where I have blemishes so the concealer I’ve applied on top will be long-lasting.
They are for me. I have oily skin and without my primers I might as well not even put makeup on. I’ll even wear my mattifying primer on an otherwise bare face.
Eyeshadow primer is an absolute must for me, due to my oily eyelids ( less so recently) and very hooded, almond shaped eyes. Otherwise my eye makeup turns into a icky mess with the creasing and moving around! My lids are dryer now that I’m older, but still much oilier than most others my age. When I was a teen and 20 something, eyeshadow primer was non-existent as far as I know, so I used to use this cream eyeshadow by Maybelline that dryed on the lids like the Color Tattoos, and that was my “primer”! As for other types of primers, I must say I do like MAC Prep and Prime for matte lipstick.
Hi Christine! Since I can finally wear eye shadow again, I find yes, on primer for my eyes. With the primer I don’t have to do as many sweeps, and the color lasts longer. On my face, not so much. Because I take good date of my skin, my face looks just fine w/o a primer. However, if I want to be stunning, I wear my Revlon Photoshop primer with a pink hue, then my BM loose make up base. I actually get stopped and complimented on my beautiful skin. I try and tell them its the make up, but no go, Lol. I usually wear a lip primer as well, although not every time. I’m with you, about counting layers, and products!!! Yikes!!!
I always use a primer for my eyeshadow…the color lasts forever. What is the trick for using face primer. It always pills on me. I have several brands. Right now I am using IT cosmetic primer.
I almost always use face and eye primer when applying make up. It seemed to smooth the application and staying power. I wouldn’t want to go back to the days before primer.
I’ve noticed that, probably because I use a ton of sunscreen on my bare face, primers don’t seem to make a difference whatsoever. Neither in the appearance/smoothness of my skin nor longevity wise…
I think they are necessary for people with discolorations or large pores. If you have good skin to start out with, skillful application of foundation is all that is necessary, in my opinion.
I absolutely need some primers. Foudationprimer or else the foundation slides off parts of the face. I also really need eyelid primer. Without my eyeshadow creases in less than an hour. With eyeshadows last all day without any creasing.
I think primers are interesting, and I have a few, but I rarely use them and find that moisturizer does the job quite well enough for me.
When you get to be my age (ugh…40) primers are nice to help hide things like wrinkles and fine lines. I use NYX lip primer and it really makes a difference. Tarte 360 ceaseless eyeshadow primer is a great one for the wrinkles on the lid and I switch face primers but really like the Tarte one that’s in the jar vs the squeeze tube. If I was still young and not getting these dreaded wrinkles I wouldn’t care as much about primers.
YES! Eye primers were the reason I still love makeup LOL
personally i have VERY oily lids esp. The crease area.
To the point were any eyeshadow disappear after 30 minutes.
Now i just wouldnt bother wearing any eyeshadow unless there is a long lasting primer underneath
Sometimes even some cream shadows named “long lasting or crease-resistant” end up disappearing after merely 2 hours (yes i am looking at you chanel!)
YES! My makeup would be gone in 2 hours if I didn’t wear a primer. I also feel like it a bit of a screen between my face and my makeup, keeping it all from sinking into my face.
I think face primers are necessary – especially when you are working full time. It does ensure that your makeup lasts longer. Before primer, I use to really dislike it when my makeup looked “worn off” by 3 in the afternoon. Now it lasts better for longer.
However I am not a user of eye or lip primer. My eyelids are normal and my eye shadows last pretty well without it.
I use Lorac perfection face primer and MAC paint pot in painterly for my eyeshadows.I don’t see eyelashes primers necessary.
For me, eye primer is absolutely necessary, since I have super-oily lids that make everything crease within a couple hours. Face primer is occasionally necessary for me, if I have a foundation that oxidizes and I want to use it up, my face is in super-oily mode (less likely as I get older, but it’s in that mode currently), or if I want a really flawless look. Lip primer for me isn’t usually necessary; I just use lip liner over my entire lip instead. Occasionally, it is nice for a really tricky lipstick, or a liquid lipstick.
Yes! In my case, they increase the longevity of wearing time for me throughout the day. I wouldn’t know what to do without them. At one time, I just put on my makeup and wondering why my eye shadow is fading and why my lipstick is bleeding. Now, I know to prime my eyelids with eye primer and put on some Chapstick and fill in my lips with a pencil before putting on my lipstick. I also use a lash primer/base on my lashes before my mascara. It’s worth the investment and time to make your makeup throughout the day.
Every person is different. I definitely have to have a mattifying primer for my face. I sweat profusely which causes me to always be oily. Whether I use a high end or drug store foundation I have to have a base for longevity though out the day without touch ups. As for eyes, I think most people can benefit from using eyelid primer, for many reasons even if you don’t have oily eyelids. Any person who wants their eye makeup to last through the day, show stronger color pigment, blend easier, and depending upon the primer possibly decrease creasing, should try it
I think they are necessary, yes. I am very oily so thinks just slip right off. Sometimes when I’m lazy I don’t prime my eyelids, but I really should…it makes such a difference. For face primer though, I always slap that on! I have uneven skin texture as well as oily skin so it’s a hard game without primer…even with primer sometimes lol. I do also use lash and lip primer but they aren’t completely necessary, I just really like em!
Are they necessary? Probably not. I don’t recall using primers when I was in my twenties nor do I recall my mother using them while I sat at watched her apply makeup. Do I use them today? Yes I do. Why? I’m not sure. I suppose it gives me a smooth canvas to work with before foundation application and so no now I’ve made it a routine of mine. I particularly like to use Hourglass Veil and Chanel.
Eye and face primers are an absolute must for me. I need my makeup to look good all day!
Primer is a must for me. I have quite oily skin and my makeup is lucky to last a couple of hours without it. Even with it I need to touch up at least once during work if I want to avoid looking like an oil slick!
I think it really depends on your skin, the product you’re priming for, and the conditions the makeup is going to be worn in. Nothing stays on my eyelids without a good primer — not even some primers. But some cream eye shadows (MAC Paint Pots — the matte ones, at least — and NARS Eye Paint in Porto Venere) work well as eyelid primers for me. On the other hand, many BB and CC creams with mineral SPF work reasonably well without a primer, so I can skip it on a day when I don’t anticipate being in especially steamy or sweaty conditions. But if I’m going to walk a mile and a half through a rainstorm and then help someone take a shower, I’ll be sure to use both a primer and a makeup setting spray along with my sunscreen/base color! I usually wear a thin layer of lip balm with SPF under lip color, but will add add pencil before lipstick if I want especially crisp edges or long wear. I haven’t found anything yet that will cause lip color to stay on my lips through eating a meal, although I haven’t yet tried all the lip primers out there…
Always! I believe that they should always be a barrier between your skin and your makeup.
Because my face is super oily, it is a must every day. I’ve noticed that when I don’t wear it on off days, my skin acts up that much more, even before I make it out the door. I also have to keep blot papers and blot powder on me pretty much at all times.
YES! its a must! especially for eye shadow…otherwise i crease because i have hooded eyes
I think primers are necessary. I didn’t start using them till very recently and never understood the purpose of them until I actually used them. Primers protect your skin and make it sooo much easier to remove foundation and other makeup we put on our skin.