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Best Eyeshadow Primer for Increased Longevity

What's the Best Eyeshadow Primer for Increased Longevity that you've tried?

I’ve been loving MAC’s new 24-hour primer lately but my go-to has been NARS Smudge Proof in the past!

— Christine

56 Comments

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allodarlin Avatar

Yes, I have to agree with you Christine, MAC 24 Hour Extended Eye Base is my daily go to as well. I have only been using it for about 3 months but I really don’t think I’ll go back to my previous eye primers after trying this one. It’s a keeper!

JoAnn Moran Avatar

My nephew works for Urban Decay, and I like their regular primer. The anti-aging primer was roo oily for me. I haven’t really tried other primers, but I hear good things about Too Faced. I love everything Nars, but I haven’t tried their primer.

Gillian Avatar

For me it has to be the NARS Pro Prime. Nothing I’ve used in the past compares to it! It makes my eye makeup wear like iron even though I have oily lids. I don’t see myself straying from this primer anytime soon. ?

LMM Avatar

I used Urban Decay for years (and I really like the Anti-Aging version) but the Wet n Wild primer was an emergency purchase that’s proven surprisingly solid.

Stephanie Avatar

I have discolouration on my lids from eye meds and use Clinique Touch Base in Canvas. Makes a nice even base and seems to hold shadows too. My lids are not oily or very crepey.

Deborah S. Avatar

Right now I am using Tarte 360 degree Creaseless Primer because it has a slight peachy color which covers slight discoloration on my lids but overall I use it because it doesn’t enhance the crepey skin on my lids as so many primers do. Does it help my eye shadow last longer….hmm, I don’t really think so. If I could find something that worked better for my sagging eye skin I would definitely switch.

Mariella Avatar

All the ones I’ve tried – TFSI, Lorac, Bare Minerals and UDPP have all been super and have done the job but when I really need to know my eyeshadow will last in the hot commercial kitchens at school when the outside temps are in the high 20’s (Celsius) and inside is way worse, I rely on UDPP (I have the original, Sin and Eden). I’m almost finished my Too Face and while I like it a great deal, when I go to replace, I think I really have to try NARS.

VERO Avatar

Eyeshadow primer is new to me so I stuck with an affordable one from Milani Cosmetics. I like it better than this E.L.F. primer I’ve been wearing all week, it doesn’t seem to last all day.

Codename Duchess Avatar

I just tried the new WnW primer for the first time yesterday, and it’s definitely not the same product though I do still like it. The texture is of the new primer feels thicker and a little stickier than I remember the Fergie primer being. It does just as good of a job giving my eye looks enough longevity to last the day, but it’s not quite as good at making my eye shadows look their most vibrant.

Hildegard Avatar

I’ve used all the Urban Decay ones (got the samples when I bought the Naked palette), but now I’m using the NARS one. It’s great as a primer and my eye makeup lasts pretty much all day long, provided my watery eye doesn’t act up. For whichever random reason my right eye tends to get very watery* and when that happens the makeup on the inner corner of my eyelid basically melts away. The rest of my eye makeup looks flawless, except for that tiny spot. I’m beginning to suspect my tears are corrosive. Maybe I need to invest in a more powerful eyeshadow primer and/or go to the doctor.

*I’m talking tears running down my face like I’ve opened the water tap and forgot to close it. It will go on and on for hours. It’s very annoying, no least of all because random people – sales assistants, people who’ve stopped me to ask for directions, bus drivers, etc – will always bring it up: ‘Did you know your eye is watery?’ ‘Why are you crying?’ and so on. I’ve got literal tears running down my face, people. I’d have to be dead not to notice.

This is why I don’t wear mascara, by the way. I don’t want to risk a random watery eye attack and end up looking like a racoon. I’m not sure how waterproof mascaras really are, and if they could withstand the power of my tears.

Donna Avatar

As strange as this might sound, you might actually have dry eyes, or possibly an allergy of some kind, or even a reaction to heavy pollen in your area. Those things can crop up at any time in life. You need to go see an eye doctor – an opthalmologist, not an optician. I have this same thing in my left eye sometimes even though I use Restasis twice a day, and have since it came out. Both my eyes ran so much before I got on it, that the salt was making my undereye area raw. In the meantime, get some good eye drops like Systane, and Systane Balance when it’s really bad. These are both gentle enough for problem eyes. Won’t entirely fix it, but it’s good moisture. I have Keratoconus in my eyes as well, and these were recommended to me by both my othalmologist and my special contact lens fitter doctor – a womsn who also loves make-up? Hope you get some answers and relief soon.

Anat13 Avatar

I use the NYX HD Eyeshadow Base with the doefoot applicator. It works virtually as well as the NARS one for me, but doesn’t sting my eyes like NARS sometimes does.

Candy Avatar

Hi Christine,
I love NARS Smudge-Proof Primer as well and I would love to know your favorite way of applying it and how much you apply.
Love your work! 🙂

Denise Avatar

I have tried so many of them and they seem to make my lids look wrinkley.Right now I am using Dior. Its OK? Not loving it though. I read that Tom Ford makes an excellent one, so I will keep you all updated after I put it to the test.

Katherine T. Avatar

Hands down, Wet N Wild Fergie Eye primer. I’ve tried the top 15-20 primers out on the market, and that’s the only one that doesn’t crease on my oily lids.

Katherine T. Avatar

Sadly, the Fergie one got DC’d earlier this year, when the contract with Fergie ended, but WNW re-issued without the Fergie name. I heard the ingredients are supposed to be the same, but there’s various opinions as to whether it works as well as the original. But for like $3-$4, I think it’s worth a try. Hope it works for you

Holly Avatar

Milani eyeshadow primer or Wet n Wild eyeshadow primer. I need something new to keep glitter shadows in place. I’ve tried Too Faced Glitter Glue, but am still looking. I know Nyx makes a Glitter Glue too

BonnieBBon Avatar

My favorite combo is thebalm put a lid on it with Mac Painterly on top to cover a freckle and give me an even canvas. Sometimes I use my UD anti aging PP. Between palettes, value sets, goodie bags and gwp’s I have so many unopened primers if they stayed good forever I’d never need to buy another one! I wonder how long they stay good unopened? Anyone have an idea?

Brittany Avatar

I recently bought the MAC 24-hr Extended eye base and I do like it, but I find it takes trial and error for me to figure out how much to use to avoid creasing (since using TOO much will cause creasing on me). I LOVE the NARS Smudge-Proof and I like the doe-foot applicator because it applies a perfect amount to each lid/brow area, so it’s pretty foolproof.

Cat Avatar

On my drier lids, UD (except for Eden) and Too Faced work the best. NARS and Tarte come in second. Pixie Epoxy is the only loose pigment/glitter adhesive I’ll use on my lids.

Anime Avatar

I do things a bit differently. Or should I say, HEAVILY. I lay down either HD Micro Primer from Kryolan or Perfect Matt (also Kryolan). After this is done, I base the entire eye in stark white cream concealer (Kryolan Dermacolor in 0070 — if you want this to not be so intense, use a cream in your skintone), and set it with M.A.C. Studio Fix Pastels in Shivering White. The end result is very…. white, but also VERY ready for whatever color you plan to layer over it! When I do my makeup like this my eyes are the last thing to come off my face.

Claire L Avatar

TheBalm’s Put A Lid On It works great on my oily lids! I don’t know how I managed without it, I always ended up with my eyeshadow collecting into the creases of my eyelids and just disappearing over a few hours! NYX’s Milk also works well but is a bit more messy to work with.

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