Do you use more than one eye primer regularly?
I stick to Smashbox 24HR overall, as I find it performs consistently across products and isn’t picky about what it is paired with.
— Christine
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Yes, since I’ve yet to find my “holy grail” primer. But I keep coming back to UD for either the original or the anti-aging formula.
I have several that I rely on-Milani, MAC 24 Hour, Too Faced, Bare Minerals and LORAC (a mini that came with a palette but isn’t available in Canada). I’ve pretty much given up on UDPP. Both the packaging and the product itself are now equally bad.
Urban Decay somehow destroyed many products, but the one I regret more is the Primer Potion. They had great packaging for a while, they changed it… I could live with that… But when they messed up the formula it was over; although to this day I wonder if the formula actually changed, or just other brands released even better products. 😅
I liked the UDPP that came in the squeeze tube with the needle-nosed nozzle on it. But there are so many really good primers (at least ones that work for me) but I really lament what they did to their once-wonderful eyeshadows (and also discontinuing the fabulous Afterglow blushes and highlighters). To me, those were a greater loss than the Primer Potion. And I do think the formula has been changed for the worse. That stuff used to be iron-clad but now it’s really not great.
With so many in my arsenal I have yet to find my HG. As of now I’m using Anastasia which is OK..It’s hard to believe with so many top companies out there that there are not more great ones. I have some
discoloration on my eyelids so I prefer one with some opaqueness. I have tried so many ones out there but my perfect one would be one that has some opaqueness along with being not too dry for aging lids and yet not too creamy making shadow not last all day….I will continue my quest till I find my Holy Grail but as yet my Nars, UD, Benefit, Anastasia, Laura Mercier and P.Louise are all in my rotation but I wouldn’t give any of them 5Stars…….
I recommend the Hourglass Veil eye primer; it ticks all your boxes but the tint may not be as opaque as you need. I’m 42 with hooded eyes and it doesn’t need to be set but isn’t dry and prevents creasing all day. If you need the type of opacity that the ABH eye primer gives, this won’t do it but it does even out the skintone on my lids.
Precisely! I have mature skin with textured hooded eyes. I have yet to find HG as well. The best of the pack for me is ABH. I too prefer more opaque coverage as I have plenty of discolouration and visible veins. I recently tried Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and while I like the colour and texture, it is not opaque enough and worse, my hoods break it down as if I am not even wearing primer. Awful..
I used to love UDPP, but the move back to a doe foot along with a seeming change in the formula means I’ve begun the search for something else. I have one last tube of old, but carefully stored UDPP I’ll finish up in a few months. I bought MUFE’s eye shadow primer (no doe foot!) from the Sephora sale, so fingers crossed I’ll like it.
Eye primer never worked for me until I bought the Hourglass Veil. Unlike others I’ve tried, the Veil eye primer doesn’t need to be set, it prevents creasing all day and it doesn’t make my eyeshadow patchy, like the UD Primer Potion did. It’s pricey but a little goes a very long way and my tube is still more than half filled after more than a year of regular use. I’d like to try the Nars primer but it’s always out of stock.
No, I’m not a multi-primer even for my face. Since I discovered the ABH eye primer that’s the only thing I use.
For some reason I acquired a bunch of shimmery white cream eyeshadows so I’ve been using those up for a while because I am not going to use them on their own. Between that and free samples I can’t remember the last time I purchased. It has been years for sure. Because I don’t always pay attention to or need longevity, and I usually set them anyway, I can’t say what performs best.
I’m stick to a primer (kiko’s one), the same used for the last 10years, more or less. It suits my needs, so until they decide to discontinue it (hope never), I’ll stick with it. Sometimes, if I use large sparkle loose eyeshadow, I use nyx glitter glue instead (or over the primer)
For day-to-day improvement of grip and pigmentation, I always turn to Wet n Wild’s photo focus eyeshadow primer. It’s among my most-repurchased items: I’ve used it almost since I started getting into makeup.
However, my eye texture is starting to change as I enter my 30s, and I have a couple of patches on my eye that do not work with the primer in quite the same way. I’ll keep using this primer, but I’m becoming open to trying something new for my day-to-day use. My next targets are the Milani eye primer and the Urban Decay Primer Potion in the anti-aging formula.
For my more extravagant looks (drag, extreme cut crease, etc.) I often use the P.Louise eyeshadow base in white. It doesn’t offer the same longevity as the WNW and it needs to be babied a bit: I have to set it with powder and I have to be very careful to apply not-too-much/not-too-little. However, it’s excellent for creating shapes and bringing out the pigment in my eyeshadow.
I find I can compensate for its weaknesses by layering it over the WNW primer, heavily applying setting spray after I’m done, working with eyeshadow formulas that already have a strong wear time – and depending on the occasion, bringing along a little eyeshadow for touch-ups 🙂
I am currently using Lorac Behind the Scenes eyeshadow primer but I sometimes switch it up and use a MAC Paint Pot
Sometimes! Especially if I going to wear a looser pressed or more fallout prone glittery shades, then I will also use something made for that fussy type shadow, something like Nyx Glitter Primer and I do intend to try Fyrinae Epoxy, too. Most of the time, I only use good old MAC Painterly Paint Pot or MAC 24HR Eyeshadow Primer. And, because my eyes have never reacted to Smashbox ANYTHING, I may just order the one you use, Smashbox 24HR. Right now, I’m fairly certain that my sample pot or MAC PPP is dried up due to lack of use for 13 days!
So helpful to find out what others use because I’m looking for a new go-to primer after hearing that my old standby, UD primer potion, has changed formula. I‘ve tried Too Faced but gave up when 2 out of 3 tubes were defective with the primer being oily and separated. Right now I’m using Nars and it seems almost as good for long wear as UD was, but not quite. Plus I don’t like the doe-foot applicator.
I have used Clinique’s Touch Base for Eyes in Canvas as an eye primer for as long as I can recall. I have some lid discolouration due to eye meds, and this is opaque enough to cover that without creasing on my very hooded lids, if I dust it with a bit of powder. Like a primer should, it helps shadows adhere to my lids and last all day. The price is good and Clinique has enough 30% off sales that I never run out of backups. A few years ago I introduced my 75 year old mother to it, and she swears by it now to keep her minimal shadow looks stay all day.
Mac painterly works for me.
I do have several but I only use one at a time. I have found that the cheap, drugstore eye primers work just as well as the expensive ones so I don’t have a lot of high end ones. I purchased the Tatcha primer but didn’t really like it much. So, consequently it took me about a year and a half to actually finish it! At the price I didn’t feel like I should just toss it out.
Ditto for me on the Tatcha primer as well, I too was not going to trash it for the price I paid. They last a looong time when you don’t want them to lol!
I have consistently used the Nude by Nature Airbrush primer for the past five years on both my face and as an eyeshadow primer and it has never let me down.
I just started using Pat McGrath Intensifeyes as a primer in addition to use as a glitter glue. It has a very wet texture so I futz with eye cream while it dries. Viseart is my favorite with Ulta matte eye primer also in rotation. Once summer arrives I will probably get more Smashbox Always On Eyeshadow to use as dual purpose transistion shade and primer. That’s really bulletproof.
Have tried most at Sephora & Drugstore but still on the hunt for something strong enough to control my super oily, super watery eyes in Miami…. Would love any recommendations!!
BareMinerals is my HG but both UD Original (anti-aging does not) and Too Faced have worked fine for me. Recently I tried Ulta brand in matte…it wasn’t good. Fading after 6 hrs and made all my shimmers matte—do not recommend.
Smashbox eye primer is the only one that works with my oily lids in a humid climate. I love it! I’ve tried so many…Anastasia, UD Primer Potion, Mac paint pot, Too Faced, Nyx, and several from my Boxycharm boxes. None work as well as the Smashbox for me.
The best eye primer for me by far is Trish McEvoy eye base. It’s opaque and works beautifully. I just threw away what was left of Laura Mercier’s eye primer because the Trish one finally came back in stock at Nordstrom.
I use Smashbox 24 hour and hydrating undereye primer daily
No. I barely use one at all, at that. I have hooded eyes with deep, deeeeep creases in the lids. NOTHING keeps shadow from creasing. Nothing. I have layered up primer, liner, and shadow on top just to have it crease within a couple of hours (if that). In the end all that tugging and attempts to blend (because, as you know, the more shit you’ve got layered on there, the harder it is to smooth it out) just irritate the crap out of my eyes and do nothing to actually prevent the creasing.
Over the years I’ve used UD’s primers (three different offerings), nars, and some cheap drugstore ones that fared so badly I threw them out and couldn’t be bothered to remember the names. A crayon-type cream shadow with some powder patted on top is as good as it gets. Frankly, I don’t care enough about my makeup looking “perfect” enough to bother any more. Distressed makeup looks far more flattering.