Is an eyeshadow primer or base essential for you?

I’ve been going without for so many years now that they’re no longer essential to me, but they are an extra step I’d take the time to do if I wasn’t testing anything as I feel like it makes everything just a little easier to work on top of.

— Christine

35 Comments

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Nina Avatar

If you ever find a hg please share! Because I’d like one too. And off subject but I’d love to know the end all be all lighted makeup mirror. Just for table top, not one that suctions on a wall or anything huge and fancy. Just a good basic with good light makeup mirror! Merry merry Christina and all followers. ❤️

Z Avatar

Nope. My eyeshadow creases just as much with them as without. The exception would be using a cream shadow stick – or eyeliner – across my lid as a primer; it works better than a specific primer and my eyeshadow lasts to the point where it’s annoying to get off. I only dig out that method when it’s a special occasion or I’m working with an especially finicky formula.

Mariella Avatar

Absolutely! For years (pre-UDPP), I wore very little eyeshadow because it always creased (and because I always used an eye cream). I like knowing my eyeshadow will look pretty much the same at the end of the day as when I first applied it, though I find that in recent years, UDPP has become disappointing (the current packaging seems to be the worst of all the versions over the years and I don’t know if they’ve changed the formula, but it doesn’t work for me nearly as well as it used to).

Ana Maria Avatar

Many years ago I also used eye cream on my eyelids and wondered why everything smudged. 😅
But since starting to follow Robert Welsh I don’t apply anything but primer on my eyelids and wear time improved even more; I used to apply foundation and powder on my eyelids as well (and concealer sometimes) and those layers weren’t doing me any good.

Kayla Avatar

Same! I was so loyal to UDPP but over the past few years it doesn’t work like it used to. I actually really like NYX’s HD eye primer and surprisingly ColourPop’s eye primer works really good too.

Mariella Avatar

I’ve been using Milani, which I find to be very good, and MAC, which is excellent (except for the tube – it has a wide, snub opening, rather than a narrow, pointy one so too much product comes out and it gets messy around the threads of the tube).

Donna Avatar

Yes, for some reason I have always had quite greasy eyelids.
Even cream eyeshadows that dries down and are supposed to be crease proof do crease on me.

C.Blossom Avatar

My skin’s too dry. They always apply rough, patchy and make things worse. It’s easier to just use foundation for a brighter base color to apply shadow over. Foundation can crease a bit in humid weather tho. I’d love a primer formulated for dry skin.

Vee Avatar

Absolutely essential! I have hooded eyes and everything (shadow and liner, even waterproof ones) creases on me without a primer. I’ve been using UDPP Original for 10 years (tried others, UDPP works best).

I’m currently trying to buy a new tube because I’m almost out, but something’s going on with UD because they are withdrawing from the Croatian (my country) and Italian (where I prefer to go shopping) market and nothing is available anymore. The only online stores that carry UD and ship to Croatia either have exorbitant shipping costs or are outside of the EU (i.e. I’d have to pay customs duties, tax, and other levies) and I refuse to pay through the nose for anything anymore.

Does anyone know what’s going on with UD? Are they going out of business? I know their products have been… lackluster recently, but is the company bust?

Any hooded-eyed gals out there that could recommend a good replacement primer?

(Happy holidays, everyone! 🙂 )

Ana Maria Avatar

In US the Primer Potion is available in all big stores, Sephora, Ulta, etc. No signs of shortages or being discontinued.
Although I personally think that a couple of years ago the quality dropped, I use to love that primer 5-6 years ago, but nowadays it’s just OK.
Maybe there are some issues with importing UD product in some European markets.

Vee Avatar

My latest tube is a couple of years old and it’s ok. Sad to hear that UD reduced the quality even for such a staple product as UDPP.

I don’t think the issue is imports/supply chain/COVID. I’ve spoken to SAs at all the major retailers that carry the brand (Sephora, Douglas, and Mueller), in various stores in different cities in both countries (what can I say, I was determined to get my hands on a tube of my HG primer), and I’ve been told explicitly that UD will no longer be sold by their respective retailer. Italian Sephoras have actually already removed their UD display stands.

UD was my favourite brand and I’m gutted.

Genevieve Avatar

That is really weird Vee – that UD has disappeared from the Italian and Croatian stores. Not that you are missing much from them at the moment, although their recent batch of lipsticks have been pretty good. Still, it’s nice to have a choice and to see and swatch things for yourself.

Fey Avatar

It depends on the shadow. If it is glitter, then absolutely. If it is a pastel look or neon pigments that might apply patchy, then I will use a base. I usually don’t use primer for regular looks.

Nancy T Avatar

Yes, most definitely so! Two major reasons why I must use an eyeshadow primer:
1.) I’ve always had very hooded, oily lids that literally **eat** eyeshadow!
2.) I honestly believe that makeup companies are now formulating almost all eyeshadows to be used with primer. Just looking at YT videos showing swatches both over primer and without has me convinced of this.

Ana Maria Avatar

Eyeshadow primer is so essential, that I’ll apply even if I don’t wear eyeshadows.
I have oily lids (even when my skin is dry) and hooded eyes, if I don’t wear a primer everything creases, smudges and transfers; indeed, some eyeshadows and eyeliners wear decently good even without primer, but I still need to use it.
And my favorite for the last 2 years (or even more, I think I discovered it pre-pandemic) is the ABH one. 😁 I’m not even interested in trying other primers.

Kate Avatar

It’s 100% essential for me. I don’t even bother applying eyeshadow without primer. My eyelids are just too oily, they’ll dissolve and crease the shadow within hours. I actually wish I didn’t need a primer, since I think most eyeshadow applies more smoothly without it.

Genevieve Avatar

I only wear a primer these days (on face and eyes) if I am going out somewhere special for either the evening or the day so that my makeup stays on for longer.
I find that primers do work – my foundation stays in place for the whole day and my eyeshadows seem to sit better (or maybe it’s because I am taking extra care).
I use Nude by Nature’s Airbrush primer, which was recommended to me many years ago by a makeup artist who happened to be in the beauty shop too. It is perfect and I have gone through many tubes of it.

Nina Avatar

It was, years ago I wore Smashbox lid primer, it was fantastic then discontinued. I tried finding a replacement but never did. Whatever the name of it was, it was the best!

Debbie Avatar

I have been using an eye shadow primer for as long as I have been wearing makeup. I think that it does make a difference in the staying power for my eye make up. Currently I switch up between UD Anti-aging and Milani Eye shadow Primer. I’ve tried others, but those are the two that consistently work for me.

Erica Avatar

Face primers are not at all essential. They don’t really do anything for me. Though I do wear moisturizer daily so that’s my primer I guess. I do wear eyeshadow daily but I’m not sure it’s necessary. It’s just something I wear out of habit. I do see the benefit of a glitter primer to help control glitter and intensify an eyeshadow!

Lianne Avatar

Definitely need a primer but been having a hard time finding the perfect one. NYX Ultimate primer is what I’ve been using lately, but often it’s a little too grippy and doesn’t allow good blending. Might try the ABH next, based on the comments here.

Helene Avatar

Pre eyelid primers, I always carried my eyeshadow around as well as my eyeliner. Within a few hours, sometime a lot less all my eyeshadow sat in my annoying crease, not the one where we put crease shades, but a line along the lid. I could drag the eyeshadow to the lid again once, but after that I had to reapply. Fast forward to the era of primers, UD Primer Potion to be exact, and the eyeshadow stayed where I put it, a miracle!
So in short, I can’t live without eye primers, and even though UD PP isn’t as good as it once was it’s still the best I’ve tried. I’m on a quest to find a new best and I think I’ll try ABH next after reading all comments today.

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