For me Eyeshadow Primers are a must unless I am in a horrid rush.
I had a quickie make over at Too Faced and was tempted to buy a primer called First Base. I had a slight recollection of buying it many many moons ago, when the packaging was square and not round, but what the hey, you have to buy something when you get a makeover, don’t you?
Now I’ll review them later…but a bit about Primers.
They really make all the difference to eyeshadow lasting all day, and there are quite a few to choose from these days. Some are utterly hopeless (like No. 7′s) – normally something creamy that dries is a good choice, as opposed to something super oily…(I know someone who uses Vaseline as a base?! as a base?!?! You are begging for creasing, no?!).
As an alternative to a actual primer, I also use liquid eyeshadow, or a cream eyeshadow, or a sticky concealer. Here are the things I use in my collection before applying eyeshadow.
1. Primers
- Urban Decay Primer Potion (The classic primer I guess, I love it, but I do find it makes colours hard to blend once it has dried)
- Art Deco Base (Perfect stuff, since it has the lasting power of UDPP, but is creamy and does not make it as hard to blend).
- Too Faced First Base
2. Concealer
- RMK (tis a very tacky concealer which makes things stick).
3. Cream Eyeshadow
- NARS (I like the opaqueness of Nars cream shadows. They are utterly useless on their own for creasing, but Zardoz (black) and Lilli Marlene (Dark grey) are fab bases for making colours pop).
4. Liquid Eyeshadows
- Lavushca (The Jelly eyes are super super shimmery, and if applying shadow when still slightly damp, I find it will stick on for longer).
- Shiseido Hydro Power (Also shimmery as a base but also very gorgeous. Some shades like Lemon, Glistening Sands are great as nude bases).
- Visee Aqua Eyes (The colours are so nice that you dont need to necessarly powder on top, but if you do, it makes it last for longer).
- Anna Sui (This liquid eyeshadow is thick, and takes a bit longer to dry, so its a good product to tap the powder shadow on top of).
Here are the primers I own that are specific to the job:
Art Deco is a creamy beige:
Art Deco is a pale sheer beige. Urban Decay is a whiter hue and First Base as a gold tinge:
Here is a test using the Too Faced Eyeshadow, Shooting Star.
On its own the colour is fainter. With Art Deco the colour is lightened somewhat – with Urban Decay, the colour is darker and stronger. With First Base, the colour is really highlighted with the goldish undertone. Gorgeous!
Here is First Base close up:
Now I do absolutely love the glow that this primer gives – its a very fine light gold base with shine. The texture of the base is creamy and smooth, and it really adds life to dark eyeshadows.
HOWEVER.
I went to work and checked my eyeshadow at 12 (so my eyeshadow had only been on for four hours) and I got this:
Creasy city! I get absolutely none of this with Art Deco and Urban Decay.
Tut tut tut. What good is a pretty base that doesn’t prevent creasing? Unfortuantely, it is not that easy to return make up in the UK, otherwise I would take this back. It will have to stay as a brow highlighter.
Lasting Power: 2/10
Blendability: 6/10
Effect: 8/10
Urban Decay Primer Potion in my opinion gives the nicest, strongest colour and has perfect lasting power. However – once UD begins to dry it can make shadows hard to blend and its hard to change it once you have applied the colour
Lasting Power: 9/10
Blendability: 4/10
Effect: 7/10
Art Deco has the missing link – it offers fantastic lasting powers but creamyness so colours are still easy to blend. The colours remain true and strong and it is non drying (UDPP left my eyelids a little dry).
Lasting Power: 9/10
Blendability: 8/10
Effect: 7/10
The winner is………..Art deco Eyeshadow Primer!
Failing that, Shiseido Hydro Power is an excellent cream eyeshadow base 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve been using UDPP for months now and I ordered it online as it’s not available here in Manila. I’ve heard so much about ARTDECO and I was so happy coz we have ARTDECO here, but it’s ALWAYS ALWAYS OUT OF STOCK! darn, after reading your review , I’m going to push harder into asking ALL artdeco sellers for this! thanks
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Hey!
yes I totally recommend the Art Deco, it was quite cheap too. Some people just swear by UDPP and I do like it very much but it makes things hard to blend on me!
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I hope Artdeco comes to the States soon! I can find an eyeshadow primer that works without either: a) irritating my eyes; b)drying my lids; c) creasing like a mofo. Now that I’ve found shadows that don’t irritate my eyes, I need a good primer to rein them in.
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Hi, may I know where can I get ArtDeco Eyeshadow Base from UK? I’m currently living in London, and would really love to try the raved primer.
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