The Power of Primer

Back when I first started wearing makeup at the ripe age of thirteen, I had not a clue what was what. I also had no help. (I'm the oldest of my siblings by ten years and my mom hardly wears makeup and was never interested in teaching me the basics.) It also didn't help that I was doing competitive gymnastics 30 hours a week, and hardly had the time to wear makeup in the first place.

So, I went for many years only applying mascara and jet black eyeliner all the way around my eyes, and wondering why I looked like a strung out raccoon. I still don't know what I'm doing but I definitely have a better handle on things now that i'm older and (slightly) wiser, which brings me to primers: They are important. They are what keep your makeup in place throughout the day. Without primers, I would be lost in makeup land. Wear them under your concealer and eyeshadow and you will be happy.

#1. Benefit Cosmetics Stay Don't Stray ($26). This primer is my personal favorite. I love it because it works really well as a concealer primer and eyelid primer. It has a little bit of a tint to it, but I kind of feel like maybe it makes it work better. Or maybe it doesn't...perception is reality you guys. (As a side note it kinda seems like they changed the packaging for this primer on their website which is VERY disappointing bc I personally loathe wands.. give me a stick, or a squeezey tube, or a pump or something other than a wand!)

#2. Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($20). I loveeeeddddd this one. One tube lasted me almost a year  and I only needed a teeny drop per eye. One of the major pluses for me is that it is somewhere between stay don't stray and primer potion in terms of overall texture and consistency. I will probably re-buy as soon as my Benefit runs out.


#3. e.l.f Eyelid Primer ($1). If you're looking for something non-commital: Meet e.l.f., your beauty soulmate. Most prices for their products are under $3. Their eye primer is more or less equivalent to Urban Decay's in quality for only a buck. Personally, I don't use this primer a lot, but it's a good one to have in your travel beauty bag because it's super inexpensive and does the job when you're not close to your beauty arsenal.

#4. Urban Decay Primer Potion ($20). It looks like they changed this one too from wand to squeezy tube (If so yay! I repeat: I cannot stand wands).  Works a lot like the e.l.f primer above. It has a kind of smooth and silky texture, but it doesn't cling enough to my concealers or shadows to really be a favorite of mine.

What are your favorite primers? 

xo 

Siobhain