When it comes to beauty, no one loves to talk makeup, hair and skin care more than your ESSENCE beauty team. If you’re in need of get-glam tips and tricks, help is here. Each week Corynne, Tasha, Marcia and Nicole will answer your most pressing questions, share expert advice and recommend must-have products.Email your questions to BeautyEditors@essence.com.Q: I put on eyeshadow in the morning and by lunch it is gone. I am not wiping it off! How can I get it to stay on all day? —Benita A: Keeping eye makeup on your face can be quite a challenge. With summer’s long, hazy days and steamy nights the last thing you want to do is look in the mirror to notice your eye makeup has failed to meet expectations. Finding eyeshadow that doesn’t crease, run, or fade has some of us opting to skip this step in our beauty routine altogether. An eyeshadow primer is a foolproof solution in getting your favorite eye makeup to last all day. Primers are applied underneath your shadow and act as a “makeup glue” for your face. With the right formula, a little can go a long way so it’s worth the investment.
Here are my top primer picks and tricks that are sure to make your shadow last until sunset.
Get the Right Stuff
Finding a primer that works well for your skin type is key and will be the difference between “this really doesn’t work for me” and “OMG I love it!” If you have sensitive skin look for soothing formulas that are Paraben-free and contain Vitamin-E. A non-irritating formula I love is Too Faced’s Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eyeshadow Primer ($18). If you have oily skin, look for a matte primer that will help keep excess oils at bay such as Stila’s Prime Pot Waterproof Eyeshdaow Primer ($20). As an added bonus, even your creamy shadows won’t budge with this one.
Avoid Lid Lines
Ward off any caking and creasing with a swipe of primer before applying your makeup. Tarte’s Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12 Hour Smoothing Eye Primer ($19) is a Paraben-free formula and a smudge-proof base for shadows. It will also help prevent any eyeshadow fallout and migration of color.
Lock in Color
Need to take it up a notch? A primer can bring your favorite shade from blah to wow in minutes! Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($20) locks down shadow and liner for hours and I found it also makes your shadows look more vibrant.
Ladies, what tricks or products do you use to make your eyeshadow go the distance? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section! —Tasha
