One of the golden rules of makeup is to prime the lids for eyeshadow! I personally hold this rule so seriously that I forego eyeshadow if lacking a primer. Primers provide a matrix to which shadows can bind — and thereby prevent creasing.

I’d like to name my top 5 selections for eye primer. Of note, I own and have tested each primer listed!

Here we go (in no particular order):

1) Urban Decay “Primer Potion”

This product is golden. This is by far the primer I’ve used the longest, and it has never failed me. In other words, it has never allowed my eyeshadow to crease! To add diversity, the primer comes in 4 shades — the “Original” (which goes on colorless), “Sin” (champagne), “Eden” (matte yellow cream), and “Greed” (golden sheen) — depending upon the look you have in mind! This product can be purchased at ULTA, Sephora, or urbandecay.com.

2) NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in “Milk”

This is a recent discovery, featured in an earlier blog post here. This milky white eyeshadow pencil multiplies the vibrancy and pigmentation of any eyeshadow applied over it — threefold. The best part is that this jewel is only 4 bucks! Unfortunately, this is the only drugstore/budget primer to earn a place on this list. You can grab this little gem at CVS, ULTA, or nyxcosmetics.com.

3) Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot in “Painterly”

The entire Mac Pro Longwear line is high quality, but perhaps my favorite items are these paint pots! The shade in “Painterly” is an excellent all-over lid primer. The formula has just the right balance of thickness and smoothness. A matte pinky-beige shade, this primer is flesh-toned and will likely suit all skin tones — but especially cooler-toned ladies. You can purchase this item (and the next) at your local Mac counter or at maccosmetics.com.

4) Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot in “Soft Ochre”

This is another wonderful shade from the Pro Longwear line! “Soft Ochre” is a yellow-based beige — and will be ideal for warmer skin tones as well as eyelids with visible capillaries. Again, the formula is a dream. Unlike “Painterly”, this shade is not flesh-toned and also serves to brighten the eye area in general.

5) Lorac “Behind the Scenes” Eye Primer

I recently received a sample of this primer with my new Lorac “Pro 2” Palette — and have been very impressed! It is most similar to the original Urban Decay primer potion in that it goes on the lid completely colorless but keeps shadows vibrant and intact all day long. This primer can be purchased at ULTA or loraccosmetics.com.

One final tip regarding eyeshadow primers! It is always best to apply this product with one’s fingers — not a brush. This application technique “warms up” the primer and helps it melt into the skin.

See you next time! 😘

Having truly loved Lorac’s original full-size “Pro” palette, as well as its mini-sized “Pro-to-Go” palette, I was super excited after hearing that the brand was releasing a sequel palette!

This palette is marketed as cooler-toned than its predecessor, containing a navy, grays, purples, and silvers. It also continues the trend of matte shades on the palette’s top row and shimmering shades on the bottom row:

And let’s jump straight to the swatches!

I will briefly describe these shades individually:

TOP ROW
1) Buff — Matte cream. Perfect as a base color all over the eyelid up to the browbone!
2) Light Brown — Matte tan/caramel. Great crease/transition shade!
3) Cool gray — Matte gray with a hint of plum.
4) Nectar — Matte peach. Beautiful (and unique) as a crease shade, particularly on blue eyes!
5) Plum — Deep matte eggplant. Flattering to green/hazel eyes especially.
6) Navy — Matte navy; the cool tones here would suit brown/black eyes best!
7) Charcoal — Matte neutral-toned gray.
8) Black — Matte black. Along with “Navy” & “Plum”, this is a suitable liner shade.

BOTTOM ROW
1) Snow — Highly pigmented shimmering white. Stunning as a brow bone or inner corner shade, but must be applied with a light hand due to its heavy pigmentation.
2) Beige — Champagne. A more subtle highlighting shade.
3) Rose — A gorgeous shimmering rose-gold. Beautiful on all eye colors!
4) Mocha — Golden bronze. Fantastic lid color.
5) Chrome — Cool-toned silvery taupe.
6) Silver — Highly pigmented silvery sheen.
7) Jade — Olive green shimmer. (I love this shade since it is the exact color of my eyes!)
8) Cocoa — Deep brown with golden sparkles. Another great lid or outer V shade which packs a punch!

I have also composed several eye looks using this palette!

LOOK #1

LOOK #2

LOOK #3

LOOK #4

LOOK #5

LOOK #6

LOOK #7

The palette, although advertised as cool-toned, has several warm-toned shades as well, including “Rose”, “Mocha”, “Cocoa”, “Jade”, & “Light Brown”. This broadens its appeal to a universal scope. The eyeshadow combinations are endless for this palette, especially since it contains two finishes (matte & shimmer). The pigmentation is strong, and the shadows hold up well throughout the day. As a plus, this palette comes with a free Lorac eye primer to use as a base for the shadows — and it is a fantastic primer.

If you already have the original Lorac “Pro” palette, you don’t necessarily need this one. However, this is a fabulous high-quality product — and well worth owning!

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars

Available at ULTA, Kohl’s, & loraccosmetics.com for $42