Magic Potion… I’m lost without it

I’ve just been away for the weekend, I spent a lovely few days bonding with my cousins Jennifer and Kate, and my Auntie Meem. The thing is, I hate packing my makeup for any trip away. I’m not good at it, I ALWAYS forget something, no matter how much practice I have at packing my makeup, I will forget at least one thing. Sometimes it’s just a hair band for keeping my hair back during my makeup application, once, disastrously, I forgot my foundation! (don’t ask how I managed that). On this trip, I forgot my eyeshadow primer. Since I started using eyeshadow primer I don’t think I have gone a day without it. Two days without it and I realised how much I need this product.

I use primer on my eyelids everyday, I also use concealer on my lids, some makeup artists will say that concealer on the lids is as good as any primer, I have never used it alone as a primer, instead I use it to conceal the colour on my lids which can be red sometimes and dark at other times. The concealer helps to create a smooth canvas. However, this weekend, with no eyeshadow primer at my disposal, I was really hoping the concealer on its own would do the trick. It didn’t. Putting on my eyeshadow I felt that I had to apply a lot more than usual just to get the shade right. The pigment didn’t cling as well as it would have with primer. A few hours into the day, I checked my eyeshadow and it had completely creased. The pigment had gathered in the crease of my eyelid at this stage, and the lid just looked washed out. I have learned my lesson, never skip eyelid primer, and maybe start making lists for packing!

I have tried a few different eyeshadow primers but the one I have fallen in love with is Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I can’t fault it. It is €11.00 for a travel size tube and €21.00 for the full-sized one. They last a very long time so the investment is worth it. They also give samples of the primer with most of their palettes, when I bought the Electric palette I received a full-sized sample, I was thrilled! There are also different primers in the collection, samples of these come together on one card (see picture below) and are definitely worth asking for so you can try them and see which one you prefer. There is the original primer, which has no colour and no shimmer, there is Eden which is a matt primer, not too different from the original, there is Sin which has a shimmer in it, this makes the eye look brighter, and there is an anti-aging primer which has had great results in clinical studies. I use the original one.

A small sample of the four different primers

With this primer, you simply need to apply a very small amount to your lids before any other products. Use your ring or pinkie finger for this and make sure you are not pulling at your lids. Leave it absorb for a few seconds and apply your shadow as desired, or put your concealer straight on to the primer as well. If you find that mascara/shadows/liners migrate from your lower lash line onto your under eye area, apply a small amount of primer to your lower lash line before you apply any eyeliner or mascara and it will lock these in place too.

The difference primer makes is amazing. You use less shadow because the pigment sticks to the primer immediately with very little build up needed, and it will stay in place all day long. It won’t budge at all, so there is no need to worry about creasing or having to do touch ups, you can literally forget about it for the entire day (and night!).

With and without the Eyeshadow Primer Potion as advertised by Urban Decay