What Is Eye Primer?

a lady putting on her makeup

 

 

The purpose of eyeshadow primer is to lengthen the life of your eye makeup while making the colors you apply on your lid pop. It's an essential product to have in your cosmetic bag, but it's also one of the most underappreciated. 

When someone doesn't use any eye primer when applying eyeshadow, it won't last very long. The shadow needs something to stick to, and a bare lid isn't the ideal surface. Your eye makeup will also appear duller and leave something to be desired. 

We are going to go over what eye primer is and how it differs from other primers. You will also find out how to use it and the benefits of a primer.

Everything You Need To Know About Eye Primer

Any kind of primer is the base to a makeup look. It is specifically made to help make your makeup last longer and go on smoother. Eye primer works by giving your eye products something to stick to and a light base to enhance color. 

Eye primers are often a cream-like substance that melts away on the eyelid when blended. It isn't as hydrating as cream concealers but is on the drier side, which helps it stay in place for longer. 

While you can skip over some parts of your makeup routine without consequence, eye primer isn't one of them. If you want your eye makeup to last more than a few hours, you'll need to use an eyeshadow primer. Otherwise, you're putting in a lot of effort for not a lot of payoff. 

It prolongs the life of your hard work, so you don't have to worry about your eyeshadow breaking apart or disappearing throughout the day. However, if you're just using eyeliner and no shadow, you can probably get away without using an eye primer. 

Eye primer is especially important for people with oily skin. If your eyelids produce oil, primer is a must. It will prevent your natural oil from causing creasing and separation. 

Some people like to use foundation or concealer instead of an actual eye primer. However, try to use oil-free products since oil-based ones can slide off on your lid and not last as long as an eye primer. HIDE's premium products are all oil-free and can make a great substitute for primer if you run out. 

If you've been sleeping on eye primer, it's time to wake up! It can change your makeup game.

How Is Primer Different Than Eye Primer?

Primer is the base of your face makeup. Just like eye primer, it can prolong your look. However, a face primer is not the same as an eye primer and is not interchangeable. They are two separate products with different formulations. 

The ingredients are the major distinction between face primers and eye primers. For example, silicone is found in most face primers, which makes them feel smooth and helps fill in pores and diminish the appearance of imperfections. Silicone isn't a great ingredient when it comes to eye primer, though. It is entirely too slick of a substance for your eyelids.

If you use a face primer on your eyelids, you can end up with creasing and find it difficult to blend out your eyeshadow. Eye shadow primers are made with your eyelids in mind and are a lot tackier than face primers. They have a certain amount of grip to help your eye product stay on longer but aren't so tacky that you can't blend your shadows together. 

Therefore, an eye primer wouldn't work well on your face since it would be too tacky, and your foundation wouldn't be able to glide on smoothly. You would be left with an uneven base, and no one wants that! 

While you may want all your products to be multi-purposed, it's simply not possible with primers. There are plenty of products interchangeable, like using lipstick as a cream blush. However, we recommend you don't try to use the same primer for your whole face. You can use eye primer for a few things, besides on your lids, which we will explore. 

How To Apply Eye Primer

Once you have an eye primer, here are a few simple steps you can follow to use it correctly. 

Step 1: Clean your face using a gentle cleanser. You don't need to rub your eyes with face wash, but make sure you rinse some water over your lids. Cleaning them will remove any excess oil on the skin.

Step 2: Use your finger or a small concealer brush to apply a small amount of your eye primer to your entire eye area. You want it to be anywhere you will be applying shadow, so under your brow to your lash line. 

Step 3: You can apply eye primer in a line under your bottom lash line as well to help eyeliner or eyeshadow stick in that area. 

Step 4: Once your primer is on, go in with your eyeshadow right away. If you wait, it can dry out and won't be as tacky. 

Step 5: If you have an area that has a primer on it but no eyeshadow, use a finishing powder to cover the area. 

Why You Should Use Eye-Primer

We've already gone over the main benefits of using eye primer, but there are even more reasons you should give it a try.

Anti-Aging Primers

Your eye area can show signs of aging early, thanks to wrinkles. There are several procedures and eye creams to help keep the delicate skin around your eyes plump and smooth. 

There are also some primers that come with anti-aging properties in them. These primers can also smooth out fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes. It can leave you with a youthful appearance as well as a better base for your makeup. 

Sun Protection

Some eye primers contain SPF, which can protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. You may be forgetting your eye area when you apply sunscreen, but if it's in your primer, you're covered! 

Sun damage is also one of the leading causes of premature aging, so SPF is essential if you want youthful-looking skin. 

Enhances Your Eyeshadow

As we touched on earlier, primer can make the colors of your eyeshadow stand out. A lot of people's eyelids have darker skin pigmentation, which isn't ideal for eyeshadow.  

If you want to use concealer as an eye primer, use a lighter shade than you would on your face. The lighter, the better since a light base will give the eyeshadow pigment a canvas to stand out. 

Smudge Proof

If you have trouble with your mascara transferring onto your eyelids, primer can help! A primer can help keep your mascara from spreading onto your eyelids and below your lower lashes. 

It helps to keep it in one place if it does transfer, and you should be able to remove the product easily. If you’re not wearing primer, it could smudge more easily on oily eyelids. 

Other Uses for Eye-Primer

While you can't use eye primer as a face primer, there are other uses for this product. Here are a few ways you can put eye primer to use

Under Your Eyes

Eyeshadow primer can help prevent your concealer from creasing and extend the life of your concealer when applied under your eyes. Since eye primers keep your eyeshadows from creasing, the same idea holds true for the skin beneath your eyes. Your concealer can also grab onto your under-eye area more easily. 

Brow Primer

Try eye primer if you ever notice that your brow powder isn't sticking or lasting throughout the day. Apply a tiny amount to your brows with an eyebrow brush. Once it dries, go in with your brow product. It will stick to your brow hairs, and you won't look patchy at the end of the day.

On Pimples

Sometimes the concealer just refuses to stick to a blemish. It can slide off and not stay put all day, especially if you have oily skin. Try applying a small dot of eye primer over your blemish. The extra tackiness will help your concealer stay on all day. 

This tip probably isn't something you want to do every day, but for special occasions. Some eye primers may be pore-clogging and not allow your skin to breathe, which could prolong the life of a pimple

HIDE Premium Concealer can stay on your blemishes all day, so you don't have to use eye primer!

On Your Lips

If you're in a rush and need a lip primer, your eye primer can come in handy. First, make sure your lips are hydrated, and then apply a small amount of primer for a long-lasting effect. Next, apply your lip liner and lipstick as usual. 

In Summary

Eye primer should be a must-have product in your makeup bag. Face primer is no substitute for eye primer, although you can use HIDE products if you're in a pinch. Eye primer can offer many benefits for your skin and make your eyeshadow last all day. 

 

Sources:

15 Benefits of Using Makeup Primer before You Apply Your Makeup | All Women’s Talk

5 Eye Primer Tricks You Need To Know | Style Caster

10 tips for clearing acne in skin of color | AAD


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