The NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base kept eye makeup from melting and creasing
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There’s nothing worse than putting the time and effort into an intricate eye makeup look just for it to melt off. To avoid a glittery puddle beneath your eyes, consider an eyeshadow primer. These handy formulas are specially-formulated to prevent eye makeup from creasing, fading, and melting — much like your favorite face primer does for your foundation. While eyeshadow primers may not sound totally necessary, once you start using them, they’ll quickly become an essential step in your longwear makeup routine.
With so many eyeshadow primers available, finding the right one can be overwhelming. To help you pick the best primer for you, we enlisted the help of a handful of testers with a variety of different skin tones to rigorously test 29 of the most popular eyeshadow primers. After keeping application, feel, and look top of mind, the testers determined the ten best eyeshadow primers.
Overall, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base reigned supreme thanks to its built-in applicator brush, weightless consistency, and high scores in the aforementioned categories. Keep reading for the full list of the best eyeshadow primers.
It has nourishing, gentle ingredients that give it a smooth, balm-like quality.
The applicator’s handle is a bit too long for our liking.
Like many of the brand's other top-rated products, this NARS eyeshadow primer is one of the most popular options around, and for good reason. It comes in four different shades, ranging from light to dark — so there’s an option for almost every skin tone. The best part is that it’s super blendable and easy to manipulate, so even if you don’t have a perfect match, a little elbow grease will help get you there. “It felt like a smooth balm, so it was so easy to blend in,” our tester says. “Ultimately, it’s a no-fuss primer that works well.”
One thing we wish we could change: The applicator’s handle. “I would make the handle shorter; it feels really long and too intense for how simple the product is,” she explains. “It feels like half of the packaging is an applicator, so I’d like more product in place of the larger handle.”
Size: 0.26 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Number of Shades: 4
This eyeshadow primer is derived from natural ingredients and won’t cause irritation for those with sensitive eyes.
It disappears into skin right away.
If you have oily eyelids, you know just how frustrating it is for your eyeshadow to slip right off, minutes after application. This clean eyeshadow primer from ILIA, which uses natural ingredients, is weightless and won’t contribute to slippage. In fact, thanks to botanicals like rosehip oil, arnica, and jojoba, this primer actually soaks up excess oil and offers long-lasting hold. And, as you may have been able to guess, it serves as an illuminating base for makeup that can be worn on its own for a glowy boost or under shadow, but whichever you choose, you can trust that it’ll stay put.
One thing to note: It blends into the skin right away like an eye serum. While this is a great thing for some, our tester found it a little confusing. “It soaked right into my skin after I applied it, so I wasn’t totally sure if it was still there,” our tester explains. “But, I was surprised to find that it certainly was and it made my eyeshadow look more vibrant and smudge-proof.”
Size: 0.14 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Number of Shades: 1
The lightweight one-color-fits-all shade is designed to be used on all skin tones.
It goes on very light, so you may need to layer it on to get more coverage.
Rihanna’s beauty line Fenty Beauty is all about inclusivity, and this eyeshadow primer is no different. The product has a light pink tone that dries down clear all skin tones. According to our tester, it has a creamy, off-white color when you first put it on, but then, over time, it blends into your natural skin tone. “I couldn’t even see it after a few minutes,” she explains. “I didn’t notice it underneath my eyeshadow either.”
The weightless formula offers light coverage, which means you might need to layer on some more to get your lids completely covered. “It took a little more product than I thought I’d need, but it went on smoothly, no matter how much I added,” our tester says. “Regardless, after applying a hefty amount of eyeshadow, I didn’t notice any creasing and barely felt like I had anything on my eyelids.”
Size: 0.27 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Number of Shades: 1
This no-fuss primer brightens eyelids and acts like a glue for eyeshadow.
It only comes in one shade.
Using this eyeshadow primer is as effortless as it gets. A little goes a long way — just a dab is all you need to brighten and prep your eyelids. It goes on thick and creamy, but once you buff it out (your finger is the perfect tool), it turns velvety smooth and powdery, making it the perfect base for pigment to stick to. “It smoothed easily and provided consistent coverage across my entire eyelid,” our tester explains. “The tinted peachy color immediately brightened up my eye area, disguising the bluish veins I have on my lids.”
That’s not all, thanks to its unique tube shape, you won’t have to worry about it rolling around your bathroom sink countertop. “Tubes usually roll around my vanity if not propped up against something,” our tester says. “This tube’s flat edge ensures that it won’t roll onto the floor or potentially break.”
Size: 0.10 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Number of Shades: 1
The primer’s gel-like formula is loaded with skin-loving ingredients and goes on completely clear.
The product is entirely made of plastic.
If you’re looking for a completely clear and totally clean eyeshadow primer, consider the Hydro Grip Eyeshadow and Concealer Primer from Milk Makeup your match. Despite being loaded with skin-loving ingredients like aloe water, niacinamide, hemp-derived cannabis seed extract, and hyaluronic acid, the formula is crystal clear — and dries down that way too. “It adds no color to the eyelid, that way you know the only color showing up will be the color of the eyeshadow and nothing else,” our tester explains. “Plus, the product is very light; it’s the perfect medium of creaminess and liquidity.”
Our tester loved the fact that the product was entirely cruelty-free, but if she could change anything, it would be to ensure that the packaging used less plastic. “This product itself is perfect, I just wish the bottle could be made of recycled plastic bottles to eliminate waste,” she adds.
Size: 0.29 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Number of Shades: 1
The primer comes in several shades, including color-correcting hues like blue and orange.
It can feel thick upon application.
Most other eyeshadow primers on this list are subtle, skin-colored shades. This one from Laura Mercier, on the other hand, has a few unexpected ones. It comes in a range of beiges, plus a color-correcting blue and orange. The pigmented options were designed to help reduce the appearance of dark circles, spots, and redness to create a more even base so it will work with a variety of eyeshadow palettes. If the idea of a tint turns you off, don’t worry, our tester swears it’s undetectable underneath eyeshadow. “I was worried when the product left a tint behind, but once I applied a light shadow, it wasn’t visible at all,” she admits.
If there’s anything to keep in mind, it’s that a little goes a long way. If you apply too much, like our tester did, it can feel thick. But, after a little buffing and blending, she noted that it worked just fine.
Size: 0.18 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Number of Shades: 6
This formula has anti-aging properties and even works on the undereye area.
There is only one shade.
Noticing your under-eye concealer fading by the end of the day? Try using this long-lasting primer from Benefit. The dual-action formula can be applied both on the eyelids and the under-eye area, preventing eyeshadow color from fading and concealer from creasing. It melts into the skin with ease and dries down to a matte finish.
What’s more, it is also infused with sodium hyaluronate to help hydrate the skin, along with vitamins C and E to help diminish signs of aging — meaning it’s effective as both a makeup and a skincare product.
Aside from the impressive formula, it comes with a wand that makes blending a breeze. “The wand gives you options: I could either apply it with my finger, a brush, or straight onto my eye,” our tester, Senior Beauty Commerce Editor Shannon Bauer shares. “It has just enough pigment to cover dark spots and redness, but not so much that it looks cakey or requires a perfect color match.”
Size: 0.33 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: No | Number of Shades: 1
The main purpose of using an eyeshadow primer is to make your eyeshadow last longer, so an effective primer shouldn’t budge for 12 to 24 hours. The consistency of the product can also play into its lasting power. If a primer is more tacky, it can provide a ton of grip for the eyeshadow and keep the shadow in place longer, acting like a glue. No matter what the occasion is, how long you intend on wearing eye makeup, or how dramatic your eye look is, the goal is to avoid needing touch ups and a long-lasting primer (like Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer) will ensure this.
On top of keeping your eyeshadow in place and preventing creasing or smudging, a good eyeshadow primer will also maintain the color of your eyeshadow or make it pop even more. Look for a primer that will increase the vibrancy of your shadow, like Ruby Kisses 24 HR Eyeshadow Magic Primer.
According to cosmetic chemist Julie Pefferman, primers for eye makeup are pretty similar to concealers and other face makeup, such as color correctors for dark circles. “They’re usually water-resistant and offer long-wear capabilities all while ensuring safety and comfort for the eyes,” she explains. When it comes to specific ingredients, Pefferman says that in order to get a crease-less, smudge-proof canvas, silicones are the way to go. “Silicones help the eyeshadow adhere to the eyelid and offer a ton of spreadability without weighing anything down,” she says. “Many of my esthetician friends swear by the NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, which makes sense given that the percentage of silicones makes it super spreadable and gives it that long-lasting film,” she shares. But, if you’re looking for a silicone-free option, she recommends the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Eyeshadow and Concealer Primer, which works just as well, just without the added ingredients.
In an effort to find the best eyeshadow primers, we did our due diligence — by talking to makeup artists as well as researching products on our own — to hand-select and test 29 of the most compelling eye primers on the market.
Considering the main purpose of an eyeshadow primer is to prep the eyelid for makeup, we curated a group of testers with different skin tones. Once assigned, they got to work weeding through initial picks in an effort to narrow down the top formulas.
In order to do that, our testers rated each product on a scale of 1 through 5 in the following categories: application, feel, and look.
Once all the reviews were in, we determined the categories for the top eyeshadow primers.
An eyeshadow primer creates a solid base that allows eye makeup to last longer. Similar to other mattifying makeup primers, it also prevents some of the common issues with eyeshadow like creasing or smudging, and inhibits greasy eyelids by absorbing excess oil and keeping makeup from shifting around. Some primers also have added benefits like evening out skin tone, reducing the appearance of eyelid veins and puffiness, and providing a glowy boost.
When applying eyeshadow primer, a little goes a long way. Take a small amount and use your ring finger to gently tap it onto the skin. Some products come with wands, like the ILIA Natural Brightening Eye Primer, for one, that help distribute the formula, but the warmth of your fingers will help to seamlessly blend it after dabbing it on with the applicator. Once the primer has set, you can apply eyeshadow and eyeliner directly over top.
Did you notice the InStyle Picks seal of approval at the top of this story? That means our team of testers has reviewed every product on this list using a unique methodology to ensure it's really worth your time, money, and attention. We may get samples for free to try but we never promise positive (or any!) coverage in exchange. Put simply: InStyle picks are products we love, and we've put them to the test to be sure you will too.
Caitlyn Martyn is a commerce writer for InStyle, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, and fashion. With expert insight from a cosmetic chemist and tester first-hand experience, she poured over product specifications and rounded up our top picks for this story. Caitlyn has experience researching, testing and writing about beauty products and has tried tons of different eyeshadow primers, including several from the above brands, including ILIA and Rare Beauty.
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