Using an eye primer is very new to me. Up until 3 months ago, before I switched to minerals, I used my foundation as my eye primer.

I currently have 3 eye primers;
Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Urban Decay Potion & Aromaleigh Eye Primer.
Both TF and UD make my eyes water for hours if I get them in my eyes.
As for AL, while I love the end result, it's really thick and has terrible drag when I apply it to my crepey eyes.

Yesterday, I decided to play Mad Scientist, and doctor up AL Eye Primer.
I now have 2 different primer concoctions.
#1- AL EP mixed with MAC Face and Body Mixing Medium
#2- AL EP mixed with MAC F&B MM, ID Velvet( a silicone based personal libricant), and a bit of my mineral base.

Yesterday, I tried concoction #1. It worked so well, I'm not sure if I need to try #2! I think the only improvement I could make is to purchase AL Primer in medium.
Concoction #1 went on smoothly, minerals went on very well and true to color, and no tearing when some got in my eye.

I took my experiment one step further and did not remove my em last night. This is something I do from time to time, with the same result- my pillow- it's the Shroud of Turin.
Anyway, when I woke up this morning, not only was my pillow clean, my em was fully intact! No creasing, no smudging, no muddy colors!

So, now I have my hg eye primer!

That's awesome!

Your pillow is the Shroud of Turin! LOL That's funny!

-Melissa

I'll tell ya, I started using Too Faced Shadow Insurance after either Z or Cin recommended it (I can't remember who it was), and let me tell you, that stuff is awesome! I have a full size of the Mac Prep & Prime Eye, which is also very good, but the TFSI is the best I've tried.

It might be helpful to know that the AL primer is meant to be patted on super sparingly. It's not meant to be applied thickly like a creme shadow base (but then i don't know what method of application you used). I barely pat my finger onto the surface of the primer and then just pat, pat, pat lightly all over my lid (lashes to brows - with the thickest concentration near my lashes). It makes the surface of my lid just barely tacky. Then I pat my minerals on over the top. But it sounds like you were finally able to achieve a primer result you were very happy with. Congrats!

Yeah, I could never get the AL primer to work right until Robyn told me how she applied it. I still sometimes have problems with it, which is why I just generally use TFSI.

quote:

Originally posted by girl1der:
It might be helpful to know that the AL primer is meant to be patted on super sparingly. It's not meant to be applied thickly like a creme shadow base (but then i don't know what method of application you used). I barely pat my finger onto the surface of the primer and then just pat, pat, pat lightly all over my lid (lashes to brows - with the thickest concentration near my lashes). It makes the surface of my lid just barely tacky. Then I pat my minerals on over the top. But it sounds like you were finally able to achieve a primer result you were very happy with. Congrats!

Yes, that's the way I applied AL Primer, sparingly and in a patting motion. The trouble is- the skin on the hood of my eyes is thin, loose and very crepey. The patting application literally pulled my skin away from my browbone. On the days I put my mu on early- before my body is hydrated- the pulled skin actually stayed pulled away from my browbone...like a little mountain.
*Sigh* this aging thing sucks royally...

quote:

Originally posted by ainos2:

quote:

Originally posted by girl1der:
It might be helpful to know that the AL primer is meant to be patted on super sparingly. It's not meant to be applied thickly like a creme shadow base (but then i don't know what method of application you used). I barely pat my finger onto the surface of the primer and then just pat, pat, pat lightly all over my lid (lashes to brows - with the thickest concentration near my lashes). It makes the surface of my lid just barely tacky. Then I pat my minerals on over the top. But it sounds like you were finally able to achieve a primer result you were very happy with. Congrats!

Yes, that's the way I applied AL Primer, sparingly and in a patting motion. The trouble is- the skin on the hood of my eyes is thin, loose and very crepey. The patting application literally pulled my skin away from my browbone. On the days I put my mu on early- before my body is hydrated- the pulled skin actually stayed pulled away from my browbone...like a little mountain.
*Sigh* this aging thing sucks royally...

Yeah, I imagine that's not the result you were looking for. I'm going to check out a few of the primers I've heard so many raving about (UDPP and TFSI) and see what all the fuss is. I'd never heard of MAC F&B MM until you mentioned it. I'm going to check it out online. Again, I'm glad you found your hg primer. That's so great.

I say that if the AL Primer works for you, stick with it! I haven't tried TFSI, but UDPP is a pain if you actually want to get your money's worth out of it (see this site.)

I started using UDPP before I found AL and since I liked it, I've never tried AL's primer. It's great for super oily skin like mine -- it somehow manages to keep my eyelids perfectly matte and my eyeshadow perfect until I wash it off at night! Although it must be clogging my pores like crazy (all the oil in my skin sure isn't evaporating....) but since I haven't gotten acne on my eyelids I don't care Definitely use a good eye makeup remover or oil cleanser with it though!

Sheesh, I've recently noticed I'm developing fine lines around my eyes and/or my slightly hooded lids are getting worse ... I need to find myself a good eye cream before I have to start modifying my primer/eyeshadow application techniques

quote:

Originally posted by girl_geek:
I need to find myself a good eye cream before I have to start modifying my primer/eyeshadow application techniques

Clinique's "All About Eyes" for the win, baby!

quote:

Originally posted by LisaF1163:

quote:

Originally posted by girl_geek:
I need to find myself a good eye cream before I have to start modifying my primer/eyeshadow application techniques

Clinique's "All About Eyes" for the win, baby!

I was actually thinking about trying this one... I have sensitive eyes and a lot of eye creams sting my eyes, but I thought all of Clinique's products were fragrance-free so I was wondering if that would help

It's fabulous stuff, and even though it's $28, it's not ridiculously overpriced like some $50 jobs I've seen. It's got this wonderful consistency to it, I can't describe it. It's like a gel, but really silky.

Ooh! Sounds nice! I really REALLY like gel textures for face stuff.

I'm like GG, a lot of eye creams sting my eyes, or worse, cause me to break out or get an infection. So I tend to stay away from them. I've been using The Body Shop's Intensive Vitamin E cream on my face at night and around my eyes because it doesn't irritate it. Before I put that on I put on a Vitamin C gel that is just amazing. I use the Vitamin C stuff twice a day.

I'm not sure if you guys have read my blog or not, but I did a comparison earlier this year on eye shadow primers.

http://decoratived.blogspot.co...oo-faced-shadow.html

Just read your blog comparison. I didn't really like the AL primer -- my lids are very oily. I like the UDPP product, but I agree that the packaging sucks. I used it until my wand wouldn't pick up any more, then I sawed the container in half and scooped into a little screwtop jar which has lasted me about 5 months....that container has cost them a customer -- not buying that again!

But I will try the Two-Faced next time I'm near a Sephora...
Thanks!
--Natasha

quote:

Originally posted by Hennagirl:
Just read your blog comparison. I didn't really like the AL primer -- my lids are very oily. I like the UDPP product, but I agree that the packaging sucks. I used it until my wand wouldn't pick up any more, then I sawed the container in half and scooped into a little screwtop jar which has lasted me about 5 months....that container has cost them a customer -- not buying that again!

But I will try the Two-Faced next time I'm near a Sephora...
Thanks!
--Natasha

To me, that whole process is horrible!
At best, it's bad packaging design.
At worst, it's deliberate bad packaging design to send you back buying another bottle sooner.
Having to saw that sucker in half can be dangerous!

I definitely feel that the Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Aromaleigh's Eye Shadow Primer make the eye shadows the most vibrant. I seem to vary between normal lids and oily lids, so I always use primer, and so sometimes the AL one works ok on me, but it's a lot more difficult for me to put on, with tapping it on, and sometimes I get too much and it creases. The TF primer is really easy to apply, as you just squeeze out a small amount and put it on and away you go. But the colors are more 'true' with AL and TF than with UDPP or a paint pot.