Review: E.L.F Mineral Eye Primer

I've been using this product for a few days, and can't profess to know everything about it. But I will say that I have definitely formed a pretty strong opinion in a few days' time. When I test out primers, I don't mess around. I put on an intense eye look, and I go to dance classes, martial arts classes, and even the sauna. What I discovered after a night of dancing (from about 11pm-2:30am, nonstop) is that the E.L.F. primer really does not hold a candle to my Too Faced Shadow Insurance or UDPP. Another clue that the quality is not really comparable: when I used a wet-wipe to remove my eye makeup, it came off pretty easily. When I use a wet-wipe to remove eye makeup over Shadow Insurance or UDPP, it does not want to budge. It will come off, but grudgingly, like trying to pull a child away from a candy store. And it usually leaves some streaks of color behind.

Overall, for the price, it's not a bad purchase. If you wanted to create a ratio of strength of primer to cost, I'm not really sure which product would come out on top. However, if you want to look good come rain, shine or sauna... pick the Shadow Insurance or UDPP. If you are going to have a day indoors, then the E.L.F primer is not a bad choice (unless your work really stresses you out and you find yourself sweating and/or wiping your brow a lot, lol).

Update: 8/6/2010

I have been wearing the E.L.F. primer almost every day since I got it, as I wanted to make sure that I was giving a fair review. I did wear the primer to a martial arts class that was only an hour, and it held up pretty well. I still find that it comes off a little easier (even just when wiping off makeup to change looks, for instance) than UDPP or Too Faced. But I think, like all things, the type of base used over the primer; the type of shadows/colors used; the type of liners used, etc... all those things play a role in how the look holds together as a whole. But truly, for the price (3 dollars!!) it really can't be beat, price to quality ratio-wise. And even without price as a factor, it does its job as a primer pretty well. On the whole. I'm really happy to have found E.L.F. products!

Re-do of baby blue/violet using primer + NYX jumbo pencil in white

So here's the re-do of the last look in baby blue and violet using the same colors, but whereas I used only Urban Decay Primer Potion in the last picture, I used UDPP + NYX Jumbo pencil in white as a base. You can see that the color payoff is way more intense, and the look is much more vivid.

Enquiring Minds Want to Know

If you're anything like me... learning about makeup techniques and trying to understand the reason and rhyme for each product, then this little bit may enlighten you on one teensy question that has been bothering me: what is the deal with using eyelid primer in conjunction with a cream/gel base? I had watched some youtube videos by Xteener (love her), which is where I picked up the notion that, in order to get the highest color payoff, you can use eyeshadow primer, then a cream base over that. On top of these, the powder then adheres and gives that amazing color payoff that we all love and want for dramatic makeup looks.

Well, I remember wondering... why not just cream base? Or why not just eyeshadow primer (lots of youtube gurus tell you to do just that)? Over time, I think I finally figured things out. The other day, I did a look with just Urban Decay Primer Potion (because Enquiring Minds Want to Know)! The colors were - meh. For an evveryday look, it was still pretty bright. I had to kind of rub it off a bit to go to Brazilian jujitsu class (I'm there to train, not to hook up :P). And of course, it was really hard to rub off (thank you, UDPP)! But compared to some other looks I have done, it paled in regards to vividness of color. You can see in the picture at the beginning of this article, that the color payoff is just not as strong.

Well, it got the wheels in my head to turning, and it all finally came together and made sense. A really good primer, such as UDPP or Too Faced Shadow Insurance, HOLDS that product on your face, rendering it fantastically difficult to budge - as exhibited by the difficulty I had in removing product before my Brazilian Jujitsu class. It also prevents makeup from creasing - VERY important for those dramatic looks. Now the cream base (such as a NYX jumbo pencil or a gel liner applied to the lid before adding powder colors) makes the colors pop like crazy. The powder adheres to the cream and makes the color incredibly vivid, and gives one really great control when layering colors. Without the cream or gel base, sometimes, the powder will get kind of sloshy, or muddy. However, with the base, your eye becomes like a canvas ready for oil pastels - you can layer on colors with a similar effect to actually drawing with pastels - the colors actually layer on top of each other instead of just mashing together into colorless gunk.

So why not just a cream base, then? (After all, Enquiring Minds..., etc.) Well, cream shadows can crease if they are used alone. You may get a great canvas to start with, but with some sweat, humidity and motion, the colors may start sliding off. That's where the eyelid primer comes into such a prominent place of importance. The primer makes everything STICK, and it prevents everything from creasing.

And THAT is why the best combination for a dramatic eye look is to use an eyelid primer + cream/gel base. Voila! Question answered! :) FYI: I will be re-doing the baby blue'/violet look that's pictured at the beginning of this post, but with both primer and cream base - and I will post the picture in the next post!

Have a bright, beautiful and joyful day. May your makeup pursuits be plenty and colorful, and may all your adventures bring you to the center of your own loving heart.