The Longevity of These Eyeshadow Primer Will Pay for Themselves, Says Our Testing (2024)

There’s nothing worse than putting the time and effort into an intricate eye makeup look with a killer eyeliner and eyeshadow, 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 completely 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.

Our Top Picks

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Best for Oily Eyelids:

ILIA Eye Primer at Amazon$24

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What We Love: It has nourishing, gentle ingredients that give it a smooth, balm-like quality.

What We Don't Love: The applicator’s handle is a bit too long for our liking.

Like many of Nar's top-rated products, this 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. When we tried it on, it felt like a smooth balm, so it was easy to blend in.

One thing we wish we could change is the applicator’s handle, which we think would have been better if it were a little shorter. It feels really long and too intense for how simple the product is.

Size: 0.26 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: No| Number of Shades: 4

Best for Oily Eyelids

ILIA Eye Primer

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What We Love: This eyeshadow primer is derived from natural ingredients and won’t cause irritation for those with sensitive eyes.

What We Don't Love: It disappears into skin right away.

Those of us with oily eyelids know how frustrating it is for our 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, we found it a little confusing. It soaked right into our skin after application, so we weren't really sure if it was still there. We were surprised to find that it certainly was and it made our eyeshadow look more vibrant and smudge-proof.

Size: 0.14 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes| Number of Shades: 1

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What We Love: The lightweight one-color-fits-all shade is designed to be used on all skin tones.

What We Don't Love: 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. It has a creamy, off-white color when you first put it on, but then, over time, it blends into your natural skin tone. We couldn’t even see it after a few minutes.

The weightless formula offers light coverage, which meant we needed to layer on some more to get our lids completely covered. It took a little more product than we thought we needed, but it went on smoothly, no matter how much we added. Regardless of applying a hefty amount of eyeshadow, we didn’t notice any creasing and barely felt like we had anything on our eyelids.

Size: 0.27 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes| Number of Shades: 1

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What We Love: This no-fuss primer brightens eyelids and acts like a glue for eyeshadow.

What We Don't Love: 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

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What We Love: The primer’s gel-like formula is loaded with skin-loving ingredients and goes on completely clear.

What We Don't Love: 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. Plus, the product is very light; it’s the perfect medium of creaminess and liquidity. We of course also love that it's entirely cruelty-free.

Size: 0.29 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: Yes| Number of Shades: 1

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What We Love: The primer comes in several shades, including color-correcting hues like blue and orange.

What We Don't Love: 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 (without the use of a concealer), 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, we learned it’s undetectable underneath eyeshadow.

If there’s anything to keep in mind, it’s that a little goes a long way. If you apply too much, like we once did, it can feel thick. But, after a little buffing and blending, it worked just fine.

Size: 0.18 fl oz. | Cruelty-Free: No| Number of Shades: 6

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What to Keep in Mind

  • Lasting Power: 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.
  • Color Payoff: 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.
  • Formula: According to cosmetic chemist Julie Pefferman, primers for eye makeup are pretty similar to concealers and other face makeup. “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.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the benefits of an eyeshadow primer?

    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.

  • How do you apply an eyeshadow primer?

    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 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.

Why Shop With Us

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.

Want more product recommendations? From best-in-class concealer to the black pants you need for work, check out all of our InStyle Picks content.

The Longevity of These Eyeshadow Primer Will Pay for Themselves, Says Our Testing (2024)
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