The World of Primers

By The Twirlit Team on March 4th, 2009

makeup-1
FACE:
In the last few years there have been an influx of primers for different parts of the face to be used to allow makeup to last longer. There are face primers that go on before foundation, eye lid primers you apply before eyeshadow, and lip primers to make lipstick last longer throughout the day. For those that love their primers, by all means continue using them, but I want to tell you it’s not necessary to buy all three. I was a makeup artist for over a decade, before the introduction of primers. I want to give you my tips and secrets for what you can use that you already have at home so you’re not breaking the bank.

I always used mattifying lotions on the face before I applied the foundation. For oily and combination skin it was really important to have that as a base. For dry skin it wasn’t necessary, I just needed to apply a good lotion beforehand. Now, I will say there are some good primers that can smooth out specific areas of the face, such as lines on the forehead and those trusty smile lines by your mouth. Always remember to use a foundation brush when applying your foundation. It’s much smoother and easier to apply then with a sponge or your hands for a flawless look. For tinted moisturizer you can use your hands, just make sure you blend it very well into your skin. Once you have that on you can dust a powder to set it. For those like me, I just use concealer to even out my skin tone, blend it in and dust powder on top.

EYES & LIPS :

All you need to use for eye lid and lip primer is concealer. Yup, that’s right, just concealer. I have been using it for years and it’s never failed me. My friends always ask me ‘how does your eye makeup stay on all day?’. It’s all about concealer. Apply it like you would under your eye, blend it in slightly and then you can put on your shadows. For the lips, you would only really use it if you are going to wear lipstick. Apply it, blend it, dust a little powder on, put on your lip liner filling in your lips a little and apply your lipstick. Some women choose to just use lip liner as their base and that can work quite well to make the lipstick last long. I never worry about this, because I’m a gloss girl. Throw on your gloss and you’re good to go!