NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Eyeshadow Base Primer, Skin Tone

Listen, I love these! I bought the black first (for my black-based multichromes), then the white, for my pastel/bright/neon eyeshadows, then the "skintone" one, to do basic cut-creases.YES, there is a learning curve, yes, you only use a tiny bit, and yes, these are not a replacement for standard eyeshadow primer... always. These are a lot more "grippy".I feel like you CAN get way with them as a primer (thin layer!), if you have very dry lids, but, really, these work ideally as a helper *after* you've used an eyeshadow primer on your whole lid area (maybe set with a powder after, if you're into that) and then added on as a "helper" for cut creases and more artful or intense accents.Bless Nyx for not only giving us rock-solid, easy to use basics, but also things like these, that allow even us newbies to expand our skillset to get the most out of more creative looks.SUCH a cool brand, all the more so for being so inclusive.

I actually bought two eye shadow base colors - the skin color and the white pearl. I prefer the skin color because it matches my skin tone pretty well. The white pearl is advertised to "maximize iridescent effect." However, it really adds glitter to your eyeshadow color and makes it shimmery, which is good for going out at night but harder to wear in the daytime. I will probably purchase the white base next time instead of the white pearl, since I have a tendency to use lighter eyeshadow colors.Anyway, I've only used the Too Faced eyeshadow primer before, and I honestly didn't think it helped make my eyeshadow color more prominent, so I always dismissed primers as a waste of money. I thought concealer was enough to serve as a base for my eye color.However, I started looking into primers again since I was frustrated about how my eyeshadow kept blending in with my Asian skin tone and the colors were lost. I was thinking of purchasing the Urban Decay primer potion until this product caught my eye, especially since the Urban Decay primer is pretty pricey.This is one of the best makeup products I've ever purchased. It really does make my eyeshadow colors more pigmented. I've only used MAC eyeshadows, which are pretty pigmented as it is, but these make the colors stand out vividly. It also allows for long-lasting wear. I put on my eyeshadow at 7 AM and by the time I get home at 7 PM, my makeup still hasn't worn off. You do not need to put a lot on, since this is just the base, but the product just glides on very smoothly. You really should only put on a tiny amount to avoid creasing anyway.It is a hundred times easier to put on my eye makeup now. I'm pretty sure the base will last me a really long time, but I will definitely repurchase when it runs out.

The media could not be loaded. I took the time to create and edit a video review before I realized that Amazon's review format (at least on smaller items) had changed and no longer appears to allow attaching a video. What a bummer.Anyhow, in the video, I put Nyx's Eye Shadow Base and the Too Faced Shadow Insurance to a head-to-head test, using one product on each eye. I much preferred the creamy texture of the Nyx product to the thin, liquid texture of the Shadow Insurance. I also much preferred the Nyx pot to the Shadow Insurance tube. I felt that the Nyx cream in the pot allowed me better control of how much product I was putting on and where.When using shadow over each base, it appeard that Shadow Insurance provided a more intense, pigmented appearance to the shadow, but it wasn't a landslide victory over the Nyx.My eyelids are super sensitive to a lot of cosmetics, and neither product bothered me very much. I am also very fragrance sensitive and neither product bothered me in terms of fragrance.In terms of adjusting my makeup during or after application (if I made a mistake or wanted to adjust something), I found this very very difficult to do with Shadow Insurance and a bit easier to do with the Nyx Shadow Base. I know a lot of people love Shadow Insurance for its long-lasting properties, but I would rather be able to have a little wiggle room in adjusting my look than have a long-lasting look--that's just my preference.I didn't find a huge difference in the staying power of these products, but I think the Shadow Insurance had the edge.In terms of price comparison, the Nyx Eye Shadow Base is nearly half the cost of Too Faced's Shadow Insurance, though the amount of product you get is not different enough to warrant the cost, in my opinion (the Nyx product is .21 ounces and the Too Faced product is .35 ounces).In summary, if what is most important to you is that your makeup stay in place for many hours after you apply it and you're expert enough to not have to make many adjustments to your look, the Too Faced Shadow Insurance is probably your best bet. If, like me, you prefer a creamier, easier to use product that is more forgiving of making adjustments, I'd recommend the Nyx Eye Shadow Base. If I would buy either product again, it would be the Nyx Eye Shadow Base.