Author: Nikki

Today I wanted to talk about some of the eyeshadow primers that I’ve been testing over the last couple of years. My all-time favorite eye primer was the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but they reformulated it and added fragrance, so I had to move on. If you read enough of my eyeshadow reviews, you can probably tell that the MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base is my favorite, with the Urban Decay Primer Potion bringing up a close second. Let’s get into some details if you are interested in any of the primers I’ll discuss today. Eyeshadow primers aren’t just good for people with oily eyelids; they can also help intensify eyeshadow colors, help glitter/mica particles adhere better, and improve the longevity/wear time of your eyeshadows. I do have dry skin, but because my eyelids are slightly hooded, I can get oily in the crease because the lid folds on itself. So I have to wear an eye primer to prevent the eyeshadow in my crease from disappearing.

The formulas featured today all claim to increase wear time, prevent creasing, and intensify color. I don’t prefer chunky shimmers or glitter eyeshadows, so I don’t use glitter glue. All but the Milani and e.l.f. Eyeshadow primers claim to either last for 24 hours or increase eyeshadow wear for 24 hours. Although the Milani Stay Put Eye Primer claims to extend wear, it only promises up to 8 hours of wear, while the e.l.f Lock It Down Primer doesn’t list a specific time claim. The MAC Eye Base Primer claims to prevent fading as well, but that could also be folded into the wear-time claim. There are some smoothing claims from Urban Decay and Milani, and the Pat McGrath Intensifeyes Longwear Primer claims to blur skin texture. To me, the MAC Eye Base is the most smoothing for texture, despite it not appearing in its claims. I have tested every eyeshadow primer on this list with several formulas, from my most affordable eyeshadows (Wet n Wild, Milani, Colourpop, CoverGirl), to my most expensive (Chanel, MAC, Pat McGrath, Tom Ford). My main concerns are longevity without color fading and the formula’s ability to prevent creasing. Based on that, I’d rank these from best performance to worst performance in this order:

1. MAC Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base (can make mattes harder to blend)
2. Pat McGrath Labs Intensifeyes Longwear Primer (performs well for me, but something in it irritates my eyes, so I no longer use it)
3. Urban Decay Primer Potion (dries out faster than other formulas, causing it to crease more as it gets older)
4. e.l.f. Lock It Down Eyeshadow Primer (can cause some fading with some shadows, and a big issue is that it does not work with my Pat McGrath Eyeshadows)
5. Milani Stay Put Eyeshadow Primer (does not prevent creasing for more than 3 hours for me with one exception)

I originally reviewed the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeshadow formula back in 2021 in the shades Charged and Fazed. The shimmer shade Charged was a big letdown, and the matte shade Fazed was just okay. Every now and then, these go on sale for 50% off at Ulta and Macy’s, so I decided to find out whether all the shimmers were as messy and difficult to work with as the shade Charged. Here are the pictures and swatches of Charged and Fazed from my initial review, in case you missed that.

TLDR: I do like the other Urban Decay single shimmer eyeshadows that I have tried (Half Baked, Overdraft, Dumb Luck, Ember, and Psych) a lot better than Charged. And I still think that Fazed is just ok.

Last year, I published my favorites post before Black Friday, in case people were curious about them and wanted to do some shopping, so I figured we’d do that again this year. For the 2024 Favorites, I selected only products that I reviewed in that year. However, I felt that it would be more accurate this year to simply pick my favorites (and a couple of honorable mentions), regardless of whether I reviewed them in 2025. I’ll also link to some of the end-of-year wrap-ups and favorite posts I’ve done in past years. For reference, I am 40+ and have dry, eczema-prone skin. I have an olive undertone, and my best foundation shade matches are NARS Tahoe (Natural Radiant Longwear Formula) and 4W4 Hazel in the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. Alright, let’s get into it. 🙂

Recap of Every Post From 2025

1. Top 10 Posts of 2024 (And What I Think Of The Products Now)
2. Chanel Ombre Essentielle Multi-Use Longwearing Eyeshadow (248 Latte Frappe, 252 Peche Glacee)
3. All-Time Favorite Makeup Updates and a Lipstick Round-up
4. Colourpop Pressed Powder Blush (Just Cruisin’ and New To U)
5. Patrick Ta Creme and Powder Blush Duo – Oh She’s Different, She’s Baked (Swatches)
6. Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Olive Smoke
7. Natasha Denona Bloom Eyeshadow Palette Swatches
8. Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer 5W (2025 Reformulation)
9. Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer (P7, YP11, NY12 Swatches)
10. Pat McGrath Mothership XII Petalmorphosis Eyeshadow Palette (Review and Swatches)
11. MAC Strobe Beam Liquid Blush (Unsweetened and Nitelite Swatches)
12. Setting Powders That Work for My Dry Skin (2025 Update)
13. Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Artist Blush and Highlighter (B260 Limitless Berry, H110 Anywhere Glimmer)
14. Makeup Lately (ft Tom Ford Bronze Isle, Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Balm, Maybelline Lifter Glaze Lip Balm, and more)
15. Clinique True Highlight Weightless Illuminator and All About Shadow Quad (swatches and review)
16. Forgotten Best Sellers: MAC Cosmetics (Vol. 2)
17. Eyeshadow Index Page Now Live!
18. NARS Total Seduction Eyeshadow Sticks (Strip Down and Sparked)
19. Morphe Makeup Brushes Reimagined (Review and Comparisons)
20. NARS Light Reflecting Luminizing Powder (Ophelia)
21. Lancome Hypnose 5 Eyeshadow Palettes (19 Ardent Drama, 17 Bronze Absolu)
22. Best Skin Tints/Tinted Moisturizers for My Dry Skin (Tower 28 SunnyDays, Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer, Urban Decay Hydromaniac, and More!)
23. Best Hydrating Concealers for My Dry Skin
24. Colourpop New Moon Eyeshadow Palette (Swatches and Review)
25. Morphe Solo Artist Priming Cream Eyeshadow Mixtape (review, swatches, and comparisons)
26. Shop with Me (MAC Cosmetics at Ulta – Swatches of MAC Glow Play Blush Cushiony Blush, MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick, Studio Radiance Luminous Lift Concealer, and MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick)
27. Tarte #trippinwithtarte Eyeshadow Palette (swatches and review)
28. Is Anyone Else Still Loving Cream Lipsticks? (Charlotte Tilbury, Maybelline, Estee Lauder, and Pat McGrath)
29. On Wednesdays We Window Shop (July 9, 2025: MAC Lipglazer Liner, bareMinerals Pressed Powder Foundation, Estee Lauder Eyeshadow Quads, Guerlain Emerald Feather Quad, and Hourglass Curator Palettes)
30. Revlon Glimmer Liquid Shadows (Starstruck, Spaced Out, In Your Orbit)
31. Koyudo Kakishibuzome Series KK-2 Cheek Brush Review
32. Wet n Wild My Lucky Charm and Call Me Sunshine Eyeshadow Palettes (Swatches and Review)
33. Shop My Stash: Chanel Ombre Essentielle Eyeshadows (248 Latte Frappe, 240 Brun Fauve, 252 Peche Glacee, and 224 Ble D’or Antique Swatches)
34. Hourglass Curator Eyeshadow Palette Swatches (Futurist, Expressionist, and Realist)
35. Morphe Cloudlight Soft Glow Veil Powder Review (with comparisons)
36. Chanel Les 4 Ombres Boutons (239 Boutons Baroque Review and Swatches)
37. Makeup By Mario Softsculpt Blurring Bronzer (Swatches and Review)
38. Updates (ft Chanel 239 Boutons Baroque)
39. Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers 2025 Eyeshadow Palettes (Poisoned Forest Swatches and Queen of Brights)
40. Makeup Fails (Givenchy Le Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick and Ilia Eye Stylus Shadow Sticks)
41. Sigma Eyeshadow Palettes Are $65 Now 😱 (Sigma Cool Neutrals Palette Swatches)
42. Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Healthy Glow Blush Stick (Cherry Glow Swatch)
43. Allure Best Of Beauty Winners 2025
44. Smashbox Always On Mood Board Eyeshadow Palettes (Swatches of Bougie Vibes, Cozy Vibes, Earthy Vibes, and Fiery Vibes)
45. Tarte Tartelette Toasted Eyeshadow Palette (Swatches)
46. Sleeper Hits, Vol 4: Tom Ford Eye Color Quads Honeymoon, Golden Hour, and Peach Dawn (Swatches and review)
47. One Size Boucle Silk Airbrushed Talc-Free Finishing Powder (Medium Dark Review & Swatch)
48. CoverGirl Clean Fresh Clean Color Eyeshadow Swatches (252 Spiced Copper and 262 Golden Toffee)
49. Sales, Promo Codes, and Beauty GWP Specials!
50. Chikuhodo Brush Review (GL-3 Cheek, GL-4 Cheek Highlight, GL-7 Liquid)
51. Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeshadows (Half Baked, Fazed, Overdraft, Dumb Luck, Ember, and Psych)
52. Eyeshadow Primer Round-Up (Pat McGrath Labs, MAC Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Milani, and elf Reviews)

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Since the Beautylish Gift card event started today (October 23, 2025 – October 26, 2025), I wanted to post about Chikuhodo’s new-ish GL Series Brushes. If you are interested in shopping during the Beautylish gift card event, you will receive a $20 gift card for every $100 that you spend. Although Chikuhodo is available from other retailers, Beautylish is often a more accessible option for buying Fude Brushes when they are available there. I’m not well-versed in Chikuohodo, but from what I understand, the GL Series was a relaunch for the brand in May 2025. I purchased the GL-3 Cheek ($63), GL-4 Cheek/Highlight ($56), and GL-7 Liquid ($35) Brushes back in June. And while I’ve had plenty of time to get to know them, I do still consider myself to be a novice when it comes to both Chikuhodo and Fude Brushes in general. It was just over 4 years ago that I started buying more Fude brushes, and I admit that I don’t dig too deeply into the history or research. I’m mainly interested in finding brush shapes and handle styles that suit my preferences. If you don’t know, Fude refers to Japanese makeup brushes handmade by artisans. If you are interested in learning more information on different types of Fude brushes, my go-to sources are my friend Lili’s blog (Fude Collection Series) and Alicia Archer on YouTube (her Fude Q + A may be a good place to start).

The GL Series features gold ferrules and white pearl handles and is marketed as designed for professional use while still being easy for beginners. They are well-made and feel substantial without being heavy. I have experienced some shedding during use and washing, but not enough to cause concern. They do shed more than I experienced with both Sonia G brushes (Soft Cheek, eye brushes, classic cheek, and classic base) and the one Koyudo brush that I’ve used. All of these brushes apply makeup beautifully, and the bristles feel soft to the touch. However, I don’t like the GL-3 Cheek brush nearly as much as the GL-4 Cheek/Highlight and the GL-7 Liquid brushes.

The recent news that Coty is looking for a buyer for the Rimmel and CoverGirl brands (among others) has brought the CoverGirl Clean Fresh Clean Color Eyeshadows back to the top of my mind. I tried them several months ago, and to be honest, I’ve been putting off this review lol. In the last couple of years, I’ve made it a point to reacquaint myself with drugstore makeup, and checking out these eyeshadow quads was part of that. I have a soft spot for CoverGirl, so I always expect great things, but these quads didn’t impress me. I purchased the shades 252 Spiced Copper and 262 Golden Toffee. The CoverGirl Clean Color Eyeshadow Quads are cruelty-free, talc-free, fragrance-free, and vegan. 

The One Size Boucle Silk Airbrushed Talc-Free Finishing Powder ($40, 8g) is a sheer powder that promises to deliver a blurred, airbrushed finish and feel weightless while lasting up to 12 hours. It is also supposed to visibly even skin tone with dimensional coverage. Claiming to be sheer and provide coverage is a bit confusing to me, but the powder does offer a little bit of coverage. The other claims, however, I can agree with, but it does have some issues I still want to call out. For context, I’m in my early 40s, and my skin type is dry, sensitive, and eczema-prone. I use heavy and hydrating skincare (glycerin-based serum, heavy oil-based moisturizer), which will affect how products look and perform. Alright, let’s get into the details.

Starting with less important quirks, but I think some may want a heads up on. This product is messy, with a lot of kick-up in the pan.

In hindsight, I should have never dipped my toe into the world of Tom Ford Beauty. While most of the products I have tried from this brand have been great, I struggle to justify the price tag of any of them. Except for two items (Olive Smoke Quad and Bronze Isle Quad), I purchased my Tom Ford products at the Cosmetics Company Outlet, an outlet store for brands under the Estee Lauder Companies’ Umbrella. Keep in mind that the discount you see varies depending on the in-store promotion currently being offered. For the 40-50% discount I received on my purchases from the outlet, I can see myself repurchasing them in the future. However, at $60 for the Traceless Soft Matte Concealer, $95 – $100 for the Highlighters, and $95 for these Eye Color Quads ($100 for limited edition versions), I won’t be paying full retail price for this brand anymore. And let me tell you, it has been a bit of a rollercoaster coming to that conclusion, especially with these eyeshadow quads, because I really like them and get a lot of use out of them. That is why these became “Sleeper Hits” for me. My first impression was that they are nice, but definitely not worth the retail price. But now, over a year later, they have become a go-to and are one of my favorite eyeshadow formulas to use.

The Tom Ford Eye Color Quads in Honeymoon, Golden Hour, and Peach Dawn contain Tom Ford’s wet/dry baked formula, which is made in Italy. Using this type of formula is more expensive, as it is only manufactured in Italy, where the process is specialized and the labor costs are higher. I wanted to point that out for additional context on price, although there are still cheaper baked eyeshadows available. If you aren’t familiar with the wet/dry formula, it means that when applied dry, the eyeshadows give a soft, sheer look, and when applied wet, they give a bold, dramatic finish. I don’t personally use eyeshadows wet, so I’m not sure how much that helps this formula. However, I don’t think that they apply sheer when applied dry. They have enough opacity for my skin tone to see the colors as they appear in the pan. I can agree that they are soft, though.

Another touch of luxury makeup that Tom Ford includes is a pouch with every compact, along with two double-ended brush/spongetip applicators. My Honeymoon Quad is in red packaging because it was part of a limited-edition collection. It is a permanent quad, though, so it is housed in the traditional brown packaging if you were to buy one now.