Eye Shadow Creasing by Noon? Prep Your Lids With Primer

The best eye shadow primers could be the make-or-break step that decides whether your look stays flawless or fades before lunchtime. One quick swipe can get richer pigment out of your eye shadow and smoother blending, without any creasing or fading. Think of it as setting the stage for your makeup: Today’s formulas don’t just lock color in place, they also blur texture, even out tone, and often deliver skin-care perks like hydration or oil control, too. Whether you’re dealing with fine lines around your eyes or just want your shimmer to pop more and last longer, using the right primer can help. Keep reading for Allure editor and makeup artist picks that prove that great eye makeup doesn’t start with shadow—it starts underneath.

Our Top Eye Shadow Primers

Best Overall: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Why it’s worth it: The Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion has been an editor and makeup artist go-to for what feels like forever. Why? “It lengthens the life of eye shadow without settling into fine lines or being too thick in texture,” Natalie Dresher, a Miami-based makeup artist, previously told Allure. It’s lightweight, with an almost serum-like consistency that spreads and applies beautifully (no buildup or patchiness here). It’s not over-the-top sticky, but the tacky texture keeps whatever shadow you put on top in place and won’t let go anytime soon. The Original shade (this one) is a pale, sheer translucent beige, while Eden is a matte beige and Sin is a pale, champagne shimmer. It’s also available in an “anti-aging” version that’s formulated with mature skin—think plumping peptides and brown algae—in mind. Bottom line: This is the primer for anyone and everyone.

Best for Mature Skin: Milk Hydro Grip Eye Primer

Why it’s worth it: Totally invisible, Milk’s Hydro Grip Eye Primer is like double-sided tape for eye shadow and won’t settle into fine lines. “It has a thinner formula, so it’s easy to blend on the delicate eyelid area,” says Pittsburgh-based makeup artist Patty Bell. “It will lock your eye makeup into place for eight hours, and it has hyaluronic acid to add moisture and offer a blurred effect to the lid.” It’s also made with blue agave, for some great grip, and niacinamide and aloe for an extra hit of hydration. Bell even says it can be used under the eyes as well to help prevent your concealer from creasing. If that’s not a true multitasker, we don’t know what is.

Best Drugstore: Nyx Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow & Liner Primer

Why it’s worth it: Another favorite of Bell’s, Nyx Professional Makeup’s Ultimate Shadow & Liner Primer punches well above its price point. The lightweight formula glides on effortlessly and blends out in seconds, making it nearly foolproof to apply. It comes in four skin-like shades—so good, we’ve worn them solo as cream shadows—that help neutralize veins and discoloration while softly blurring the lids for a smooth, even base. Thanks to a boost of vitamin E, it also delivers hydration, keeping that dry, chalky look at bay all day long.

Best for Dry Lids: Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Why it’s worth it: Nars’ Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base is the kind of behind-the-scenes product that makes every eye look better. The sheer formula disappears on contact, creating a light, barely-there layer. “I love that it grips without feeling heavy or interfering with any shadow I layer on top,” New York City-based makeup artist Nick Barose previously told Allure, adding that it’s been his go-to for decades because it “just lets the color shine.” Antioxidant-rich rice extract and sea whip extract help hydrate and protect the delicate eye area, so it wears more like skin care than traditional makeup (no dryness in sight!). If you want longer wear, cleaner blending, and shadow that truly pops, this primer quietly does all the heavy lifting.

Best for Oily Lids: Too Faced Shadow Insurance 24-Hour Eyeshadow Primer

Why it’s worth it: If there’s a Too Faced palette in your makeup stash (and let’s be real—there probably is), the brand’s Shadow Insurance Eye Primer is the secret to making those shadows (and all others) work harder. Made with oil-absorbing silica, it blurs and tamps shine down, so your lids aren’t creased by lunch. The silky, colorless formula melts seamlessly into any skin tone, instantly smoothing the lids and creating the perfect canvas for shadow to grip onto. The result? More vibrant color, easier blending, and significantly longer wear. It’s also waterproof, to prevent fading and smudging—even in high humidity or rain. We can’t speak to its 24-hour wear time claim, but it has lasted us through 12-hour days, so we think it’s up for the challenge.

Best for Discoloration: Laura Mercier Eye Basics Primer

Why it’s worth it: Available in two shades, the Laura Mercier Eye Basics Primer is a must-have for neutralizing discoloration. The light blue shade counteracts purple and pink tones to cover redness and veins, while the peach shade brightens and corrects sallow-looking skin. Once applied, your lids are perfectly even and ready for shadow, keeping powders and creams exactly where you want them. Plus, this concealer doubles as a treat for your skin, with aloe to soothe and hydrate, lanolin acid to lock in moisture, and safflower seed oil to nourish without feeling heavy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do eye shadow primers really make a difference?

Yes, eye shadow primers give you the best color payout from your eye shadows and make your looks last longer without creasing or melting off, says Bell. “They give you a clean canvas to work with, so they’re a great way to start out your makeup routine.” She also says that tinted primers (like the Laura Mercier one on this list) are great if you have discoloration on your eyes. “They even out the skin tone and can even correct dark lids or cover up veins.”

How do you apply eye shadow primers?

Bell says the best way to apply eye shadow primers is with your fingertip. “Apply a small amount to a clean lid and let it dry before your eye shadow application,” she says. If you want to use a small brush, that’s totally okay, too—but the heat of your fingertips may help the product adhere to the lid more. “Once it’s on, it’ll grab on to your shadow and lock it into place,” Bell adds.

Meet the experts

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best eye shadow primers, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, makeup artists, and cosmetic chemists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear, longevity, and resistance. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

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Complete your eye makeup look with these Allure editor-approved picks: