Are You Primed and Ready?

If the smoky eye is the Rock Star of the makeup world, then primers have to be the Workhorse. I can think of nothing else that makes such a dramatic difference. There are face primers, eye shadow primers, lip primers and mascara primers. I use them all and as I've gotten older, they are no longer optional in my makeup arsenal.

Just as you would prime a canvas for a beautiful finish on a painting, a face primer creates a smooth canvas for your makeup. There are primers for a variety of imperfections; redness, large pores, wrinkles, oily skin, dry skin and even brightening primers. All face primers will make your makeup last longer and not disappear during the day. Smashbox has an award winnng lineup of fantatstic primers. The original Smashbox Photo Finish Primer has a cult following and with good reason, it’s feels silky smooth and is loaded with vitamins A &  E. Smashbox also makes Photo Finish Light for those with oily skin, a trio of Color Correcting Primers, a Bronzing Primer and a Luminizing primer. For those of you with dry skin, Laura Mercier also has a wonderful selection of primers, her Hydrating primer is a good choice for dry skin. There is a face primer available for every skin type and skin issue. Urban Decay has just recently introduced several new primers including: Pore Perfection Complexion Primer Potion and Brightening Complexion Primer Potion; this is also good for dry skin as it has hyaluronic acid to hydrate.

Eye shadow primer keeps your eye shadow from creasing, makes it last all day and intensifies the pigment. My favorite is Urban Decay Primer Potion, I have raved so much about this product and given so many samples to my friends, I should get a commission from Urban Decay. That being said, I do like Too Faced Shadow Insurance also.

Lip primers keep lips moisturized and fill in lines. Mary Kay's Timewise Age Fighting Lip Primer is a good choice for mature women. Urban Decay's new Lip Primer Potion is already getting rave reviews.

Mascara primers add length and volume to lashes and can make any mascara perform better. The newest mascara primers have conditioners in them to keep lashes soft and silky. I use Lancôme Cils Booster XL, but I’m dying to try Lancôme Vibrating Powerbooster. I'd also like to try Urban Decay's new Eyelash Primer Potion, it is parben free and is suppose to fortify, condition and lengthen lashes.

I hope you will give some of these primers a try and create your own beautiful primed canvas. I know you won't be disappointed with the results.