Eyeshadow Primer VS Base... What's the difference?

Are they the same thing? No.

A lot of times these two things get confused as being one in the same. While they may seem similar, they have completely different purposes.

Primers create a barrier between your skin & your product. They are used to help eye shadows keep from creasing on your eyelid, (most of the time) make your eyeshadow blend easier, & often make the colors more true to their pigment (since your skin is not absorbing the product & your natural skin oils are not distorting the color). Sometimes they also correct any pigmentation that you have on your lid to ensure an even wash of color. Primers tend to dry to a somewhat powdery finish. You can use a concealer set with powder as an eye shadow primer but, I find the real deal to work better if you tend to have oily lids.

Eyeshadow bases are used to help products adhere to your skin &/or create a base color for your eyeshadow. You can use a shimmering base to liven up a flat shadow, a white base to make a color more vibrant, a dark base to darken up a shadow, or a colored base to add an undertone to a shadow. You can use an actual eyeshadow base, a pencil or gel eyeliner, one of the many cream eye shadow sticks available, or a potted type cream eyeshadow. If you are trying to adhere glitter, I suggest using a base made specifically for this. They come in glosses, gels, balms, & clear drying glue types (like a lacquer or sealer) or you can use eyelash glue (this does take quite a bit of practice to get right though). Many bases make it difficult to blend colors, so I suggest pushing eyeshadow into it, rather then swiping it across, & then blending. Eyeshadow bases also tend to crease, so putting a good primer underneath is important.

I hope this answers any questions you had about the difference between these two products.
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