Beauty Q&A: Should I Be Setting My Eyeshadow Primer or Base?

Seemingly every day we pick up a new makeup trick or tip on social media to add to our beauty arsenal. Lately, one of these viral hacks hitting our feeds has been setting eyeshadow primer or a colored cream eyeshadow base with loose powders. This little trick helps achieve incredibly high coverage and a long-lasting finish. Ahead, we chatted with MUA Andrew Velazquez about when to use this hack and how to get it done right.

When to Set With a Generic Loose Powder

While some artists choose to set their primer with a generic loose powder every time they apply shadows (both colored or neutral), Velazquez only uses this hack if the circumstances are right. “I would use a generic loose setting powder on top of an eyeshadow primer if the look is a natural skin tone finish,” he notes. That is, if you’re keeping it color-free, reach for a translucent formula like the Dermablend Loose Setting Powder to sweep on top of your lids, like you would on your face. This powder will ensure that there is no creasing or transfer from your liner or mascara onto your lid or brown bone. It is perfect for the just-mascara or just-eyeliner look.

When to Set With a Colored Loose Powder

If you’re going for a colorful eye, however, this is where a colored loose powder comes in handy. After you’ve primed your eye with an eye primer, apply a cream, colored shadow base like the NYX Lid Lingerie Liquid Eyeshadow from lash line to brow bone. Then, “use a colored loose pigment in the same shade to set the eye in order to create the base tone for the look,” says Velazquez. This will serve as the starting point for building the rest of the eye, and it will more importantly allow for your lid shade to really pop amongst the other colors that you will be blending into your crease. Before you know it, an IG-worthy eyeshadow look will be born.

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