Time to Prime

So those who know me well know I'm kind of a makeup whore. Ok, that's an understatement. I love the makeup. It's all like toys for me. I used to play with stickers and now I play with makeup. Pretty/fun/cute stuff to play with that adds a little spring to my step. Stuff that sparkles, shimmers, glows. Stuff that's nude, stuff that's colory. I love looking at it, shopping for it, talking about it. I love all of it.

But before any of that stuff can go on properly, one must consider a base, something to smooth out the canvas and make it all last. So what do I use? I use primers.

For my eyes, I use Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP). It's easy to find (Sephora/Ulta/Makeup.com/UrbanDecay.com) and it works. A thin layer of this before shadow and it makes my eye makeup stay put all day. Like, seriously, ALL DAY. Until I take it off. I've tried a few other brands (Lumene, Too Faced, Smashbox) and I'm trying Art Deco right now - a German brand that's hard to find here in the US, although they're beginning to sell it in sets on HSN (how random is that?) but I always go back to UDPP. It's lifechanging. Before I discovered this, every day, by noon, my once-beloved (not anymore since I know better) Stila Kitten had shifted into my crease, and I was shadowless for the rest of the day. *shudders*

For my face, I use MAC Prep & Prime SPF 50. Not only does it protect from the sun, but it keeps my makeup on and it keeps the oilies away longer than anything else I've tried. I've tried Peter Thomas Roth, Smashbox, Bare Escentuals, Dr. Brandt, Arcone, Avon, Shiseido, YSL, Chanel. You name it, I've tried it. This is the best. This in combination with Clean and Clear blotting sheets and MAC Blot Powder, I can go anywhere. I can ride horses and do trapeze and go rollerskating.

For lips, MAC Prep & Prime Lip keeps my lipstick on and prevents feathering. I love this for those sheer lipsticks that tend to run off your face within 15 seconds of application. All those lipstick-balm hybrids that are out there now, without this primer, are completely useless to me. It also keeps my lips from drying out when I use my MAC lipsticks, which are notorious for sucking the moisture out of lips.

I know this all seems like a lot of steps, a lot to go through to keep your face on, but I love all this stuff. It's not work to me, it's the kind of stuff that helps me when I can't get myself out of bed in the morning on a Monday. Gives me a little ritual to look forward to.