Beauty Smackdown: Urban Decay Primer Potion vs e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

I have hooded eyelids. Hooded eyelids are eyelids without the usual visible "crease" on standard eyes. When you look straight to a mirror and you don't see your eyelids, it means you have hooded eyes. It frustrates me at times because when I apply eye makeup, and open my eyes, it's as if I didn't apply any eye shadow at all! Plus, when I wear eye shadow, my lids tend to get oilier as the day progresses which results to a lot of creasing or oil bundling up on the folds of my eyes. And that's not a pretty site! Good thing makeup companies have thought of a solution...eye shadow primers!

Eye shadow primers are what you put on your eyelids prior to eye shadow application. It helps your eye shadow to stay put the entire day, prevents creasing by controlling oil and makes the color of the eye shadows more intense. So here I am with a Beauty Smackdown for two eye shadow primers: 

Urban Decay Primer Potion VS e.l.f. Mineral Eyelid Primer

Let's find out which eye shadow primer is better!

Contestant #1 - Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original

Stats: 

-  Urban Decay is not available in the Philippines :(

-  Priced at Php900-1200 in most online shops

-  Urban Decay describes the product as "coveted by makeup artists and makeup junkies alike because it guarantees more vibrant eye shadow that lasts for 24 hours and NEVER CREASES!"

-  contains 11ml of product and comes in a squeeze tube

YAYS:

- The packaging!  With this tube packaging, you'll definitely get more bang for your buck! Before, it used to be a "potion" type and has a bent doe foot applicator (which was unhygienic btw), but you wouldn't really get all of the product out!

- Packaging is more hygienic. Makeup artists can definitely use this product!

- It does what it says! Minimal to no creasing even after 8hrs and the eye shadows stay put no matter what. 

- When used, eye shadows have increased color intensity, compared to when using no primers. 

- It absorbs into your skin fast and appears invisible once set.

- It has no smell.

NAYS:

- It is quite sticky, which could cause your eye shadow application to be uneven. You have to use a light hand to blend.

-  It is so expensive.

-  It contains parabens.

-  It is unavailable in our country.

Smart packaging right here!

Dries to an invisible finish

Contestant #2 - E.L.F. Mineral Eyelid Primer

Stats:

-  Available at elf counters in SM dept stores and other drug stores

-  Costs Php 129.75

-  The Eyes Lips Face website describes that this product preps your lids for smoother, long-lasting and crease-proof eye shadow.

YAYS:

-  It is true to its claim--eye shadow lasts longer, no creasing and makes eye shadow application smoother and easier.

-  The product is readily available in several e.l.f. counters.

-  It is so cheap! :) Php 129.75 is a pretty fair price to pay for a product so effective such as this.

- It is not a sticky base. It dries into a smooth powder-like finish, which helps in applying eye shadow easily.

-  It also has no smell.

-  It is mineral based so I feel that this is good for your skin.

NAYS:

-  I don't like the packaging of this product. It comes in a tube with a sponge-tip applicator. You wouldn't get all the product out of the tube with this kind of packaging. I guess it's okay if it's for personal use only, but for MUAs it's something to consider. At the neck of the tube, there's a bit of drying of the product, because of the wand applicator which pumps air in and out.

-  Since the product is not a sticky base, eye shadows don't easily "cling" to it. It doesn't have the intensifying color effect compared to the UDPP. But this can be remedied by using high quality/highly pigmented eye shadows instead.

elf Eyelid Primer! It doesn't say how much product is inside though.

Comes with a straight sponge tip wand applicator

It has a very sheer finish.

Some of the product dried up on the neck of the plastic tube.

I applied the UDPP and the elf primer on my arm, and in between there's no primer whatsoever. I swatched an eye shadow twice on each of these.

And the winner is.................. the e.l.f. Eyelid Primer!

I think both of these products are great at making your eye shadow crease-proof and last all day. The main difference between them is that the elf one does not "grab" eye shadows the same way as the UDPP does, because it is not sticky. I think this makes the elf product more user-friendly especially for beginners in eye shadow application. Although the Urban Decay primer really helps enhance the color pay off of your eyeshadows, I feel that it is recommended for experienced users or for MUAs who know how to work with this product. Also, the elf primer has a milder formulation since it is mineral-based, as compared to the UDPP which has a different formulation and contains parabens. But what really tipped over the two was the price. Elf clearly won this round because not only was it effective, but it is also budget-friendly and readily available in the Philippines. YAY for the elf eyelid primer! :)

SM Dept. Store and Watsons HAUL + Mini REVIEW!

And it's HAUL about makeup :))

Hey, everyone! :) It's been about a month since I update this blog (I'm super sorry, guys. I have been sick and feeling down most of the time...), but now, I'm back! :) And finally, I found the right time to blog and I'm back to my happy and healthy self again! Yay! :)

Before I got sick, I went to several SM Department stores and also Watsons in SM Aura to go makeup shopping. Below are the items that I got and I have this HUGE haul for you guys. I also jotted down some of my thoughts about the products upon testing and swatching them. And BTW, the products that I purchased are very budget-friendly! :)

1.  COLLECTION COSMETICS Lasting Perfection 16-Hour Wear Concealer in #3

For just P299.00, you get a really good liquid concealer! Coverage is super awesome and staying power is the bomb! It is blendable and does not feel heavy even if it applies quite thick unlike most liquid concealers, which apply thinly. And with this, a little goes a looooong way. I super like this product! Now, I know why it's been raved about by makeup gurus and bloggers in the UK. :)

2.  COLLECTION COSMETICS Lasting Colour Lipstick in Sweet Tart

I love this color so much! Sweet Tart is a nice pink shade with coral undertones, just perfect for an every day lip color that is not too bright. It stays on for a good 3 hours with blotting, then you have to re-apply again. I really like the sweet candy-like smell of the product as well. :) For just P199.00, you get a creamy lipstick that is not too "in-your-face" pink and suits light-medium skinned ladies.

3.  ESSENCE Fix & Matte! Translucent Loose Powder

I finally found a translucent powder that fits my budget! I bought this for P239.00 at Watsons (SM Aura). It  definitely does what it says. It does mattify your face and set your makeup in place; hence, the name fix & matte! :) It keeps oil at bay for a good 5 hours before I could use my blotting sheets and it does not leave a white cast on the face. It's such a steal for its quality and for 15.5 grams of powder! It's definitely one of my holy grail go-to products! This product is recommended for combination-oily and oily skin. 

4.  ESSENCE Long-lasting Eye Pencil in 09 Cool Down

I can say that this is a no-fuss eye pencil. It goes on smoothly without tugging your delicate eye area. And when it sets, it sets for good and doesn't smudge. :) I got it in a slightly shimmery blue for a pop of color on my lids. I like that it's retractable so you don't have to sharpen it and it carries a good amount of product for just P149.00. It comes in a variety of colors too!

5. E.L.F. Contouring Blush and Bronzing Cream in St. Lucia

I find that this product is too oily for my liking. Although I love the color and pigmentation of this product, I feel that it suits people with dry to normal skin. This contour & blush duo is perfect if you are aiming for a dewy and natural flush on your cheeks. Staying power is not too good, though. (Price: P249.00 at SM Dept. Store)

 6.  Ever Bilena ADVANCE Perfect Eyebrow (eyebrow pencil) in Medium Brown

This is one of my favorite purchases from this haul! This eyebrow pencil is so creamy and so pigmented, it makes me wanna say goodbye to my other eyebrow pencils! Ha ha! I got this for ONLY P50.00, okay? I think it is one of the best eyebrow pencils in the local market and it's so cheap! It's really blendable too and a little of it goes a long way. It stays on like a dream as well!  I will absolutely repurchase this when I run out. :))

7. Ever Bilena Colorless Mascara

Super cheap and effective colorless mascara! :) I like putting it on my lashes alone for subtle volume and sometimes I top it off with my fave black mascara for extra definition. It doesn't sting my eyes and doesn't have a pungent smell. But I mostly use this for making those annoying fly-away eyebrow hair stay in place. It does its job for such an affordable price of P110.00. :) 

8. Italia Deluxe Max Volume Mascara

Confession: I bought this for the cute mascara wand. Hahaha :)) The mascara applicator is pretty small and is mace-shaped. This eyelash mascara doesn't live up to its name; it doesn't volumize my lashes pretty well and it's not THAT waterproof. It's so messy when I applied it and takes a lot of time to apply (or maybe it's just me?). It does an okay job for getting through those hard-to-reach lashes though because of its wand size. But, would I buy this again even for just P219.00? Nah.

9. Italia Deluxe 24hrs. Longwear Lipcolor in #2 Hot Red and #3 Fuchsia

For P199.00 what do you get? A cheaper alternative for those really expensive long-wearing lip color! This product is absolutely long-wearing but I don't think it holds on for 24 hrs (who'd wear lipstick that long anyway?). It is crazy pigmented and it's so hard to remove; it can actually stain your skin, clothes, etc. It has 2 steps: (1) Apply semi-permanent color base, (2) Put on gloss top coat. The downside is that even if it dries matte, it's sticky. Plus, if you put on the gloss that comes with it, the base product slides off. Weird! But I guess it's an okay product if you want a lip color that stays on. And if you don't mind the stickiness when it sets, then this product is for you.

10. Italia Deluxe Stay On Lip Gloss in 05 Blush

Priced at P219.00 in SM Dept. Stores, this colored gloss claims that it is long-wearing and is kiss-proof (it won't transfer when you kiss someone or when you smack your lips on something). I tried it and it really gives a good stain and dries matte. However, you have to keep in mind that you have to moisturize your lips well before you apply this because it emphasizes the dryness of your lips (it's not much of a 'gloss', really). I don't really like it because it feels uncomfortable on my lips.. like there's a lip tattoo on them or something like that. :P But for the price, color pay off is good and it does its job staying put.

11. REVLON Colorburst Lip Butter in Red Velvet

I just love this Revlon product to the nth level!! :) I bought my 1st one in 'Berry Smoothie' and I was so excited to get another one! But this time, I got it for sale for only P262.00. (*Thank you, Kat for letting me know about the 50% discount! Haha). Good heavens, I cannot say anything negative about this product! (Well maybe that it easily melts in hot weather? But no, I still love it!) I love the shade, makes me feel vintage-y 1940s when I put it on, since it's a deep cherry color. And I like how sheer it goes on at first and then you can build it into a more solid color. Plus, it's super moisturizing! Awesome, right? :)

And that ends my haul and mini review! So which ones do you think you'll buy next time? :) Feel free to comment below! :)

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