Review: E.L.F. Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow and Essential Eyelid Primers

After a few years of dealing with creasing eye shadows, I was thrilled when cosmetic companies started making primers to solve that very issue. I found some brands that worked quite well, but they were expensive and most weren't very natural. E.L.F. offers a mineral primer, so I put it to the test to see if it was both gentle and effective.

Pros:

• Prevents eyeshadow from creasing
• Very affordable
• Gentle ingredients
• Universal shade for all skin tones
• Easy to apply

Cons:

• May not be available in stores

Summary:
This primer is essentially a budget version of higher-end brands, which usually cost $20 or more. This mineral primer is only $3 from the manufacturer. At that price, it is easy to replace when it gets old, which I love because it encourages proper sanitation in your cosmetics. The wand applicator is a little difficult to use for makeup artists, as I have to put the primer on a palette or sanitized back of my hand before applying with a disposable like a cotton swab. The performance is pretty strong, lasting around 4-6 hours or more, depending on how oily your lids are naturally.

I also tested the Essential Primer, and compared the ingredients. The two primers share many ingredients, and both surprisingly came in at a low 2 on EWG's Skin Deep database. If you need better performance, my tests suggested that the essential primer lasted a little longer. However, if safety is your primary concern, the mineral primer may possibly have slightly better ingredients.  The essential primer may be easier to find in stores, but the mineral primer is readily available online.  Vegans can rest assured that, if placing an order, the entire E.L.F. line contains no animal ingredients.  Overall, E.L.F. offers some great budget eye primers, so I highly recommend either one.

Also available on Amazon.com.

Product Ratings (out of 5)

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Performance
Presentation
Purity
Value

Disclosure notice: This product was sent to me free of charge by the manufacturer for review. No additional compensation was accepted and the opinions are my own. Please verify any claims with the manufacturer, especially if you have any allergies or concerns.

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