Eyeshadow Primer Vs Concealer. What Is The Difference?

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Everyone knows the real magic happens behind the scenes.

Eyeshadows, eyeliners, mascara, and other products come in a variety of colors. But apart from the products that bring additional color to our eyes, let us not forget those that work behind the scenes to make the makeup last.

Those products include eyeshadow primers and concealers. They are the foundation that makes your eye makeup sparkle. In this article, we will look at the difference between eyeshadow primer vs concealer.

Some can’t live without an eyeshadow primer. Others say it’s their concealer that matters most. Which do you prefer? Let’s get to know both!


Contents

What Is Eye Primer?

Eyeshadow Primer

Ever experienced looking at yourself in the mirror at the end of the night and wonder why your perfectly blended eyeshadow faded?

What happened to the beautiful vibrant colors? And why does your eye have a lot of creases at the end of the day?

Well, that’s what happens when you don’t use an eye primer. Your eyeshadow and eyeliner look like they’re all over the place.

If you don’t want your eye makeup to smudge, then an eye primer would be a great product for you. Many with hooded eyes find primers to be a savior.

Eyeshadow primers  could either be cream or liquid consistency. You apply them on your eyelids to help you apply the eyeshadow or eyeliner smoothly.

With a primer, your eye makeup will last longer and will stay put. It won’t slide and it will help prevent your eyeshadow from budging. 

Apart from keeping the eye makeup in place, a primer can also help make your eye makeup look brighter. Primers serve as a good base for your eye makeup because they absorb any excess oil that your eyelid produces.

With the excess oil absorbed, the creasing of your eyelids will be prevented.

Priming also helps deal with the patchy or uneven application of eye makeup.

Finally, eye primers can also help slightly tone down the natural pigment of your eyes. This is what helps your eyeshadow have that brighter and more vibrant color.

Sometimes, due to the natural pigments on the eyelids, certain eyeshadows don’t stand out as much as they should. Eyeshadow primers could greatly help in this case.

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What Is Concealer?

Concealer

Concealers  also help with your eye makeup. Some people also call this a color corrector.

The main function of a concealer is to cover up the dark under-eye color. It is usually applied under the eyes, but not always. Typically it goes on after foundation.

The eyelids could also be of a darker color, of course. And some people use concealer over them just to even out the color.

However, the main purposes of concealers are to correct the color of the skin and hide blemishes and acne that are a different color than the rest of the skin.

Note that eye cream may help here as a longer-term solution.

Concealers will not be able to remedy other issues that you might have with regards to how your makeup looks like.

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Eyeshadow Primer vs Concealer

If you are only to choose one, which one would you rather have? Which one is better? Well, there is really no better product than the other. The two products have different functions and use cases.

If you only had to choose one, it’s best for you to first figure out the issues you are facing with your eye makeup.

If your only concern is the dark color of your eyes or if you just want to make your eyeshadow colors pop, you’re going to want a concealer.

However, if you have other concerns such as creasing or your eyeshadow sliding off, then you are better off using an eyeshadow primer.

And of course, you can always combine the use of the two products! The eyeshadow primer could be used on your eyelids while the concealer would be great on your under the eye.

This is probably your best bet.


Can You Use Concealer As Eyeshadow Primer?

The two different products have different functions although some are similar, like color correction.

Both products can make the eyeshadow look more vibrant.

Some concealers are used to give that bold and sharp look to the eyeshadow. Moreover, there are eyeshadow primers that can correct the discoloration of the eyelid or dark circles.

However, there are some instances where you just can’t interchange them.

If your main problem is the creasing of the eyelids, then you just can’t use a concealer. The eye primers are designed to absorb excess oil. Most concealers do not.

That is why your eyeshadow could still appear to slide even if you use a concealer on your eyelids.

Knowing your main issues and concerns can help you select the right product to use. 

See Concealer as Eyeshadow Primer, Does That Work for more details.


Final Thoughts

Eye makeup can complete your look, or it can be a source of frustration. It’s a great addition to the basic makeup kit. Sliding and creasing eyeshadows can be a nightmare just like the appearance of dark under eyes.

Luckily, there are different products specifically designed for this purpose. You can use either a concealer or an eyeshadow primer.

Some people tend to compare these two products for the eyes. Some favor one over the other. However, there’s really no better product than the other.

It really depends on what your purpose is for using the products. 

If you are worried about the oiliness of your lids or if you want to prevent your eyeshadow from sliding off, an eyeshadow primer is best.

For those who simply need to correct the color of the skin on their eyelids or under their eyes, a concealer can be used. 

And you can always use both!

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Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).