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There are makeup artist lines that are all fluff and no substance,with products that you try and end up thinking “how could a pro stand to use this?”. These lines last one or two seasons and disappear or the artist moves on to lend their name elsewhere.
Then there are lines that are masterful . When unique, highly pigmented colors, great textures and inspired seasonal collections come together with solid, workhorse basics – well, you have a winning line up.
Many diehard makeup lovers are devoted to the line of creative makeup artist Francois Nars for very good reasons. He delivers time and time again (with a few misses every now and then – I attribute those to differences in personal taste ) and has recently introduced what I believe is the ultimate in eyeshadow primers to his diverse line.
Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base is the new gold standard in primers.
I have tried them all and thought I had found my “holy grails” in Bare Escentuals Prime Time Eyelid Primer, Too Faced Shadow Insurance and Mac Bare Canvas Paint. One of those usually satisfied me for 10-12 hours of shadow “setting” on my oily lids. I had been using the new Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer (which has the benefit of a slight hint of nude color) and thinking I had achieved perfection, when along came Francois and his magic primer (well, not him exactly but a sales assistant from his line).
(I purchased what will obviously be my first of many tubes of Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base at a Nordstrom counter, with my own funds.)
Nars claims that after 2 weeks:
97% (of users) felt it maximized eyeshadow color
93% felt it extended wear of eyeshadow
90% felt it prevented creasing and smudging
Aren’t a believer yet? Here I have been using, testing and challenging this base for the last four weeks. Here is the outcome of my personal roadtest:
Week One – wore under my Nars shadows after renewing my personal Francois obsession. My lightest, least frequently worn duo Tokyo is used over Smudge Proof Base and survives a 14 hour road test.
Week Two – I tried the Smudge Proof Base under Bare Escentuals pigments, Bobbi Borwn and Mac shadows. All look like winners and last all day (from 7am until about 9pm). My Bobbi Brown Nude palette which is typically invisible on my eyes actually shows up as a perfect, natural nude shadow option!
Week Three – I am fascinated and test the cream shadows. Usually I wouldn’t bother with most of my cream shadows on a long work day. They just don’t last long enough. I used Clinique creams, Shu Uemura pot cream, Laura Mercier tubes and my lone Nars (Mousson – too shimmery for work) with mixed results. The Laura Mercier only last 6 hours. But that is TWICE as long as without the base.
Week Four – I explore chubby pencils and liners. Using a teeny brush, I dab some of the clear creamy base under my eyes before applying liner. Pencils still glide smoothly over it, powder liners stay on until I take them off. Heaven. Sue Devitt Intensifier Pencils stay on for 16 hours.
Is there nothing that this stuff won’t work with? I haven’t found it and even though a few creams didn’t last all day and night, they worked twice as well as without the Nars. I credit this primer with renewing my love of shadows. It is far more fun to choose and apply carefully when you expect the result to last all day.
I usually delay a review for several months but after one month of rigorous wear, and daily use, I can only say that THIS is the eyeshadow primer I have been searching for.
Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base outdoes them all.
What’s in it, according to Nars via Sephora website:
-Blend of Polymer and Mineral Powders (Mica, Titanium Dioxide, and a clay derivative): Deliver a firm grip on color.
-Deep Sea Extract: A naturally occurring marine extract. It's an anti-inflammatory ingredient that is harvested from deep in the Atlantic Ocean.
-Rice Bran Extract: A multi-functional natural ingredient derived from rice bran oil.
At $24 for .26 oz, it is a bit pricier than others (Too Faced Shadow Insurance runs $17 for .35 oz) but less than some (Bare Escentuals Prime Time is a whooping $16 for .05 oz!).
Based on the teeny dab needed for each eye, which is delivered via a sponge tip applicator, I would think each tube will last about 5-6 months at least.
You can find this product at Sephora stores, online or at NARS counters in major department stores such as Macy's or Nordstrom's.
An A+ to Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base!
The only question remaining is what to do with the rest of my shadow primer stash?
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