Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eye Shadow Primer

I have finished up with my Bare Minerals eye shadow primer and have been playing around with a new formula.  I liked the Bare Minerals formula but the little tube that the product comes packaged in went much faster than most other formulas that I have used.  I liked the results from this formula but don't know that I would purchase it again unless the company changed the sizing of the tube or offered the tubes in packages of two for a special promotion.  I went through this product too quickly for my happiness and felt the need to order another formula within three weeks in of use.  I went with a formula from Benefit this time around, I have been using formulas from all different companies but Benefit is one that I have used face primers from before but never an eye shadow primer. 

Stay Don't Stray is packaged differently than the past few formulas that I have used and the most similar one to it is the NARS formula.  Both of these formulas are more of a liquid and are applied with a doe foot applicator instead of the traditional cream formula housed in a tube.  I love total change in formula once in a while and this product provides that happiness. 

I ordered this product from Sephora and will use that website for all product details and photographs.  "A primer for concealers and eye shadows.  This dual-action power primer works 360 degrees around the eyes to make concealers and eye shadows stay put. Concealers don't crease; eye shadows stay vibrant and true. Now in two neutral shades to suit all skintones, Stay Don’t Stray features a new dip-n-dab wand for easier application. Remember: just a dab'll do ya!  Sodium hyaluronate is known to hydrate, while vitamins C and E are known to help fight signs of aging."

This eye shadow primer comes in two available shades, one of the light skin tones and one for medium skin tones.  I ordered the Light shade (of course) and wouldn't be able to use the Medium shade unless I would use it as a shade of liquid eye shadow. 

I use next to none of this product to make my eye makeup stay all day long, this is the exact opposite of the Bare Minerals formula.  I will be using this product for the next few months, the tube is good sized and very little product is needed for use.  I use two dots of this product on each eye and then blend them into my eyelid.  I then apply whatever eye makeup that I am going to use that day and I am good to go.

This formula is a thin liquid but is quite tacky and good at keeping Urban Decay glitter eye shadows in place, my litmus test for eye shadow primers.  The product blends easily into my lids and then sets a smooth base for my eye shadows and eye liners, it is thin enough that I work with it easily and then it doesn't change the texture of my eye makeup when it is applied.  It helps my bright eye shadow shades to stay pigmented and vibrant and I can use less of these shadows (versus not using primer at all). 

I get a full eight to ten hours of perfect eye makeup and then it removes decently at the end of the day.  I will admit that I need an extra swipe of eye makeup remover to get all of my eye makeup off when using this product and I would prefer that over having my eye makeup fade half way through the day.  With the little extra remover, I can easily get all of the product off and then have a clean slate for eye cream and treatments. 

This is a very good quality eye shadow primer and can be used by anyone who has never used eye shadow primer all the way to someone that has used every single formula on the Sephora shelves.  This formula belongs in the halls of greatness with NARS and Urban Decay, this is a formula that I love so far and will be using for the next few months and then would definitely repurchase.  I would recommend this formula to anyone interested in this type of product especially to someone that used glitter-heavy formulas or prefer bright hues with tons of pigment.

photo courtesy of Sephora