I was lying awake in bed the other night, nestled like the insomnia meat in the middle of an epic El Hub/Tabs snoring sandwich, when I thought, “It’s bad enough that El Hub snores, but when did Tabs start?”
As I lay there, wide awake, I wondered a great many things…like are there Breathe Right strips for cats? And if there are, I bet they look pretty funny.
It occurred to me that maybe that’s what I could do when I grow up, be the inventor of Kitty Breathe Right Strips, because I still don’t know what I want to do with the rest of my life.
I started ticking off a list of things I know to be true. 1. Tabs loves gravy, 2. Nutella and asparagus taste terrible together, 3. the world really didn’t need a sequel to Honey…
I must have dozed off somewhere around 3-4 in the morning, only to wake up a few hours later, more than a little cranky and with zombie-fied eyes.
Some serious eye-brightening action was in order.
I grabbed my iPhone (“Siri, remind me to research cures for insomnia!”) and peered into my makeup bag…
That’s when I saw it — Make Up For Ever’s new nude brightening Eye Prime ($22), the brand’s very first eye primer.
A magical brew of waxes and fixing polymers that, according to MUFE, creates a smooth, long-lasting base upon which to apply other eye makeup products. The supposedly universally flattering nude shade (for every skin tone) is also supposed to brighten while amplifying eye makeup colors and reducing creasing, and it’s designed to work with everything, from powder eyeshadows, to cream eyeshadows, liners, and basically the whole gamut of eye makeup deliciousness.
Well, hello, bright eyes. 🙂
Turn around, bright eyes… Every now and then I fall apart! And I need you more tonight! And I need you more than evuh!
(Sorry. Spontaneous ’80s sing-a-long moment.)
Unblended (left) and blended (right)
Anywho…I’ve been wearing Eye Prime for a few days now, but I wouldn’t exactly call us BFFs.
I like the silky smooth texture and lightweight consistency, but the “long-lasting” claim, forget it. At least not on my combination dry/oily lids. I get some pretty significant creasing around hours 5-6.
And while my eyeshadow colors do seem a little more vivid when I have it on, I also don’t detect much of a brightening effect. Maybe a smidgen — like a thimble filled with brightness, when I could really use a bucket.
I love the idea of getting a good dose of eye brightening with my primer, but for now, I think I’ll stick to my tried-and-true NARS Pro-Prime.
PRICE: $22
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Sephora stores and sephora.com
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B-/C+
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Aww 🙁 After trying out yet another new eye primer (NYX HD, this time) and having it fail me, I was really hoping MUFE’s new one would turn out to be some sort of mystical unicorn.
It sucks to hear it turned out to be yet another barely-okay product, but I guess this just means NARS Pro-Prime is going to stay at the top of my to-try list!
I’m so glad I didn’t buy it! Thank you so much for the review!
looks like I’ll not be switching from NARS’ eyeshadow base anytime soon!
Hi Chelsea,
NARS really is the best one out there right now! I keep trying to find something that tops it but nothing really does. Even the gals at Sephora go on and on about it. 🙂
Aren’t you headed to Paris soon? I can’t wait for you to leave me a comment from Europe!
I leave for Sweden a week from today! I’ll head to Brittany around the first of July, and Paris around the 4th, and then Vienna on the 8th or 9th! My brother is also getting married this Friday, and I need to take his future-wife makeup shopping tomorrow.
So, I have a very busy week! I found a ride to the airport (yay for cousins), I reserved gluten-free meals on my flights… I need to renew my driver’s license tomorrow, because it expires while I’m gone! And homework and a final exam need to fit in somewhere….
and July in France = ~les soldes~ the twice annual sales! Holla!
Thanks for the review! After I run out of my current UDPP I’m going to try the NARS primer b/c everyone raves about it and I always have creasing! To me, eyelid primer is worth investing in because if I don’t use it I WILL get creasing when I want my makeup looking fresh.
Hmm…for $22, the primer should hold up all day. Not impressed – thanks for the warning, Karen. I won’t be purchasing it. Like you, my eyelids are dry/oily (dry in the morning, but oil as the day goes on), so it doesn’t sound like this will do the job.
Hahaha, I really like Tabs with the Breathe Right nose strip! 😛 Karen, you crack me up!
Thanks for the review. I think I’ll pass.
Oh thanks so much for letting us know, Karen! I’ve been sticking to UDPP, which works great for me, but I remain curious about other primers. Looks like NARS is the next one I’ll try!
Oh Karen, I now have ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ stuck in my head 😀 so just to continue what you already started, “and if you’ll only hold me tight! we’ll be holding on forever!…” LOL. Great review, thanks for the heads up! I think I’ll definitely have to check out the NARS pro-prime after my UDPP runs out (:
aw, that’s too bad! I was totally think that MUFE would’ve nailed it with this one. I love all their long-lasting eye products (Aqua Eyes and Aqua Black being my two favorites) so I assumed this one would be more of the same. Too bad, look like I’m sticking with my Nars base as well.
Oh and btw, I totally had to put on “Total Eclipse of the Heart” after I read this–it’ll be stuck in my head all night now! Thanks a lot! 😛
Snoring sandwich! My 8+ year-old cat has a way of stretching herself out at night, managing to keep her body perpendicular to mine the whole time, kicking me in the tum during her dreams. Meanwhile the boyfriend is on his face, propping himself up by the elbows for reasons completely unknown, remaining at all times pressed up against me as if pushed hard by someone else on the other side. AND they snore. Somehow the wider half of the bed remains unoccupied the whole night. I believe the cat’s snoring started with old age. Can’t speak for the boyfriend, though.
Love your blog. It’s my daily dose of giggles and you have yet to post an unhelpful review. Thanks!
And I was so excited for this! Nothing still beats the original, I guess. UDPP, that is. 😉
Thanks for the review. That’s really too bad the quality isn’t excellent, and it doesn’t sound worth it for the price.
i am currently using oriflame one…and lovin it….neways thanks 4 the warning….:)
Oh, thank goodness. Now I don’t have to replace NARS on my “next primer to try” list. 🙂
I hear ya girl on the oily eye lids issue!! Glad to hear your review on this, bc a “brightener” description always gets me every time!! I’ll stick with my Urban Decay Primer Potion:)
I love this primer. I ditched Nars for it. I have normal skin and this primer makes my shadows more vibrant and it lasts just as long as with any primer I’ve ever used. Give it a try, ladies.
I have snoring cats. And a bring-down-the-walls snoring husband. The cats don’t bother me. The husband does. Maybe the Kitty Breathe Right Strips for the whole bunch of them. Or ear plugs for me! ^^
I’ve never used an eye primer. Never thought I needed one since I rarely use eyeshadow. But now at least I know what NOT to buy! Thanks for the head’s up, Karen. ^^
Thanks for the review:)
Horses wear nasal strips, so why not? 🙂 http://stablesolutionsltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Ill-Have-Another-wins-at-Santa-Anita-AQ1968JA-x-large1.jpg
Wow, never knew that. It looks like a Biore strip.
Good to know. I was contemplating trying this when my current NARS runs out, but I think I’ll skip it. Need the extra help when it is 100 freaking degrees out!
Hi Steph!
Are you back from your trip?
Sadly, yes. It feels like it was sooo long ago. I miss all my guys in brightly colored spandex!
Disappointing! I love a good primer, was hoping this one would turn out good. Currently using NYX HD eye shadow base and it does a pretty fabulous job!
Karen
My little Rose snores sometimes too–it’s cute and funny. I never knew kitties snored before!