The Summer Series: Eyes

In the summer months, I don't like to wear much eye makeup because I have oily eyelids. When I do wear eye makeup, I try to make sure it is longwearing and very simple. I also think it's fun to add a pop of color here and there, but I can honestly say that most of my collection is neutrals... which means I should probably consider investing in a nice palette with some fun colors, eh? But I digress... this isn't a post about makeup products I want. This is all about the eye makeup products I do wear/will wear during the summer!

I always wear a primer or base under my shadows, especially in the summer when it is hot and humid. I've tried a few throughout the years and in all honesty, I haven't found one I really dislike. I know some people are very picky about their eye primers, but for the most part I've had reasonable luck with the primers I've tried (aside from the L'Oreal one I tried years ago, but I don't even have it anymore. The three eyeshadow primers I use most often are Benefit Stay Don't Stray, Urban Decay Primer Potion, and Too Faced Shadow Insurance. 

I got Benefit Stay Don't Stray in their Big 10 set for Christmas this past year - the full size costs $26. The great thing about this is that it comes in a nude shade that slightly covers the veins in my eyelids, but I don't like the price. 

Probably the best known eyeshadow primer is Urban Decay Primer Potion. It costs $20 for a full sized tube and comes in four shades (Original - a sheer nude, Eden - a matte nude, Sin - a shimmery champagne, and Greed - a shimmery yellow gold). It works wonders for my oily eyelids and has been in a more convenient packaging than what is shown below for at least a year now. I haven't actually tried Eden, Sin, or Greed, (I only have the original) but I am definitely interested in trying them in the future.

The least expensive of the three is Too Faced Shadow Insurance, which costs $18. It is offered in Original (a sheer nude), Lemon Drop (yellow to cover discoloration), Candlelight (what I have pictured below in a sample size, it's a shimmery light gold), and Glitter Glue (colorless, specifically created for loose glitters and pigments). I wear candlelight on its own sometimes and I think it has a very nice effect. I definitely plan on buying the full sized tube of it when I'm out of the sample, but so little product is needed that I'll be working on this tube for a while (since I alternate primers).

I also included the Covergirl Intense ShadowBlast primer and eyeshadow, but for some reason I didn't take a picture of it with the other primers. I have the shade Beige Blaze and it costs around $9 at drugstores.

I always like to wear neutral eyeshadows, so my favorite palette of all time for that is the NYX Champagne & Caviar palette (I think it has since been renamed to Caviar and Bubbles, but I haven't seen that one in person so I can't say for sure). It has ten colors that work with my skin tone and I can just throw it in my makeup bag without worrying about having the right colors for a complete eye look. It also only costs $10 and there are several different palettes, so if these colors don't excite you then there just might be a palette with colors that do.

I still adore my Maybelline Color Tattoos. They give me a no-brainer look. The only problem is that without a primer, they actually do crease a little on very hot days. Regardless of that, I still love them and I still love the price! $6-8 a piece is great for the quality of these products. As I said in my review, I just wish they would release more colors.

Finding an eyeliner that won't smudge on me has been quite the challenge. Even the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners smudge... in fact, they usually do within the hour. I like the Revlon ColorStay eyeliners a lot. I used to have one in black, but the lid broke in my makeup bag and I haven't gotten around to repurchasing it. Anyway, these don't smudge on me and there are quite a few fun colors. I have Teal and Charcoal and these are about $8 at Ulta. I will say that these eyeliners run on the dry side, but I never have a problem with application or lasting power, so they are great for summer.

Before this year, I have never really found a liquid eyeliner I liked. Brush applicators give me thick lines that look unappealing, so the fact that the Covergirl Lineblast 24 Hour Eyeliner has even stayed in my makeup collection this long is pretty amazing. It only comes in black and brown, but it has a felt tip applicator, it lasts all day, and the pen itself hasn't dried out. It also applies very smoothly and I can really control the thickness of the line. I believe this costs around $8 and it has been worth every penny.

When it comes to mascara, I tend to stick with Maybelline and Covergirl because I think both brands offer great mascaras. The new Maybelline Mega Plush (Volum' Express) is a mousse/gel formula with a big brush that tapers at the end. I find it gives me a natural look and it doesn't clump. Another advantage to this is that although it is new, the waterproof version came out with the washable version (I'm not a fan of waterproof mascara). I bought this at Target for about $7 and I'm pleased with the results. The only problem I have with this mascara is that it does flake a tiny bit by the end of the day, but it doesn't give me raccoon eyes.

The thing about eye makeup is that there are so many products available that it would be difficult for me to cover every single thing that is great for summer. What I choose to use this summer is just my opinion and other people also have valid opinions. That being said, I hope I've been helpful!