You ever find yourself completely ignoring Benefit’s color cosmetics and just really concentrating hard on their base line? I do this all the time. They make so many incredible, must have base products I completely forget they have color cosmetics available too!
Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Eye Primer can definitely make me forget everything very easily. Loves it!
Jump!
Benefit Stay Don’t Stray is pretty much a multitasking primer as it works 360 degrees, all the way around the eye to prep and primer for not only eyeshadow but concealer as well….and heck in some cases you can even use it as a concealer.
First off it will never ever replace Benefit Lemon Aid for me. Just wanted to throw that out there. Lemon Aid is my go to prep for upper lid work and I don’t see myself trading it in for this anytime soon.
The formula is a light slightly watery texture in a transparent flesh color. If your eyes are slightly red or you have tiny veins visible on your lids (lighter skin tones do) or even general dullness this works at concealing the entire lid and brow area for a more awake, refreshed look. Of course as it conceals it’s also working at prepping your lid for crease-proof shadow wear. You can go ahead and take it an extra step and prep under your eye as well with the product to create a smooth canvas for concealer. Or if you happen to need little to no concealer you can easily get away with using this as your concealer.
It pretty much keeps shadows long wearing throughout the day with no creasing. I don’t really like using it to prep for my concealer though as I’m a bit too old in the eye area and prepping plus concealer on top…bit overkill as I begin to look like I have alot of makeup on. However, on weekends or when I’m just running errands I can easily get away with using it as a little fresher-upper under my eyes sans concealer.
Now it does suffer the same woes as Fresh Absolute Concealer in the fact that the pump distributes way too much product. One pump and you’ll end up with way too much product so it’s a bit of a waste. The key is to pump slowly but keep your hand on the depressor so the product eases out and you can quickly lift your finger so you aren’t left with a gob of primer. It takes a little practice but using it daily you’ll get a knack for it.
I’m a creature of habit so I can’t say that Benefit Stay Don’t Stray will take the place of my beloved UDPP but it does come close. It multitasks in several ways to not only act as a simple shadow primer but also to conceal and prep the entire area and honestly UDPP can’t yet say that now can it?
Likey alot!
Anyone try yet?
Love?
Wanting to try it out?
Tell the Muse!
Disclosure: The following item was provided to Musings of a Muse by a PR firm for review purposes. For further information please see my FTC Guidelines or my Disclosure/Disclaimer posts.
Related posts:
- WANTS IT: Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Eye Primer
- Benefit Ooh La Lift Review and Swatches
- Benefit Confessions of a Concealaholic Review
- Benefit Holiday Collection 2009: Benefit Powderazzi Review and Swatches
- Benefit Velvet Eye Shadow I Cannes & I Will Review and Swatches
- Urban Decay Primer Potion Eden Review and Swatches
- Benefit Full Finish Lipstick Review and Swatches
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Muse
Sounds interesting although i already use udpp and lemonaid, i would like to try this anyway due to the cute bottle and name etc lol. I wonder how it would work with the benefit creaseless cream eye shadows i am a big fan of those at the moment.
hey gemma do you have a friend in the US? Benefit has the cream shadows for $9.50! gasp!
sale! score!
Me too! Same regime as you lemon aid and udpp on top!
I liked the bottle myself. I’ll prob repurchase when I’m done as I like it as a quickie concealer and go when I’m too lazy to do full makeup! Not sure on the cream shadows but I imagine it’ll work well! 
what’s lemonaid?
here you go Paloma http://www.musingsofamuse.com/2008/11/readers-request-benefit-lemon-aid.html
UDPP is coming out with/already has a matte/flesh coloured primer! I think right now its Sephora exclusive but apparently you can use it as concealer too =D
hi shelia yes I know I blogged about it a few days ago w000t!
Ahhh! I’ve been waiting for this review!! I’ve been waiting
to buy primer to wait for this review, so should I go with this or URban decay? Wouldn’t use it as concealer FYI
ooo hard to say Hailee hard to say lol. I’d go with UD if you never tried it as it’s my HG
I’ve only tried this a couple of times and don’t have the hang of pumping it so only a bit comes out. So far I like it as a primer but I wish this was a little bit lighter though so it would work better as a concealer. I’m very fair and it’s a bit too dark.
Kristina it’s hard to explain but you have to slowly push down while holding it so you are almost preventing yourself from pumping it. It’s weird but it works
bit too dark? interesting. So far on me almost a perfect match. how about blending it out more?
hi Muse,
thanks for the review. I found this way too dark for me (NC20) and I dont find the hold to be as nearly as good as Trish McEvoy eye base essentials. I also found the formula to not be as good or as silky/sheer, in fact I found this to be a like a cheap cream. No likey!
best
Jess
Hi jess!
mm nc 20 is very light I can see why it would be too dark! I love the eye bases from TM but they are a tad drying on me sometimes but I ordered one in the Winter so maybe the formula morphed a little bit on me when it shipped.
i think ill wait till i read reviews on urban decay new primer potion i dont have that much of a problem with creasing but sometimes when i know its going to be a busy day (or a long drunken night lol, new year ahh my makeup vanished!) i think i could do with a primer and something that combats dullness sounds even better only thing is do you think it would be to dark for pale tones? as in extremly pale im concerned it would look orange
hey robyn sorry for the delayed reply
by now you read my review on eden 
LOL! go see eden and get back to me on this hehe!
UDPP saved me from eschewing eye makeup altogether; I’ve been using it on my lower eye since I got my first bottle to keep my eyeliner from running, and now that I’m developing dark circles, it helps to keep concealer in place, too. I LOVE my UDPP!! But this BeneFit primer…is very, very tempting. Will you be doing a side-by-side comparison?
I have to say Ciambella I’m with you! UDPP is my savior!
mmm they are so different I didn’t think to do a comparison really, the products are different colors, textures, formulas, etc…so I didn’t think to compare. Maybe in the future 
Did you see UDPP eden!?
I want to try it but I can’t stray away from my UDPP.
UDPP has changed my life, really. I should have a t-shirt that says that, like the t-shirt I have that says “Jager bombs changed my life.” (True story, really do have that shirt)
me either jackie, fond fan
LOL!!!!!!! great shirt! we need the UDPP changed my life shirt!
About Lemon Aid – don’t you love the new retro-style packaging BeneFit came out with a couple of years ago? I’m tempted to buy it every time I see it. And your rave review makes it very tempting!
yes very much so jennifer :_D YOU NEED it in your life. seriously love lemon-aid it’s a fav of mine!
Thanks for the review. This sounds like a great multi-tasking products but I think the color would be to dark for my very pale skin
aww gio sorry doll seems for once benefit created something too dark as I am getting alot of complaints about the color not being too fab for alot of folk
Musey – like Lorac Undercover Lover? Pump, small, etc?
mmmm julie a bit bigger in size but I think you get more with the undercover lover hun. It’s a taller bottle but less product inside but don’t quote me on that have to compare the official size
When I saw that it could work as a primer for concealer I was all ears! But I am an NC15, so I am afraid the whole thing will be too dark for me as well…
To bad.
And I use UDPP as a way to get rid of my veins, damn see-through skin!
Thanks for the review, I stick with UDPP for now.
mmmm Nia yes I think it could be a bit too dark hun! Now that UDPP is available in eden maybe that will be even more helpful
your review is tempting me! I’ll keep this in mind the next time I have to shop for a primer. thanks!
let me know what you think if you do get it Connie!
I`d like to try it but I haven`t. It sounds great!!!
hiya musey! how do you think it would hold up for those with oily lids? seems kinda liquidy =translate= more work than UDPP
mmm del a bit mattifying but not crazy matte so oily lids may need a bit more prepping hun!
Hi there,
I have been waiting forever to this come out, I am going to New York next week and thought I would treat myself to it. But I’ve looked on Macy’s website and Bloomingdale’s but can’t see anything. Do any of you by any chance have an idea of where I could get it from? Also, as it’s a primer for eyes, do you think that I could use it for my blusher aswell? Or would it not work? I have a bit of a problem being pale and keeping it on.
Thanks!!
hi jayne. Macy’s and Bloomies prob doesn’t have it as of yet since they are the last to get Benefit releases in my experience but Sephora may already have it so head there. Blusher? No. It’s meant for eyes only. Hope this helps!
hi muse
I am a benefit junkie and im so glad i found your site!!!
thanks
x
very ahppy benebabe
hey nadia! Me too!
happy to have you hear hun! I’m gonna review a new benefit product tomorrow so stop back!
Has anyone really found something to beat Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, Personaly I don’t think there is such a thing. I can wait for this to come from benefit. Benefits Base line of products are amazing but I don’t think I could ever forget about their crealess cream eyeshadows or their silky finish lipsticks, they are two of my favorite products by benefit. I am also hoping their eyeshadows are going to be good thats the one thing I have over looked from benefit so I took the plunge and order a couple that benefit did a look with on their website. But I can’t wait to try this product out but I am with you I don’t think this is going to replace my UDPP, I just hope the first time i go to use it I don’t press down to hard and have product going everywhere.
lord no jane
this is nice but won’t replace UDPP for me 
the velvet shadows are quite nice 
oh believe me you will! just be extra careful when pumping that’s the pain in the butt part about this, a big gob comes out the first time 
grrr! Takes a little bit of a learning curve to get it right!
izzy dear, was wondering erm… can udpp help concealer to stay in place?
like as in i pat on UDPP, den concealer and den only eyeshadow? cuz my norm is usually concealer, udpp and then only eyeshadow
i got frigging dark circles on my lids! most concealer couldn’t cover it but they cover my dark circles on my lower lids well
wonder if lemon aid would be good for me? i got oily lids btw 
mmm hey little sis not really doll. best thing to do is transparent powder on top applied with a fluffy brush. That waterproofs my concealer and makes it wear very long. The skin food salmon brightening powder works a treat at this.
Lemon Aid may help or UDPP Eden is good as well!
I use these and they conceal well for me or you can also try the trish mcevoy base essentials, that works great at concealing the lid!