Stila Prime Pot Review, Swatches, Photos

Stila has two brand new primers available for Spring 2011 called Prime Pot. Taking a quick glance at ’em you’ll instantly think, “oh Stila Smudge Pots!” That’s at least the first thing that entered my head when I seen ’em!

These come in two shades so you have a choice for lighter or darker depending on your skin type since they aren’t only working as a primer but also as a lid concealer of sorts a la Benefit Lemon Aid. I’m personally a die harder when it comes to Lemon Aid however I like to dabble around with various products to see what works better.

Let’s have a peek at Stila Prime Pots and see what the good word is!

A creamy eyeshadow primer for setting shadow and keeping it wearing long and strong.

First off, I know you’re curious if they feel anything like Smudge Pots and I personally feel they have a more creamy, whipped up texture compared to Smudge Pots which are thinner in consistency and a bit silicone-like. They blend fairly easily however they do have a super fly fast dry down so you have to work quick to get them in place where as Smudge Pots have more lean to them and alot less quickier of a dry down which allows you to move them around a fair bit before they set.

They come in two shades which are Taffy and Caramel. Stila dubs Taffy as a pale pink, I feel it’s more a beige pink and Caramel is a rather muddy orange beige. Taffy obviously works the best on my skin tone however not near as nice as Benefit Lemon Aid which brightens and awakens eyes. It leaves behind a nice finish for shadows and prevents them from creasing and fading however not nearly as well as Urban Decay Primer Potion which sets shadow for REALLY long wear. I’d say you can get about 8 hours in and than you’ll see a little itty bit of creasing however with UDPP I’d never experience that. I was hopeful Taffy would also work as a nude, natural look just to brighten my eye up when I’m not wearing eyeshadow however it doesn’t quite pull off the trick and I feel like I get way better results with Lemon Aid.

It does seem to mattify a fair bit and creates a shield of sorts on your lid. You can feel it in place once it sets (which is very fast) unlike Urban Decay which is virtually weightless. This isn’t to say it’s uncomfortable but you can feel it on your lid. I do think the fact that it mattifies will appeal to those with oily lids since Urban Decay doesn’t perform this feat.

This a huge pot at 0.14 oz at $20 so you’re getting considerably more product compared to Lemon Aid so if you love it, you are getting a good deal to work with here.

I thought the Caramel shade was terribly unflattering not only because it looked awful but just because I think it’ll look crummy on even darker skin types. The color is a rather sad shade of orange-y beige. But don’t count me an expert here…!

• Anyone who likes to use MAC Paint Pots, Stila Smudge Pots, or Cream Eyeshadows as a base (this brings the world of cream eyeshadows to a new primer level).
• Anyone who needs a base that will help prevent fall out, mattify oily lids, and hold shadow in place for at least eight hours of wear.

• Those seeking to use their primer as a shadow (if you’re looking to use this as a replacement for Lemon Aid or as a way to brighten your lids up it sadly doesn’t work out so well).
• Those not interested in dipping into products with their fingers (I find best application is swiping and blending out with fingers however bacteria would be an issue so you might wish to use a brush).

I liked Taffy alot. It won’t change my mind about UDPP or Lemon Aid but it’s a nice one for creating a good solid layer to work on particularly when using loose shadows and pigments as it prevents fall out quite well. Those will oily lids should probably give it a whirl as I think you’ll be impressed with the way it mattifies. It’s a decent product and works well although I do think Caramel is a touch off but don’t quote me there. All in all Prime Pot does what it says it will however I can’t help but wish it would also brighten up my lid for minimal makeup wearing as well as priming!

Oh well, can’t have it all can we?

Available now from www.Sephora.com and www.stilacosmetics.com

Have you tried Stila Prime Pots?

Thoughts?

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