To prime or not to prime...that is the question!!

My first experience with mineral eye pigments wasnt very pretty. We were at the mall and I noticed a girl at a kiosk with some wild makeup. I walked over and she gave me a demo on how you use the makeups etc. The colors were amazing! I got red, blue, silver and teal. Came home, tried to put them on my eyes but it all just fell everywhere. So I started using the colors wet but it was really just a hassle for me. After time I stopped using them. I was reintroduced to mineral pigments last year and was also told that I needed a base. A base? WTF is that I thought. I had always thought of myself as pretty knowledgeable when it came to makeup and how to apply it, but I had never heard of using a base. Then someone said you need a primer. A primer too! Dang! So I started using my mineral eye pigments with concealer as my base and primer. It worked.
I eventually bit the bullet and ordered the NYX eyeshadow base and NYX jumbo pencils in Milk and Black Bean. Are they essential? I still say no. I got a long just fine with my concealer! They do make a lot of the eye colors "pop" and adhere nicely but you if you are low on funds or just frugal the concealer will work just fine.
              You can get the NYX stuff at Ulta or Ebay which is a pain to me. I like my stuff sold at Target!
I have seen some primers at Target but they were over $10 which is out of my cheapskate budget.
While I was at Target yesterday I happened to see this eyeshadowstick. The package showed glow and pearl, both fairly white colors so I thought I would give it a try as my base.
Grrr... I thought I paid $1 for this but it was $3

I did one eye in my normal routine and one with the shadow side of the e.l.f shadow pencil. The pencil had a pearlessence to it so the finished look has a sheen that is nice. In person I couldnt tell a difference at all between the two eyes. After 8 hours of wear both eyes creased about the same. On the same note, pretty much all creamy shadows will work as primers/bases. So work with what ya got!

 I decided to do one more test. I got out all my primers/bases.

 e.l.f shadow stick in Pearl

e.l.f shadow stick eyeliner side in glow'

I swatched Peacock from Beauty From The Earth.

I actually think that the concealer and the NYX jumbo pencil look the best.

and for fun I rubbed my shirt across my arm a couple times so you can see how the pigment adheres with bases/primers. The swatch with no base/primer is basically gone!

So there ya have it, you need something sticky for the mineral pigments to stick on!!!

P.S  Please excuse my stupid mistakes on the e.l.f pencil, crayon, stick,shadow whatever the heck it is called. It is dark in here and I do not have the package. All I know is that all those words describe it.

Also I am sorry for the horrible eye pics. I am using my camcorder as a camera and it is taking some serious getting used too!