6 Best Eye Primers for Mature Skin to Get a Creaseless Base

Are fine lines and creases around your lids crinkling your eye makeup look? The best eye primers for mature skin can smooth them out. These nifty eyelid primers create an even base layer for your cream, liquid, and powder eye shadows to ensure they stay put without creasing, smudging, or settling into wrinkles.

There are many eye shadow primers out there, but makeup artists swear by the following formulas for creating level canvases and seamless looks on the delicate, wrinkle-prone skin around the eye area. Plus, they’re helpful for gripping your shadows and eyeliners all day long, no matter how intricate your eye-makeup routine may be. (As a bonus, many of them also contain skin-firming ingredients—hey, peptides—so these formulas pay off both instantly and in the long run.) Take a look at the best eyeshadow primers for smoothing fine lines and creases, below:

Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging

Why it’s worth it: Urban Decay’s original Primer Potion kicked off the eye shadow primer revolution back in the early 2000s, and now the beige-tinted formula is available in an Anti-Aging rendition made especially for those with fine lines and creping skin. “Formulated with mature skin in mind, this primer lengthens the life of eye shadow without settling into fine lines or being too thick in texture,” says Natalie Dresher, a Miami-based makeup artist. This eye shadow primer ensures pigments are locked in place for a full 24 hours while its key ingredients, dermaxyl (a ceramide-peptide complex) and kalpariane (an antioxidant-rich algae extract) provide much-needed moisture for wrinkled, dry skin to look and feel smoother over time.

Best Shade Range: Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Nudes

Danessa Myricks Beauty

Colorfix Nudes

Why it’s worth it: Yes, we know that the Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Nudes are traditionally a cream eye shadow—but their formulas live up to their no-crease, no-budge promises so well that Kasey Spickard, a New York City-based makeup artist, says they can be worn alone and as a base for your other shadows and liners. Spickard notes how impressive the Colorfix’s entire vibrant, fade-proof collection is, but shouts out the Nudes in particular for their 12 color options. “The Nudes collection has a shade that will match all skin tones, guaranteed,” he says. Usually, that’s an eyebrow-raising claim to us, but considering the Danessa Myricks brand is known for its inclusive shade ranges across all its cosmetics products, we have to agree.

Best Longwear: MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot Cream Eyeshadow in Painterly

MAC

Pro Longwear Paint Pot Cream Eyeshadow in Painterly

Why it’s worth it: MAC’s Pro Longwear Paint Pot Cream Eyeshadows were created to act as a two-in-one primer and cream shadow, but Drescher notes that Painterly, a pink-beige matte color, is an ideal base for all of your makeup options. “This little pot is technically a cream shadow, but has been used as an eyeshadow primer for decades by all makeup artists,” she says. It’s a pro MUA staple for its opaque, vibrancy-enhancing shade and intensive 24-hour wear that seriously won’t budge once it’s settled.

Best for Dry Skin: Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Nars

Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Why it’s worth it: Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base goes on clear and dries down invisibly as if it were a second skin. “This long-wearing, ultra-lightweight eye makeup base has been my go-to for decades,” says New York City-based makeup artist Nick Barose. It’s formulated with a unique blend of polymers and mineral powders that are especially great for dry skin to create a smooth, crease-resistant canvas that keeps eyeshadow locked in place all day. “I love that it grips without feeling heavy or interfering with any shadow I layer on top. It just lets the color shine,” he says. Antioxidant-rich rice extract and sea whip extract to hydrate the delicate eye area, so you can consider it skin care for your lids.

Best Lightweight: Hourglass Veil Eye Primer

Why it’s worth it: If you can’t stand the feeling of heavy makeup on your lids, Hourglass Veil Eye Primer is a weightless go-to. It has a featherlight texture that disappears into skin while keeping your eyeshadow crease-free and vibrant. “I like this eyeshadow primer because it’s lightweight, has vitamins E and C, and glides on smoothly—it’s fantastic for dry lids and helps prevent creasing,” says Carl Ray, a makeup artist based in Washington, D.C. A universal, soft tint helps even out skin tone without dulling your shadow’s color payoff. Plus, it creates a smooth, softly blurred canvas that makes blending textured shadows (like ones with shimmer) more seamless.

Best for Dark Circles: Glo Skin Beauty Essential Eye Base

Glo Skin Beauty

Essential Eye Base

Why it’s worth it: Sometimes eyes look tired even after a full night’s sleep (unfair, we know). Glo Skin Beauty Essential Eye Base is a creamy, tinted eye makeup primer that doubles as a concealer, instantly brightening the entire eye area by blurring redness and discoloration for a more refreshed, wide-awake look in seconds. “It applies smoothly, evens out skin tone, doesn’t crease, and stays put all day,” says Ray. Infused with caffeine to reduce puffiness, plus aloe and cucumber extract to hydrate and calm dry lids, it has major skin-care benefits in addition to extending your eye makeup look. Wear it alone for an even-toned finish or under makeup to improve eyeshadow application, grip, and color payoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of an eye shadow primer?

Simply put, an eyeshadow primer’s job is to secure your eye makeup in place—no creasing, smudging, or fading as the day goes on. Think of it like face primer, but formulated specifically for the delicate, often finicky eye area. “They also absorb oil and increase the longevity of your eyeshadow,” adds Spickard. Many formulas are infused with hydrating, moisturizing, and oil-controlling ingredients (like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and kaolin clay) to target concerns like dryness or excess shine. And when it comes to smoother, more even makeup application, a good primer isn’t just helpful, it’s a game-changer.

What should mature skin types keep in mind when looking for an eye shadow primer?

If you’re in the market for a fine line-smoothing primer for your eye shadow, Spickard recommends finding a formula that fully dries down (so, wait for it to set before you move onto eye shadow!) and locks in place to create a smooth, seamless base. “Also, you’re going to want something with pigment as mature eyes often have more discoloration and you want to even out the lid before going in with your eyeshadow for an even application,” he adds.

Meet the experts

How we test and review products

Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?

For our review of the best eye primers for mature skin, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and professional makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.