Review: Wet n Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer

Ever since my preview posts right before Christmas of all the new 2013 Wet n Wild products, I've been busy testing everything to bring you some reviews. I'm finally done with my testing of this new eyeshadow primer (the first eyeshadow primer from Wet n Wild) so let's see how it worked for me:

Wet n Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer in For My Primas

(Retail: $5.99, 0.34 oz)

Keep reading for my full review...

The price point of this product is a little more than e.l.f. primers but it's much easier on the wallet than popular primers such as Urban Decay Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance. The tube is narrow and long has enough product to last the average user at least a few months (you only need a tiny squeeze for both lids):

The color right out of the tube is nude-ish, but as you blend it onto the skin, it becomes a little more pink-toned, and then ultimately it dries pretty clear. So don't look to this primer for any color-correcting or evening out of the color of your lids:

The consistency, as you can see above, is on the slick side. It's more of what some would call a "watery" primer as opposed to primers that are thicker and drier. I have to admit that I didn't have high hopes for this product when I first started to smooth it over my lids, because it does feels slick and almost a tad bit greasy or "silicone-y" at first (those types of primers rarely work for me). But as you're about to see, I totally underestimated this one:

For the swatches above, I used the dark brown shade in the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette. I find that shade to be a little bit dry and patchy when worn without primer but, as you can see, it becomes quite intense over the Take On The Day Primer.

After using this primer with a variety of different shadows (high end, drugstore, matte, shimmer, sparkle), I have been seriously impressed by its performance. BUT, you must let it dry a little bit before you apply your shadow. This is key because, if you don't let this primer set, it can become a bit goopy when it interacts with your shadow and then it's going to look patchy. So apply it and then give it a few minutes before you apply your shadow.

As for staying power, well check this out:

The above photo was taken after I tried to remove the swatches above with my regular makeup remover towelette. You can see that my skin is red from where I really had to rub to get it come off (the swatch on bare skin of course removed easily, but what you see above is the residue of the swatch done on top of this primer).

I didn't have this type of trouble when removing this primer from my actual eyelids because, once primer interacts with the natural oils of your skin, it does become easier to remove (especially with the help of facial cleanser and/or makeup remover). But I wanted to show you the photo above just to give you an idea of the capabilities of this product. 

So back to how this works on my lids: let me say that on one particular night leading up to Christmas, I was so exhausted after some Christmas shopping that when I came home I fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up until 3 in the morning. I was wearing this primer underneath a wash of Urban Decay Sin eyeshadow, and I had applied it at about 3pm that afternoon. When I woke up from my "nap" on the couch and went to the bathroom, I couldn't believe that my shadow looked as if I had literally just applied it. Twelve hours later, my shadow looked pristine. That is seriously impressive.

On the downside, this primer doesn't intensify the color of all shadows equally. There are some shadows that will tend to look the same on bare skin as they do over this primer (especially matte earthtones) but with most shimmers (like the one swatched above) it really does a great job at intensifying color. 

In terms of staying power, this primer worked beautifully with every shadow I tried it with--I can't think of an exception. It really kept my shadows in place and crease-free for the entire day and into the night. But do keep in mind that I've been testing this product in the winter and I do not yet know how it's going to hold up in the dead of summer. I'll be sure to update this post with additional info once the weather warms up (if I notice any changes in performance).

There is a subtle fragrance to this primer (it sort of has a generic "primer" scent and is void of any floral notes, etc.). The fragrance is something that I do not noticed during daily application--I can really only detect it when I rub some primer on my hand and then bring my hand to my nose.

FINAL VERDICT: Eyeshadows primers perform quite differently depending on your body chemistry, skin type, what other skincare products you use, etc. So I am always cautious with recommending primers because even the most popular products don't work for everyone. That said, this product absolutely worked for me and my oily skin, providing a full day's worth of crease-free, fade-free wear with every shadow I used during my testing period. It did not heighten the color intensity of every shadow I tried it with, but it did seem to perform better in that department with shimmers (as opposed to mattes). However, it did keep my mattes (and shimmers) in place and looking perfect all day and into the night, without fail. But I cannot stress enough that if you buy this product, be sure to only apply a small amount, blend it well, and let it set for a few minutes before you apply your eyeshadow. I find that this method yields the very best results.

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You can find Wet n Wild Fergie Take On The Day Eyeshadow Primer at Walgreens stores across the nation.

Have you tried this new primer from Wet n Wild? I'd love to hear from you!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.