Eh ... What's the Difference Between Face and Eye Primers, Then?

Last week we gave you the lowdown on Urban Decay's cult Primer Potion and Too Faced's increasingly popular Shadow Insurance. Xgirl rated the latter over UDPP, and I agree - it's absolutely my favourite eye primer. Inspired by Shu Uemura's new painting gel eyeliners - sadly unavailable here - I'm using it a lot recently to mix up bright-BRIGHT-bright shades that I can then apply as a graphic swipe across the eyelids with a fine brush.

But at least one of you was confused. "If I use face primer on my eyes will my eye lids fall off?," pondered reader Kitty in the City, adding "seriously, is the skin that different it needs a different primer?"

The answer is that it's not the skin, but the product formulation that offers a difference. But if you don't believe me, I got crack makeup artist Ken Boylan on the case. "A face primer is clear or has a tint in it, and most are made from a silicone base -  that’s why they feel smooth to the touch, and this is why they fill in the pores and little lines when you put them on," he explains.

While a face/foundation primer - like those in Smashbox's Photo Finish suite - is ideal for holding makeup on all day, using one on your lids isn't a good idea. Ken agrees: "I would not put it on the eyes as shadow would slip off and crease," he reckons.

Last words on the prime position? Mr. Boylan's got a bit of a recession tip for us: "personally, I think a good concealer and  a dusting of powder works just as well!"