What They Don’t Tell You About Primers (Featuring NARS)

Tusen takk, my Glow Girls from Norway! 🇳🇴✨

You’ve made it to #2 on the blog rankings and I see you — glowing, growing, and shining from the fjords to the cities. Sending you all my love and a big warm hug from across the miles. 💖 Are you ready to glow up your week with me? This post is for YOU!

There’s a certain kind of heartbreak that only makeup girls know — when a product looks so promising, feels luxurious, and still doesn’t work for you. That’s the case with the NARS Soft Matte Primer for me.

Let’s get one thing straight: it’s not a bad primer. In fact, it’s beautiful on paper — lightweight, adds a luminous sheen, and blends effortlessly. 

But here’s what no one tells you when you're just starting out: not all primers work with all foundations. 😮‍💨

I discovered this when I tried pairing the NARS primer with my holy grail NARS Punjab foundation. I thought, “same brand, they should play nice together, right?” Wrong. The finish didn’t sit right. It made my skin look cakey and the foundation patchy. It even accentuated the texture I was trying to blur. But, I heard that some ladies swear by it. 

But instead of tossing it out, I did what any budget-conscious beauty nerd would do — I repurposed it. ✨

Turns out, this “meh” face primer (for me) is a great eyeshadow primer. It gives shimmer shadows a gorgeous pop and helps powders grip better on the lids. I applied a generous amount on my lids using a wide eyeshadow brush when I did my make up when I went out one weekend, and the Urban Decay eyeshadows stayed on the whole time I was out. About 4 hours or so.  So now, it's officially part of my Toolbox-but-not-for-the-original-purpose pile.

Moral of the story? Your skin is unique. Your needs are unique. And just because something is labeled “face primer” doesn’t mean that’s where it ends. Experiment. Repurpose. Keep the glow, even if you have to reroute it. 💁🏻‍♀️ Remember, not all primers work well with foundations. You have to experiment and see which primer works best with your foundation. 

So if you’re building your kit or exploring what works for you, here’s your Monday reminder: You’re not doing it wrong. You’re just discovering what works for you.

🌟 A Little Love from the Glow Girls 💫

Hey Glow Girls! If you’ve been enjoying my posts and you’re a mom or teacher to a curious little learner, I just released my Pirates Past Noon Companion Workbook on Teachers Pay Teachers and Gumroad. It’s packed with activities that build reading, vocabulary, and writing skills.

💗 If you’d like to support this blog and help me continue creating content, consider purchasing the workbook or sharing the link with a friend who might need it. Every little bit helps this one-woman team keep going—and glowing! ✨

I also wrote a 3-Part Series about Pirates Past Noon, a book from the Magic Tree House Series. Read Part 3 here.

Thank you always for the love! 🫶