Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base Review

 Essence I <3 Stage is an eyeshadow primer is meant to help eyeshadow last longer, and can also double as a primer for under eye concealing. Like all primers, this one promises to keep eyeshadows crease free while enhancing the color, but Essence takes it a step further and practically claims that this can be used as a base for stage makeup. That's probably not true, but I have no way to test that. This base is only available in one shade, a beige. Essence is a German drugstore brand available in most European drugstores, Ulta and Fred Myers in America, Target and Priceline in Australia, and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. Essence does not test their products on animals. This primer was made in Poland. I <3 Stage contains .13fl oz (4ml) of product. I purchased my tube at Target for $4.55AUD. I believe it retails for $3 in America.

 I <3 Stage's packaging is cute but not the most hygienic. It's actually a little reminiscent of Maybelline's Baby Lips when it comes to font layout, but it's a bit edgier and less cutesy. The name of the product is on the front of the clear, hard plastic tub. The back features a short description of I <3 Stage in English, German, and French, along with a little bit of company info. The black screw on cap has a doe foot applicator attached to it. Not a hygienic way to apply eyeshadow base, but it is quick, convenient and function, which matters more to me than cleanliness.

 I <3 Stage is a yellowish beige shade that blends out sheerly. It's opaque enough to cover any veins you may have on the lid, and creates a fairly smooth surface. Essence describes the texture as creamy, a valid claim. It's thicker and drier than my beloved ELF Eyelid Primer, possibly making it a better choice for those with oily lids. I <3 Stage dries down quickly, but blends out with minimal effort. Despite smoothing the lid, it doesn't seem to really aid in application. It does, however, make your shadows more vibrant, even more so than ELF's primer does. It also generally prevents creasing, except for already problematic shadows like Inglot's 104R. I can't speak for the other claims like being "ready for stage" or how it works as an under eye primer, sorry.

Essence's I <3 Stage Eyeshadow Base may have bumped ELF's Eyelid Primer out of the spot for my favorite eyeshadow primer. It prolongs wear just as well, but it intensifies shadow better and has a better texture, especially for those with oily skin. However, the value isn't anywhere near as good, being $2 more for .4fl oz less product, so I'm undecided about whether or not I'll repurchase it. I like that I don't have to combine my primer with a white base for added brightness, but that being said, I could buy the white version of ELF's primer and still have $2 left over for more products. I do like Essence's I <3 Stage base a lot. I probably sound really silly for not wanting to repurchase it because it costs three whole dollars, but really I do recommend this eyeshadow base if you're on a budget, don't like ELF, or have lids too oily for ELF's primer to handle. But if you're looking to keep your eyeshadow on onstage, turn to Ben Nye or another company that specialises in stage makeup, I wouldn't trust the "ready for stage" comment at all.

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Isododecane, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Mica, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, Stearoyl Inulin, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trimethoxycaprylylsilane, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tin Oxide, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide).

(Ingredients courtesy of Makeup Alley)