Eye Primer Comparison & Review: Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer and VDL Expert Color Primer for Eyes

Today I will be doing a review on two of my favorite drugstore eye primers: The Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer and VDL Expert Color Primer for Eyes. As a monolid with very oily eyelids, eye primer is essential, no matter what kind of eye makeup I am wearing. I find that it prevents the smudging of not only eyeshadow and eyeliner, but mascara as well. These two are the best that I have tried from road shop brands, and today I will be comparing the two, as they have strong points in different aspects.

Starting with an overall comparison, here are the general qualities of the two primers.

Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer

Price: 5,500 won ($7.20) for 10g

Description on website: Proof 10 Eye Primer supplies coverage to eyelids and around the eyes to enhance eye shadow color and intergrity for a longer lasting, Perfect 10 look.

VDL Expert Color Eye Primer for Eyes

Price: 13,000 won (approximately $11) for 6.5g

Description on website: This eyeshadow primer creates the optimal lid surface for eye color application. Enriched with silk ingredients, it keeps eyelids soft and supple while keeping eyeshadow colors vibrant and fresh all day without creasing.

As you can see above, VDL, while it is much more affordable than high end brands, is not as affordable as some of the other road shop brands such as Etude House. Etude House is less than half the price of VDL, and has more product. When you take into account the fact that Etude House holds sales much more frequently than VDL, the Etude House primer is a total win.

As with the packaging, VDL is much more sleek. However, both have doe foot applicators, which means that the application is quite similar. However, there is a difference in texture, as the VDL primer is much more smooth to apply, and the Etude House dries much more matte. The Etude House's thicker texture makes in harder to blend out, and too much can easily turn your eyelids white and look a bit strange.

Both are fairly translucent, and are not good at concealing veins or discoloration on eyelids.

Another point to note is that although the Etude House primer has more product, I rarely use up the tube because it dries out more quickly. As it doesn't cost much, I just buy another one when that happens, but it is another thing to bear in mind.

Top: Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
Center: VDL Expert Color Primer for Eyes
Bottom: No primer

However, the main difference between the VDL primer and Etude House one is that they are good at different things. The VDL primer is much better at increasing the color payoff of eyeshadow. However, Etude House is much better at preventing smudging and increasing longevity.

I'm not sure if you can see the difference, but the eyeshadow shows up much more vibrantly with the VDL primer as a base. Etude House does not increase the color payoff of eyeshadow as much, as there is not much of a difference between using the Etude House primer and using no primer at all.

Top: Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
Center: VDL Expert Color Primer for Eyes
Bottom: No primer

In conclusion, it really depends on what you are looking for in a primer. If you have very oily eyelids, the Etude House eye primer might be a better choice. However, it does require some work blending in, and using too much can leave white marks on your eye. If you care more about getting 100% color payoff from your eyeshadows, the VDL primer is a much better choice. It is far easier to blend than the Etude House eye primer. It increases the color very well, and there is a definite difference between using the VDL primer and not using it. 13,000 won is not too high a price to pay for an eye primer, anyway, and though it has much less product, 6.5 grams will still last you a long time.

I like both, and use them for different occasions, but if I had to choose, I think that I would repurchase the Etude House primer. My extremely oily eyelids are to blame, sadly. Still, the VDL is a great primer, and those who have less oily eyelids will be much more happy with this one, I presume.

Happy shopping!
Rosa

What's in my Makeup Pouch

Hey everyone! Long time no see.

I've been suuuuper busy this semester, which is really no excuse for not posting on my blog for such an extended period of time, but I'm trying to make an effort to start again.

I am back with a post on my current makeup bag. While I am definitely not low-maintenance, I don't think that I have too much in my bag.

The first thing that is in my makeup bag is the Etude House Precious Mineral Magic Any Cushion in Magic Peach. This is a very moisturizing cushion foundation that I normally use throughout the day. It doesn't have too much coverage, so I tend to use a different foundation when I first apply makeup, but it is a good one for touch-ups.

The second item in my pouch are my Kai Compact Eyelash Curlers. My eyelashes tend to droop by the end of the day, despite how waterproof my mascara is. I curl my lashes if I think that they need a little lift, and I like how compact they are in comparison to conventional eyelash curlers.

The third and fourth items in my bag are my eyeshadow in Like Sunset by the brand Aritaum, and a mini brush by Lancome that I got in a travel makeup set. I usually have very casual, natural makeup, so if I'm going out later in the evening, I add a little more eyeshadow. It's not overly-pigmented, so it's hard to go overboard, and the bronze color is very sultry yet natural.

The next eye product in my bag is the Innisfree Gel Liner in Sunset Burgundy. I don't wear eyeliner on a day-to-day basis, so this is also for when I want to amp up my makeup for the evening. The subtle purple/burgundy shade goes well with the bronze eyeshadow mentioned above.

The last makeup items in my bag are lip products. First, I have the Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me. The baby lips are already extremely popular, so I don't have much to say. Sadly to say, I am almost out and it's a shame that you can't get hold of this in Korea, because the sheer red color and moisturizing formula makes it extremely comfortable to wear.  I also have a Mamonde Volume Better Shine Gloss in Red Tree. It is a sheer, red gloss with a bit of shimmer running through it. Although I don't normally like shimmer in lip products, it is not chunky or glittery at all, and goes well with the summer weather.

Other products in my makeup bag include a Hand & Nature Sanitizer Gel in Almond and Hand & Nature Hand Cream in Lily, both by Nature Republic. I bought both products on a whim, but have been enjoying both. The hand cream is moisturizing but not at all sticky, and the hand sanitizer is compact. 

I also keep a pot of L'occitane Shea Butter for extra dry parts of my skin, such as my lips and cuticles.

Speaking of dry skin, I have a sample tube of Espoir's Aqua Miracle Oil Gel. It is great as a hydrating primer, but I also use it on top of makeup on dry parts of my face, such as around my mouth and chin. I am almost out, and will definitely be purchasing the full-sized version. Also for my dry skin, I have a small pot of Physiogel Cream. I am not a huge fan, as I think it is too heavy for my skin, but I use it on the dry parts of my skin throughout the day.

Other essentials in my bag include a couple of wet wipes, bobby pins and hair ties. 

Phew. I guess I do keep quite a few things in my bag, but I assure you that they are all essentials. I hope you enjoyed today's post and I will be back on Wednesday with a new one!