The Surprising Way Your Eye Shadow Primer Can Make That Zit Disappear

By Sarah Siegel

Updated on 7/14/2018 at 5:40 PM

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I have over-the-top oily skin. When I look in the mirror around lunch, the oil on my face has usually cut through my makeup and caused a reflective shine on my face. For years, I'd seriously stress out whenever I broke out in a hard, cystic pimple, knowing that any amount of concealer would likely wear off by noon.

One day, while browsing YouTube, I learned a tip that would change my makeup game forever. I found YouTube blogger Nikkia Joy's channel, where she frequently talks about how different foundations fare on oily complexions. She also had an incredible tip for making sure concealer stays on a pimple all day: use eye shadow primer underneath your concealer.

I tried the tip with my favorite Laura Mercier Eye Basics ($28) the next time my period came around and I got a honking zit on my chin, and was amazed that it really worked. I've always thought the primer did an incredible job making my eye shadow last all day, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised it worked so well on my concealer as well. I've been using this tip ever since, and it has become my go-to every time I break out.