Dark Matter Makeup Women of Science and Gravity Primer Swatches

Ohhhhh boy, is this review late.  Dark Matter Makeup released their version of the sticky base and primer combo awhile back and it's taken me this long to post because I did want to test it before reviewing.  Along with the primer release, their collection inspired by women of science also debuted, so I picked that up.  As usual, shipping was very quick after ordering so I received my package in less than a week.  

I also have to mention the inclusion of several sponge tip applicators with my order!  I was pretty impressed with that because it's been hard for me to get my brushes in the cute centrifuge vials and have expressed that several times, despite really liking the shadows.  I used the sponge tip applicators in my swatches and found them very useful, even though I used to always hate getting those in my drugstore palettes.  

Proof that Dom reads reviews!  USPS has been notorious for taking a long route to NYC, but they got to me quickly this time.  (Psst Dom, maybe they heard you ;) )

Pictures taken in daylight and swatched over Dark Matter Gravity (top/left half) and ELF Essential Primer (bottom/right half)

Gravity primer

Gravity:  white toned, slightly tacky primer.  I've used this several times and had varying results.  If you put a light layer on, glitters don't adhere too well, so it's almost no different from using a regular primer.  However, if you put on a thicker layer, it tends to crease if you don't wait for it to set.  I made the mistake of putting a semi-thick layer on my lids, applying shadow almost immediately, and seeing creases within an hour.  I suggest waiting at least 15 seconds for this primer to set before applying eyeshadow so it can dry down a bit.

Emmy

Emmy:  shimmery rose gold

Notoriously Morbid Shadow Bind - Review and Comparisons

I have some exciting news, everyone!  Notoriously Morbid released their version of a glitter adhesive this morning.  It's called "Shadow Bind" and is supposed to make glittery/sparkly eyeshadows adhere to your lids better, instead of having a bunch of fallout on your face.  Shadow Bind is not a primer, so you will need to prime your lids with regular primer beforehand.  I was sent a tester sample a few months ago and I have been using it this whole time.  The site advises you to primer your lids, apply a bit of Shadow Bind to your lids and wait 15-20 seconds to dry.  However, I find that I don't really have to wait that long, I end up dabbing it on my lids, smoothing it over and then applying my shadows immediately.  It also has a watery texture, as opposed to fan favorite's Pixie Epoxy by Fyrinnae.  Pixie Epoxy (PE) is said to have a very steep learning curve as you have to wait for the appropriate amount of time to try and it tends to be hard to blend afterward.  

As soon as I received this product, I got straight to work with tests and comparisons.  I've put it through several different tests, so there will be a lot of pictures!  For all the swatches I'll be showing, I applied a layer of ELF Essential Primer (non-sticky) and then applied NM's Shadow Bind on the top half - everything is shot under a daylight bulb.