Benefit’s new eyeshadow primer, Air Patrol, came out several months ago. I want to say it was in the summer last year, but I’ve just gotten around to trying it out. I haven’t seen many reviews since it’s release so I thought it would be helpful to share my thoughts with you on this product. Because who doesn’t love a good eyeshadow primer? And if it has skincare benefits, so much the better!
Benefit Air Patrol
Retail: $29 | Click for Ingredient List & More Information
I have rather oily eyelids, so I cannot go without a primer. Ever! I’ve talked about my Holy Grail eyeshadow primer many times, and the thing I love about it is that it helps my eyeshadows show up more pigmented and it can take me through a 12+ hour day without ANY fading or creasing. So that’s what Benefit’s Air Patrol was up against! 🙂
The concept of the dispenser really intrigued me, and I liked the idea. But the execution of it didn’t live up to expectations. It says that you only need one click for each eye…but one click doesn’t bring up any product! It takes a few clicks to bring the product to the top…and then I find that there is a bit too much coming out! And even when I sweep it all on both eyelids, product slowly seeps out of it after I’ve closed the lid and put it away so that when I open it the next time, this is what I find.
Ew! It’s all dried and goopy, and while I did clean it with a makeup wipe, I had to do that just about every time I pulled it out to use it, and that got a bit annoying. I loved the feel of the tip, though! When I saw pictures of it, it appeared to be a hard, clear tip, but it’s actually very soft and flexible. It reminds me of how a gummy bear feels. 😛 A weird, but surprisingly pleasant, feel on the eyelids.
Another aspect of Air Patrol that I had a hard time with was the amount of product you get. For $29 (this ain’t cheap!) you get 0.13 oz. Yeah, not a whole lot in that fancy tube. For comparison, my holy grail LORAC primer retails for $21 and has 0.53 oz of product. So when I look at it objectively, I can save $8 and get a lot more product….
But I hate to be all Negative Nancy on here, so let me point out some positives! 🙂 It’s a rather thin consistency, reminding me of the Maybelline Fit Me! concealers, and is easy to apply and blend into the skin. It is yellow-toned, so for me it’s perfect to help cover up the veins and red birthmarks I have on my eyelids. And it has SPF in it — that’s the biggest plus for me about Air Patrol. It not only gives you a concealer, but it also protects your skin. Maybe that’s why you’re paying so much for so little…?
But the deal breaker for me was the lasting power. My eyeshadows creased with Benefit’s new eyeshadow primer by the end of the day on my one lid that is more hooded than the other. 🙁 And while I have oily eyelids, I don’t think they’re that oily. I was really surprised and sadden to find that it creased. I might have been able to get over the messy dispenser and the tiny amount of product, but I just can’t with creasing! Back to Ulta it went.
What were your thoughts on this Air Patrol primer? Did you have a similar experience, or is it your current favorite? Let me know!
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The products mentioned above were purchased with my own funds. I was not compensated in any way for writing this post. All thoughts are 100% my own. Some Affiliate Links Used. 
