Pure Micas vs Micas With Base

Swatched over UDPP and blended into a Smashbox eyeshadow
Top: Mica with base
Bottom: Mica only

I got requested to do comparison swatches of pure micas & micas with a base. So here they are:

Top's with a base, bottom's without. While it's hard to see the difference on the swatch, application-wise, I noticed that:

• Pure micas are prone to "bald" spots (you can kinda see a bald patch on my swatch)
• There's more flyaways with pure mica
• You need to blend with a more careful hand when it comes to pure micas, since it's easier for the colour to go "bald"
• They also smudge off more easily:

Swatched over UDPP and blended into a Smashbox eyeshadow
Top: Mica with base
Bottom: Mica only

So in conclusion, it is possible to wear pure micas alone provided that you have a good primer/glitter glue, and don't mind a possible rain of glitter down your face.