When it comes to using mascara on your eyes, you have to be careful at times because of those pesky little sprinkles that can come off your eye lashes. The idea is to give the illusion of having fuller and thicker lashes but it does have the tendency to flake off at times during the day.
The reason why your mascara is flaking off is due to a number of reasons, if your mascara is clumpy then you have applied to many layers, or if it is dried out you will not be able to apply an even coat, or even if you have not used a lash primer these are some reasons why your mascara flakes off.
1. Pumping Your Mascara
The first reason as to why your mascara maybe flaking is because if you pump your mascara wand into the tube during application it could be drying out your mascara. The pumping motion creates air bubbles to form in the mascara formulation which causes it to dry out. Instead, try to avoid pumping your mascara and apply it by slowly pushing the wand into the tube to avoid creating air being pushed into the formulation.
When the mascara formulation begins to dry out it doesn’t apply the mascara evenly on the lashes this will create clumps, this is why it’s important that you try and prevent your mascara from clumping so that it doesnt flake throughout the day.
2. Rubbing Your Eyes
Another reason why your mascara maybe flaking off is because you maybe constantly rubbing your eyes. I know I personally had this bad habit, by rubbing the eyes this begins to break the formulation off the eyelashes, this constant rubbing causes the mascara to flake off.
The best thing to do is get into a habit of not touching the face. Another reason to rubbing your eyes is that the mascara formula can get into your eyes causing your eyes to itch and be irritated.
3. Mascara Applied Clumpy
One of the main contributors to flaking mascara is how its applied. Some of us really love layering our mascara which causes it to clump. When mascara is clumpy it will eventually begin to flake off, when applying mascara there are several ways to prevent your mascara from clumping.
When layering mascara it will thicken up your lashes but its also really important to comb out any clump that may be created. This should be done while the mascara is still somewhat wet so that the clumps easily slide off, use a comb to remove the clumps off.
Another way to prevent your mascara from flaking is not taking too long to apply the mascara in between coats. If you apply mascara and allow it to dry and then apply a second coat this can cause it to clump because the second layer doesn’t grab onto the lashes. Instead you will find it doesn’t apply an even coat which in turn it can turn into the clumps and eventually flake off.
4. Applying Dried Out Mascara
When applying mascara to the lashes its very important to consider the formulation. If the mascara formulation is too dried out it wont apply an even coat of mascara to the lashes, always look to see if your mascara may has expired. Mascaras usually have a life spam of three months, If you want to extend its life there are a few tricks to make it last somewhat longer.
Step 1: The first way is to remove any dried mascara that maybe around the top of the rim of the tube so that the dried mascara doesn’t get into the actual mascara tube so that it doesn’t destroy whatever formulation is left.
Step 2: Add 1-2 drops of Visine or contact lens solution
Step 3: Put the mascara wand back in the mascara tube and shake the product
Step 4: Apply the mascara to your eyelashes
This will help revive your mascara and allow more of a smoother application of the mascara. It also gives you more out of your mascara. I have written an article on how to revive your makeup over here that will certainly give you other ideas.
5. Not Applying A Lash Primer
Another reason why your mascara maybe flaking off is because there is no lash primer applied before applying the mascara. Lash primers allow your mascara to last longer by allowing it to adhere to the lashes. Another benefit to using a lash primer is it allows your mascara to apply more evenly and prevents the mascara from clumping.
Mascara primers are great if you want your mascara to last longer and even look thicker. Mascara primers are usually applied first and then the mascara is applied afterwards. It’s worth adding this tip to your regular routine which will change your mascara game in general.
6. Applying Fiber Mascara
Fiber mascaras have the most beautiful lengthening effect. Even though they have a wonderful lengthening effect the fibers do fall off through out the day. How micro fibers work is that they extend the length of the eyelash, this is done by the microfiber sitting on your eyelash and adding some length to the tip of your eyelash. A second coat of the mascara is usually added to seal the in the fibers.
During the day these micro fibers have a tendency of falling off and it does have some serious flaking that occurs. So if you are trying to avoid flakey mascaras these ones are the ones to definitely avoid. If your looking for length another great option is trying out a waterproof formulation for lengthening the lashes because this formulation will last longer and wont clump as much because its waterproof.
7. Skin Care That Breaks Down Mascara
Another cause as to why your mascara may flake is due to the skincare products around the eye area that can breakdown the formulation of the mascara. Skin care products such as eye creams can make the skin more oily, to which the oil can break down the mascara causing the formula to change which may cause flaking. There are a few ways to prevent this from occurring, the main solution for this is to make sure you keep your eye area dry and less oily.
There are several ways to keep the eye area less oily
- Applying a mattifying primer: By adding a mattifying primer around your eye area from your eyelids to the bottom lash line. A mattifying primer will absorb any oils around that which will help prevent the mascara formula from changing.
- Applying matte concealer: By incorporating a matte concealer around the eye area it will help keep the eye area dry and less oily. Being a concealer it will be great to also cover dark circles. Therefore, it will help mattify the eye area and conceal it at the same time.
- Applying a translucent powder: Helps absorb oils that may surface on the skin. Translucent powders are usually applied to set makeup. It not only smooths out the texture of the skin it also helps absorbs oils giving the skin a matte finish.
8. Crying With Mascara On
The last reason as to why your mascara will flake is because if you cry with mascara on, it will definitely make your mascara run and deteriorate the formulation. Even if the running mascara is cleaned off after crying it will become crumbly and flakey. If you know your going to be at an event that will cause a lot of tears its best to go for a mascara that is waterproof formulated.
If your favorite mascara doesn’t come in a waterproof formulation then try applying a waterproof formulation on top of your normal mascara. This will still give you the effect you want a long with sealing it in and making it waterproof. Another option is to use a clear mascara on its own. Keep in mind more clear mascaras are like applying gel to the lashes which will end up giving you more definition to the lashes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when it comes to your mascara flaking there are different reasons as to why it could be flaking off during the day. One of the major causes of the mascara flaking off is because it is becomes clumpy. Its important to make sure your mascara never clumps because through out the day the clumps will break off causing it to flake.
Another consideration to take is that the mascara formulation maybe drying out, this causes your mascara to apply evenly which again creates clumping. It’s also wise to keep your hands away from your eyes through out the day because this also can cause your mascara to break off and flake. There are a few ways to prevent your mascara from flaking by adding additional steps such as adding primers before applying mascara and combing out any clumps. As long as certain precautions are made when applying mascara this can reduce your mascara from flaking off throughout the day.