The whole purpose of wearing eyeliner and mascara is it helps make your lashes appear even longer, thicker, voluminous, and gives them a lot of definition.
So the main question is why do my eyeliner and my mascara smudge? Am I using the right products?
There a few contributing factors as to why your eyeliner and mascara may smudge over time. The main reason is that the oils from your skincare can break down the eyeliner which will make it easier to smudge. Simply adding more layers to your eyeliner will help intensify the pigment of your eyeliner and make it more difficult to smudge.
1. Oily Skin Around The Eye Area
The first reason why your eyeliner and mascara may smudge is because of oily skin. Oily skin has the tendency of eating away at our eyeliner and mascara throughout the day. This deteriorates the makeup causing it to smudge and smear over time.
There are a few factors that contribute to oily skin, for example, if you apply eye cream around the eye area it can sit on top of the skin which will slowly rub up against the eye makeup which will cause it to smudge and smear throughout the day. Sometimes it can just be simply that you may have oily skin which can be excess secretion of oils. If you looking to avoid your eyeliner and mascara from smudging, its best to use a mattifying translucent powder around the eye area.
If you using any skincare products make sure you allow your skincare to absorb into the skin which will take approximately twenty mins. After you have allowed your skincare to absorb into the skin, make sure you still apply a fine translucent powder to help mattify and absorb the oils around the eye area. By using a translucent powder it helps absorb any oils that may be sitting on the surface of the skin which will prevent any oils from destroying your eyeliner and mascara.
2. Not Using Waterproof Formulations
Another reason why your eyeliner and mascara may be smudging is because of the formulation. If the formulation is not waterproof it most likely will fade off throughout the day. Our tear ducts usually secrete tears which can deteriorate the formulation of your eyeliner and mascara.
Waterproof formulations tend to last longer than traditional formulas. Most waterproof formulations are budge-proof and harder to smudge. Most waterproof formulas last through tears and even swimming without coming off. It’s always wise to look at the packaging for waterproof formulations because it will allow your makeup to last longer.
Lastly, when it comes to waterproof mascara if your favorite formula doesn’t come in waterproof, the best way to make it work is by applying two coats of your favorite mascara, then topping it off with waterproof mascara. This will give you the benefits of your favorite mascara and a waterproof formulation.
3. Having Clumpy Mascara
How you apply your mascara can cause it to smudge throughout the day. When applying mascara if too many layers are applied it can cause the mascara to be clumpy. When mascara is clumpy it has the tendency of flaking off which causes it to smudge throughout the day.
It’s important to make sure you apply your mascara correctly otherwise it’s bound to smudge throughout the day. To avoid your mascara from smudging don’t wait too long between applying coats because the mascara won’t apply even coats.
The following is how to apply mascara evenly without having clumps:
Step one: Apply a mascara primer (optional)
Step two: Apply one coat of mascara
Step three: Wait for approximately one minute and apply another coat
Step four: Comb through the mascara to comb out any clumps
4. Fiber Mascaras
Fiber mascaras are known to give your lashes additional length. The way this works is it has microfibers that resemble cotton fibers. These fibers attach to the tip of your eyelashes. This is typically sealed in with a coat of mascara.
You can usually build on the length depending on how many layers you apply. This can really give the illusion that you have longer lashes. Throughout the day, these fibers will fall off and will smudge all over the bottom of the eyes, and if you didn’t know it can certainly look horrible.
This will occur regularly with fiber mascaras. Therefore, try looking at just lengthening mascaras to avoid this problem.
5. Not Setting The Eyeliner
When it comes to eyeliner, in particular, it’s important to always set the eyeliner with an eyeshadow. This will help keep your eyeliner in place causing it to stay in place without having to worry about it budging.
Simply adding more layers to your eyeliner will help intensify the pigment of your eyeliner and make it more difficult to smudge off throughout the day.
Lastly, by setting the eyeliner with a mattifying eyeshadow it also helps absorb any oils which may cause your eyeliner to smudge throughout the day.
If you want to know more about How to apply eyeliner to the waterline without smudging check out these steps and follow them through and you will see a difference.
6. Try Using A Primer
Primers are not only used for the face, but they are also used for the eyeshadows and mascaras. If this step is avoided it can prevent both the eyeliner and eyeshadow from smudging. Lash primer allows your mascara to stay on longer while giving the benefits of more volume to the lashes. Lash primers can help prevent your mascara from flaking off and smudging throughout the day.
Now when it comes to eyeshadow primers it can be suitable for both eyeshadow and eyeliner. To prevent your eyeliner from smudging, eyeshadow primer should be applied to the lid area along with under the eye area. The eyeliner should then be applied on top of the primer which will help the eyeliner adhere to the skin longer and will allow the eyeliner to be more long-wearing.
7. Rubbing Your Eye Area
One thing to avoid at all times is rubbing and touching the eye area. This will cause both your eyeliner and mascara to deteriorate throughout the day causing it to smudge.
This is just one simple way that your eyeliner and mascara will smudge. Therefore, try to avoid touching the eye area throughout the day.
8. Clean Up The Edges With A Q-Tip
It’s really important to clean up any edges of smudged makeup that could’ve occurred during makeup application. Sometimes when we apply eyeliner or mascara it’s bound to get in the wrong places if the mess is left on top of the crease, and it is left behind, then it’s bound to smudge throughout the day.
Another way your mascara can accidentally smudge is when it’s applied freshly and it’s still wet and you sneeze because we squeeze our eyes when we sneeze, this can cause the mascara to smear on the bottom part of the under-eye area.
When such incidents occur, it’s important to clean the eye area with a clean Q-tip. The Q-tip should be dipped in an oil-free makeup remover. If an oil-based makeup remover is used to erase any mistakes it can cause the makeup to deteriorate and smear throughout the day.
9. Using a Translucent Powder
Another method that will help you from smudging your eyeliner and mascara is using a translucent powder, this can help your eyeliner and mascara by locking in the makeup.
The translucent powder can be applied under your eyelid where you have applied the eyeliner and just simply apply a little at a time, and a simple dabbing motion is enough, where you think the mascara and eyeliner might smudge often.
How to prevent your eyeliner and mascara from smudging:
Eyeliner:
Step 1: Apply an eyeshadow primer on the top of the eyelid and the under-eye area
Step 2: Apply a waterproof eyeliner on the top eyelid to the bottom eyelash line
Step 3: If a pencil or gel eyeliner was used set it with an eyeshadow that is the same color as the eyeliner
Mascara:
Step 1: Apply translucent powder all over the top eyelid and under-eye area to help absorb any oils around the eye area
Step 2: Apply eyelash primer on the eyelashes so that the mascara can stick to the lashes and last longer
Step 3: Apply two coats of mascara
Step 4: Comb out any clumps that may be sitting on the lashes
Step 5: Clean up any mistakes around the eye area that may have occurred during the mascara application. Use a Q-tip with an oil-free makeup remover
Key Takeaways
When it comes to your eyeliner and mascara smudging there are a number of things that may affect it from happening.
- Oils from your skincare products
- not using a primer before applying your eyeliner and mascara
- Using a waterproof formulation
- Using a q tip to help clean up the edges and any smudges
- how you can prevent them from smudging
Now that you can understand the reasons why your eyeliner and mascara might end up smudging, you’ll be able to apply the different techniques to help you prevent the smudging.