How to Keep Eye Makeup From Smudging

A little extra effort goes a long way. If you take some preventive measures to ensure your eye makeup is smudge-free, not only will you look better; imagine finally breaking the habit of preening into a mirror to do repair work for the greater part of the day!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cosmetics in the correct formulation for your skin type
• Eye makeup primer
• Waterproof eyeliner and mascara
• Translucent powder
• Facial tissue
• Oversize fluffy brush
• Cotton swabs
• Powderless facial blotting sheets

1. Begin with a clean face before you do your makeup. Excess oils and grime from the day before cause eye makeup to slide off and adhere to sticky spots around and underneath your eyes.
2. Experiment with the best product consistencies for your skin type. This includes your moisturizer, undereye concealer, foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and any other cosmetics you use on or around your eyes. Oily skin types are better off avoiding oil-based products, while dry skin is certainly not flattered by very matte formulas. Oily skin around the eyes leads to smudging and too-dry skin needs some kind of moisture for eye makeup to stay in place. Essentially, your goal is for your eye makeup to stay put right where you apply it.
3. Use an eye makeup primer before applying any other cosmetics to your eye region.
4. Study the way the skin folds in your eye area. For instance, does your crease touch your lash line so that all but the most resilient eyeliners smudge off almost immediately? Does the skin at the outer edges of your eyes crinkle when you smile, leading to smudging in the corners? Look into using waterproof eye makeup, such as liquid eyeliner, to avoid unnecessary makeup erasure.
5. Lay down a thick coat of translucent powder under each eye prior to applying eye makeup. If any product falls in the process of application, the powder catches it. After you are through with eyeshadow and eyeliner, hold a square of tissue under your bottom lashes and over your undereye area. Stroke on waterproof mascara. Blink onto the tissue after a few moments so that it catches excess mascara before you allow your lashes to touch your skin. When you have all your eye makeup on, simply sweep the powder away with an oversize fluffy brush.
6. Check on your makeup periodically. If you find your eye makeup lightly settling into lines, gently pat the area with the pad of your ring finger, which has been said to have the lightest touch of all five. This should help disperse any product that has settled where it preferably should not have. In your purse, pack cotton swabs to clean up possible mascara smudges and powderless blotting sheets to absorb any excess facial oils throughout the day.

Tips & Warnings

• Some makeup artists prefer applying foundation and concealer underneath the eyes after eye makeup is finished. You may want to see if this technique for cleaning up the undereye region works well for you.
• Plan your makeup ahead so you keep it to a minimum, applying only what is necessary. Too thick of an application makes you a prime candidate for smudging.