HowTo: Keep Your Eyeliner From Smudging
By Glinda
The captivating Accidental Tangoiste emailed moi with the following:
I’m beginning to seriously wonder what I’m doing wrong in my use of eyeliner. I got home after an evening out last night to find that once again the liner on my lower lids had settled into every crease, despite the primer I’d used and what I think is a relatively light application.
I generally use a brown pencil–Maybelline, I think–to slightly dramatize the simple brown shadow that I like to use to bring out my baby blues, for evenings. My nights out mainly involve dancing, and I do tend to end up perspiring in a most unladylike manner, so I don’t know, maybe there’s nothing I can do but keep periodically checking it in the restroom.
Hmmm, yes, dancing and perspiring (ladylike manner or not) is always tough on eyeliner.
Here are my top tips for helping your eyeliner stay put:
1) Choose a gel or liquid eyeliner over a pencil. This is probably the best choice to ensure no eyeliner slippage occurs.
2) Make sure your eyeliner is described as “smudge proof” or similar adjectives.
3) If you must use a pencil liner, try freezing it for about ten minutes before application.
4) Then, apply a similarly colored eyeshadow with an angled brush over the eyeliner to help keep it in place.
Anyone else have any tried and true methods that worked for you? Do tell!
And next week, the best smoky eye tutorials on teh internets!
September 23rd, 2011 at 7:44 am
For some reason, I can’t do liquid eyeliner. Really, I’ve tried. No hints necessary ’cause it just don’t work! So #4 is my method.
Usually I find at the end of the day I’m fine unless it’s been a big look-at-the-computer-screen-all-day-and-rub-my-eyes kinda day. Then it’s usually the mascara that’s rubbed under my eyes, not my liner.
September 23rd, 2011 at 8:30 am
I have a terrible time with eyeliner: humidity in South Florida makes even the “waterproof” variety melt.i had pretty good luck with Maybelline Eyestudio, but it dried out fast. I just ordered Blinc. I use MUFE aqua eyes, it is ok. I just read that revlon colorstay is good. How about a cage match for MUFE aqua eyes and Colorstay?
September 24th, 2011 at 12:29 am
I use Bobbi Brown eyeshadow as eyeliner, and it doesn’t budge. I apply with a flat, angled eyeliner brush and stick to dark brown shades like Espresso or Mahogany. I find it both easier to apply and more effective than any form of actual eyeliner (liquid, gel, pencil, or cream), and it works like magic.
October 1st, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Hey, where did you get that picture of me from last weekend? 😉 Thanks very much for the tips, Ms. Glinda and lovely readers! You can bet I’ll be trying them out!
October 9th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Gel liner considerably more successful than pencil! Thank you!