Being
blessed with a set of long lashes, my mascara tends to smudge on the skin below
and above my eyes somewhat, no matter what climate I find myself in. Heat and
humidity unfortunately do make matters worse for me – and many others with me.
Most
important thing to realize is that smudging of mascara on your skin isn’t only caused
by the mascara you are wearing; it’s actually an interplay between the mascara
on your lashes and the condition of the skin around your eyes. In a hot and humid
environment, your skin tends to be more oily and/or sweaty, which, when in
contact with your mascara, is the perfect recipe for stains. The solution is
therefore mostly twofold: besides finding a mascara that works well for you, make
sure to take appropriate measures to avoid the skin around your eyes from inviting
your mascara to smudge.
In finding a
mascara that works well for your lashes and doesn’t smudge so much, many women resort
to waterproof mascara’s. Keep in mind however that waterproof doesn’t
necessarily mean smudge proof. There’s quite some waterproof mascara’s that
still smudge, because it’s the oil in your skin or makeup and not water that comes
into contact with the mascara on your lashes.
To keep the
oil in your skin from transferring your mascara onto your skin, use a (loose)face
powder on the skin below and above your
eyes. Just dap the powder (use a little makeup brush or pad) on the skin and
apply where your lashes are most likely to touch your skin. Do this for both bare
skin and makeup’ed skin, like when using a highlighter or concealer under your
eyes (especially then!). If you use a translucent powder you cannot quickly go
wrong with the colour, but when you use a loose or compact powder that has more
coverage, always use one tone lighter than your face. This will ‘open’ your
look; makeup under the eyes that is too dark will make you look older, less
fresh and more tired.
Loose powders that significantly reduce the
amount of mascara smudging for me are the following:
- Chanel - Poudre Universelle Compacte (more translucent than the above)
- MAC – Blot Powder (in particular to control oil!)
- Bobbi Brown – Sheer Finish Loose Powder
When you
need a little touch up during the day, a compact powder like Chanel’s Poudre
Universelle Compacte or MAC's pressed powder is very convenient to carry with you in your handbag.
Mascara’s
that work well for me personally are the following:
- Lancome - Hypnose Drama + Lancome Hypnose Waterproof
- Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara
- Majolica Majorca – Lash King Film
If you’re
comfortable using makeup and tend to wear more than just the ‘natural’ basics
like a mere hint of mascara and some gloss on the lips, you could try a Makeup
Setting Spray as well to ‘set’ your mascara and any other makeup from smudging, transferring and melting. A
post on how to use such a product will follow soon, so stay tuned…!
Great post, thanks so much!!
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