The real culprit behind your smudgy mascara isn't the mascara itself, it's your seriously hydrated eyelids. It may annoy you that your oily lids cause your mascara to smudge and slide, but oily lids are actually something to embrace. The skin on your eyelids is extremely thin and delicate.
Cleansing your under-eye area wrong
Rubbing your skin to take off layers of eyeliner and mascara can cause capillary damage and inflammation, which can make dark circles worse.
Sometimes, you just get a formula that uses too much oil/too many emollient ingredients and not enough ingredients that help dry down. These types of mascaras transfer on everyone because they never really solidify on the lashes. In this case, everyone's going straight to smudge city, and it's the formula's fault.
The combination of wet snow and strong winds during the winter can cause your eyes to tear up, which in turn can make your mascara run and smudge.
The Monsieur Big Mascara features a large brush and a sweat-proof, smudge proof formula that glides onto lashes like silk and delivers exceptional volume for up to 24 hours of wear. This waterproof mascara doesn't require touch-ups and doesn't flake.
The simple act of covering your eyes when you're misting your face with makeup setting spray stops it from touching your mascara.
Daoud also recommends using a translucent powder to mattify the eye area: "The best way to prevent mascara from transferring onto your eyelids is by using translucent powder," she says.
The area under the eyes can appear darker due to constricted blood vessels causing hyperpigmentation, or from thinning of the skin around the eyes. All causes of dark circles under the eyes include: lack of sleep or poor sleeping habits. allergies, including hay fever.
Circles and bags under the eyes are tricky, confirms Laurel Geraghty, MD, a dermatologist in Medford, Oregon. “Concealer can make them look more pronounced,” she notes, “especially if it doesn't sit flawlessly on the skin, it isn't moisturizing enough, or if it dries you out.”
“Very commonly, dark circles worsen with age,” says Dr. McGevna. “That's because there's a natural restructuring of the bones of the cheek, and some skin laxity in the eyelids, which leads to a hollow appearance, and a shadow from above.”
Use a waterproof mascara OR a tubing mascara. Use an eyeshadow primer to mattify those oily lids. Also, set this primer with a little translucent, loose setting powder prior to applying eyeshadow. Be sure to place a little excess loose powder under your eyes before starting to apply eyeshadow.
Makeup setting spray, AKA “finishing spray” or "setting mist," is to makeup what hair spray is to hair. It's designed to be used after you've applied all of your beauty products (we're talking post-makeup primer, foundation, concealer, bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, mascara–the whole deal) to lock in your makeup look.
Instead of brushing a coat of mascara on your lashes, tubing mascaras have polymers that wrap around each individual lash in "tubes" for the most even coat you've ever seen. Since they grab each lash and lift, tubing types ensure a lengthening, wide-awake effect.
Why Does Mascara Clump? There are a few reasons why your mascara might be clumpier than normal. Sometimes, it's due to applying too many coats too quickly. Other times, your wand might be overloaded (and in need of some cleaning), or your lashes might not be prepped for mascara.
Mascara lasts around three to six months, and shouldn't be kept around for longer. Think about it: You're putting it right near your eyes on the daily! An old tube of mascara could be an eye infection waiting to happen, so consider swapping your old tube for a new one each season to stay on the safe side.
Apply the mascara from root to tip. Begin at the root of your upper lashes, wiggling the wand back and forth as you work your way up to capture each individual lash. Blinking lashes on the mascara wand can also help volumise lashes quickly. Layer up to three coats of mascara – anymore and they may start to flake!
"The oil in our skin, or creamy products applied around the eyes, can make the pigment of the mascara transfer onto skin, even after the mascara is dry," says Nikki Wolff, the global creative director of artistry for KVD Beauty. Even if your skin isn't naturally oily, sweat and heat can cause mascara to run.
Propel My Eyes Mascara is one of my favorite products to purchase at Ulta, and it's a great price. It has absolutely no reputation for flaking, clumping, or drying out your lashes. It also makes your eyelashes pop and adds a dramatic flair. You can find it for just $9.
Your mascara is too old or too dry
Old formulas start to clump. The longer you use mascara the more chance it has for air to get inside, which causes the formula to lose its moisture and become really dry - a one-stop way to flakes.
But why does it happen? Well, it's because the cold air is making your eyes super dry. Cold, dry air dehydrates your eyes so they start to work overtime to re-lubricate – crucial if you actually want to see anything.