How To Keep Mascara From Smudging

How To Keep Mascara From Smudging

Think fast. What’s the one beauty product you’d choose to have on a deserted island? If you said mascara, you’re in good company. Mascara and lip balm are clear standouts in the deserted island “what-if” scenario. There’s just one problem: mascara smudges. 

What mascara does for your lashes (lengthening them and making them appear fuller) can often feel counterbalanced by the fact that halfway through your morning, it’s now melting into the creases beneath your eye, smudging onto your eyelids, and making you look a little more Harley Quinn than you’d like.

Thankfully, there are some hacks you can use to prevent your mascara from smudging or at least extend its life for a little longer. Your beauty experts at Lashify® have the top 5 tips to help you get the longest wear out of your lash lacquer and avoid a violent mascara meltdown.

Why Does Mascara Smudge?

Why is your mascara smudging in the first place? It has a lot to do with the composition of the product and the condition of your eyelids. 

Some mascara ingredients just aren’t capable of really sticking to your lashes, especially if the formulas aren’t waterproof. However, the biggest reason your mascara smudges is actually due to the oil on your skin. 

The skin around your eyes is very thin, and we typically use heavier creams around the eye area to keep it fully hydrated. These creams usually contain oils, and mascara and oil don’t mix. 

Even if you aren’t using a heavy cream, the natural sebum in your skin, combined with oil from makeup like liner and shadow or the concealer under your eyes, can loosen the bond that your mascara has with your lashes and cause you to experience smudging. 

Before you toss your mascara out and opt for waterproof formulas that can be damaging to your natural lashes, here are five tips to help you avoid an unintentional smokey eye.

5 Tips To Avoid Smudging

It’s possible to get a little longer wear out of your mascara and not experience smudging, but keep in mind that there is no mascara that will never smudge.

1. Cleanse Your Lashes and Eye Area

You probably start your makeup application with a clean face, but if not, it’s time to start. Removing facial oils from your skin is the first step in ensuring you have the perfect palette for application. 

Lashify Pre Cleanse Cleansing Water is a Japanese Cleansing Water that is lightweight and gentle for sensitive eyes and skin yet powerful enough to remove makeup and oil and keep your skin and lashes prepped for mascara or Gossamer® lash application. 

2. Use Eyeshadow Primer

If you are wearing eye makeup, using a primer can help keep your shadow in place, prevent it from creasing, and ensure the oil on your lids is under control, which will help keep your mascara in check. 

You can also use a mascara primer, which can help your mascara stick to your lashes better and give it more staying power.

3. Apply Mascara to the Front of Your Lashes Only

Applying mascara to the backside of your eyelashes will increase the chances that they’ll smudge onto your lids and disturb your makeup. Apply one to two coats to the front of your lashes only. 

If you notice you primarily get smudges underneath your eyes, consider using less mascara on your lower lashes or opting for an eyeliner instead, which may reduce smudging and keep your under-eye area clean and smudge-free.

4. Avoid the Tips

The tips of your lashes are the places where smudging is most likely to occur. The tips of longer lashes can touch your skin (both on the upper and lower lids), so avoiding the tips could help you avoid smudgy situations. 

To apply mascara this way, focus your spoolie on the roots of your lashes and pull through almost to the tip, but stopping just shy of the ends of your natural lashes. This can also help you avoid getting clumps or balls of mascara stuck to the ends of your lashes. 

5. Use Brow Gel To Lock It In

You don’t have to use a waterproof formula to get long-wearing mascara. Try topping your favorite non-waterproof mascara with a single coat of brow gel to lock in the formula and give your mascara a boost of staying power. You can also consider using a clear sealer over your mascara. 

If you try these tips and still struggle with smudges that drive you crazy, there’s a better way. You can get lengthier, fuller, and more natural-looking lashes with the Lashify DIY Lash Extension™ System.

Lashify: Zero Smudge, 100% Luxe 

The Lashify system is different from any other at-home lash system you may have tried. You get salon-quality lashes that can be worn for up to 10 days with proper care without the hassle of spending hours at the salon. 

With Lashify, you don’t need mascara; you only need about 15 to 20 minutes and your favorite set of Gossamer lashes. 

Gossamer Lashes

Our Gossamer lashes are designed to mimic the feel and look of mink lashes but are 100% cruelty-free. Each Gossamer contains numerous lash fibers attached to a weightless Spine base that measures just a few millimeters long. 

Gossamers are attached using Underlash Technology™, which means they’re bonded to the underside of your lashes, making them more comfortable to wear and making application much more forgiving. 

Bonds

If you’re worried you’ll damage your natural lashes with extensions, worry no more. The Lashify system was developed to give you gorgeous extensions that are completely safe for your natural lashes. 

In fact, our Bonds are formulated like a nourishing lash serum (with biotin and lavender) and never contain cyanoacrylates or formaldehyde, which can damage your lashes and irritate your skin. 

Bonds never fully harden due to Micro-Flex™ Technology, which allows them to hold your Gossamer lashes tightly to your natural lashes without causing your natural lashes to become brittle and/or break.

Bonds hydrate and protect your natural lashes while you’re wearing your Gossamer lash extensions, so you can grow and protect your lashes even when you have on extensions. 

Ready to get great lashes and avoid mascara smudges for good? Get to know the Lashify Control Kit™.

More Control

Take control of mascara smudges and eliminate them for good. Lashify gives you the lash looks you crave without any messy application issues or smudging. Everything you need to get started with the Lashify system comes in our Control Kit.

Each kit contains:

  • Two sets of Gossamer lashes. Pick two from our Curl, Amplify, or Bold collections. No matter what look you want, there’s a Gossamer lash set that’s perfect for the occasion. 
  • Fuse Control® Wand. Applying your Gossamer lashes is a cinch with the Fuse Control Wand. Ergonomically developed for Gossamer application, you can use it in several different ways. We recommend the style that is most comfortable for you.
  • One set of Wandoms®. Don’t be a fool, protect your tool. Because Bonds don’t fully cure, they become tacky during application. This is important for your Gossamers to adhere, but covering Fuse Control Wand with Wandoms ensures your Gossamer lashes don’t stick to your Wand. 
  • Whisper Light Bond™. Our most popular bond, this dual-sided adhesive has a black end and a clear end. This dual-sided bond is perfect for application and for touch-ups, and it never leaves behind a sticky residue. 
  • Glass Finishing Coat. Want your Gossamer lashes to last as long as possible? Give them a boost of staying power and protection with Glass Finishing Coat. Glass is also a great product for boosting performance mid-wear. 
  • Samples. Want to try Pre Cleanse before you buy it? You’ll get a sample of it in your Control Kit. You’ll also get a sample of Melt Away, our dual-phase, oil-based makeup remover that gently breaks the Bonds between your natural lashes and your Gossamer lashes and helps them to slide off without damage.

Everything comes wrapped up in a protective hard case with a mirror to help you apply your lashes like a pro. 

Smudge Free Way To Be

Say goodbye to smudges and coat after coat of mascara. Lashify lets you have the lashes you love and the styles you’d expect from a salon lash tech without any harsh chemicals or hours of your time spent in a salon chair. 

Sources:

How to Prevent Your Mascara From Smudging, According to Makeup Artists | Real Simple

3 Things Your Dermatologist Wants You to Know If You Wear Waterproof Mascara | SELF

Mink Eyelashes Exposed: What Salons Won't Tell You | PETA

Biotin - Health Professional Fact Sheet

Is Eyelash Glue Toxic? | Poison Control

LASHIFYBLOG