Eyeliner is notoriously difficult to do, so pulling it off is nothing short of an achievement. Unfortunately, makeup is more prone to disappointments than your previous relationships. What’s more painful than taking the time and effort to painstakingly draw the perfect cat eye, only for it to devolve into raccoon eyes within a couple of hours?
Eyeliner is prone to smears and smudges. That’s just how it goes. While you can’t change the laws of physics, you can change how you go about your makeup routine. There are plenty of ways to avoid disappointment i.e. prevent eyeliner from smearing.
In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to do just that.
Step 1: Choose the right formula
Choosing a good eyeliner formula can make all the difference between eyeliner that stays in place all day and raccoon eyes. Thankfully, there is a wide selection of eyeliner formulas available in the market. Whether you prefer pencil, gel, or liquid eyeliner, there’s no shortage of options.
Liquid eyeliner has a water-based or oil-based formula that’s perfect for creating precise lines, but it’s prone to fading and smudging. To create a super sharp cat eye that won’t fade in a few hours, opt for a liquid liner with a smudge-resistant, waterproof formula.
Pencil and gel eyeliners are the best choice for creating a soft eyeliner look, smokey eye, or tightlining. They both have a creamy consistency that allows you to blend it out, but this also means that they’re more prone to smudging. To prevent this, choose a pencil or gel eyeliner with a waterproof formula.
When choosing an eyeliner, you should also take your skin type into consideration. Those with oily skin and eyelids will want to stay away from softer eyeliners, such as kohl, cream, and whipped gel liner. While these can easily be blended for an intentionally smudged eyeliner look, they’re not the best option for a sharp eyeliner that stays in place all day, especially if applying eyeliner to the waterline.
If you want to avoid smearing, smudging, and fading, then invest in a long-wearing, waterproof, or smudge-proof eyeliner.
Step 2: Prep your skin
One of the main reasons why eyeliner smudges is the presence of oil on your eyelid, which can be a result of your skin’s natural oil secretion or your moisturizer. To prevent smudging, you must prep the skin before applying your makeup. It’s always best to start your makeup routine with a clean face. Wash and tone your eyelids to remove the oil from your skin. Then, hydrate your skin with an oil-free moisturizer. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Pro tip: If you have oily eyelids, use a tissue or blotting paper to lightly remove excess oils and moisture from your lids.
Step 3: Prime your eyelids
A makeup primer creates a smooth canvas for makeup application. It can keep your eyeliner from smudging because it gives your eyeliner and eyeshadow more grip. Moreover, it acts as a barrier from natural oils, which is especially beneficial for those with oily lids. Dab a small amount of eye primer onto your lids, then gently blend it out using your ring finger. Spread it from the lash line all the way up to your brows, extending it to the outer corner of your eyes. Then, sweep it around the bottom of your eyelids. Basically, you want to cover all the areas you will be applying eye makeup on.
Pro tip: You can use a matte concealer or foundation as a substitute for eyeshadow primer.
Step 4: Apply powder or eyeshadow
After priming your lids, it’s time to set the primer with powder. For this, you can use either a translucent powder or eyeshadow in the same shade as your skin tone. Take a small eyeshadow brush and apply the powder all over your eyelid and lash lines. This extra layer will give your eyeliner more grip to hold onto. It also works as a base that helps neutralize the tone of your lids if applying colored eyeshadow. If you’re doing a full eye makeup look, now’s the time to apply eyeshadow. Once finished, you can move on to the next step.
Step 5: Curl your eyelashes
Another way to keep your eyeliner from smudging is by curling your lashes before application. Even if your liner is completely dry, the eyelash curler can still smear or strip off the product, which means you’ll have to reapply it. Carefully position the rubber pad on the base of your lashes, then gently squeeze the curler with a pulsating rhythm.
Pro tip: If you’re wearing fake lashes, you’ll want to apply them before doing your eyeliner.
Step 6: Apply eyeliner
With everything prepped and primed, you can finally apply eyeliner. How you apply liner will depend on the look you’re going for. Need some ideas? Here are some eyeliner tutorials you can check out:
- How to Do a Cat Eye With Liquid Eyeliner
- How to Do a Cat Eye With Pencil Eyeliner
- How to Do Winged Eyeliner for Monolids
- How to Blend Out Eyeliner for a Smudged Look
- How to Apply Gel Eyeliner to the Waterline
Pro tip: Lining the waterline will definitely make your eyes pop. Unfortunately, it might also make them water, which can smear your eyeliner. Avoid the lower waterline if you can. Instead, apply liner along the lower lash line.
Step 7: Layer a second eyeliner
Liquid and cream-based makeup are usually followed by a dusting of powder to set it. The same can actually be done for eyeliner, which will give it extra intensity and staying powder. After the first application of eyeliner has dried, take a small fluffy brush and carefully apply translucent powder over the liner using short, inward strokes. Then, apply a second coat of eyeliner, tracing over the shape.
Alternatively, you can layer two different kinds of eyeliner. Start with an eyeliner pencil, then draw over it with a liquid or gel eyeliner. This fortifies the eyeliner, especially along the lash line.
Pro tip: When it comes to eyeliner, less is definitely more. To keep eyeliner from smudging, try your best to apply just the right amount or even less than what you’d normally put on if layering liners.
Step 8: Set the eyeliner with eyeshadow
Even the strongest waterproof formulas can smudge, especially when applied on or near the waterline. One surefire way to keep eyeliner from smudging is to set it with eyeshadow, which is basically like setting your foundation with translucent powder.
Grab your eyeshadow palette and choose a shade that matches the color of your eyeliner. With an angled eyeshadow or liner brush, carefully apply the shadow on top of the eyeliner. Applying a layer of eyeshadow will protect your eyeliner from the oil that may accumulate throughout the day, which can prevent (or, at least, slow down) the smudging. This is also your opportunity to fix any small mistakes you might have made with the eyeliner, such as an uneven line or rough edge.
Pro tip: Professional makeup artists sometimes apply a cosmetic grade sealant over eyeliner to make it resistant to water. If you have oily lids, sensitive eyes, or are expecting to be submerged in water, you may want to consider using this to lock your eyeliner in place.
Step 9: Apply mascara
Eyeliner isn’t the only makeup you should be worrying about because mascara is also prone to smudging. To prevent black tears from streaming down your cheek, pair your waterproof eyeliner with an equally waterproof mascara. Apply one or two coats, being extra careful so as not to get it on your skin. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time cleaning it up without ruining your eyeliner and eyeshadow.
Step 10: Seal it with setting spray
Setting spray your best friend, whether you’re going full glam with a whole face of makeup or doing a simple eyeliner look. It acts as a barrier that will lock your eyeliner in place, protect it from oil, and improve its overall wear-time. Your makeup will look just as fresh at the end of the day as when you put it on! Hold the bottle of setting spray about six to eight inches away from your face. With your eyes closed, spray the mist over your entire face. Allow it dry completely before opening your eyes.
