How to Prevent Mascara from Smudging

Co-authored by Alicia D'Angelo and Amy Bobinger

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 References

Smudged mascara is one of the most common complaints in the beauty world. There's nothing worse than spending ages blending the perfect smokey eye makeup, with an exquisite cat-eye liner on top of it, only to see black dots across your upper lid when you put on your mascara. Or maybe you peek in the mirror around lunchtime and notice your mascara is creeping down toward your cheeks. Luckily, there are some tricks that may help you reduce the smudge and go back to looking like your flawless self!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preventing Excess Oil Around Your Eyes

1
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser before you apply makeup. Mascara that smudges throughout the day is usually caused when your lashes come into contact with the oils on your skin. To help reduce the chances that will happen, you need to start with clean skin. At the beginning of the day, use a gentle cleanser that's safe around your eyes, since your eyelids can get oily.^{[1]
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- If you're having trouble finding a cleanser that doesn't irritate your eyes, try using baby shampoo. Mix a little of the baby shampoo into some warm water, then dip a soft cloth into the soapy water and gently cleanse around your eye area.^{[2]
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2
Skip the moisturizer on your eyelids. If your mascara usually smears, you may have oily eyelids, and your daily moisturizer could be making that problem worse. Try applying eye creams and other moisturizers only at night. If you do feel the need to use an eye cream in the mornings, make sure you apply it 20-30 minutes before you put on your makeup so it will have time to be fully absorbed.^{[3]
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- If you have a problem with your mascara smudging, you should also skip cream-based eyeshadows as well.
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3
Blot around your eyes with oil-absorbing paper. Powder-laced rice paper is specially designed to blot away oil on your face, leaving you with matte, fresh skin. Try blotting gently around your eyes with your paper to remove any oil before you put on your eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara.^{[4]
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- You can find oil-absorbing paper at most beauty stores, or you can order it online.
4
Dab a little primer on your eyelids. If you're already using face primer, you can just blend the same formula onto your undereye area and your eyelids. If you don't use a primer on your whole face, dab a tiny bit of eye primer around your eyes. This will create a matte barrier that will lock out oil, which hopefully will help prevent mascara transfer.^{[5]
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- Using too much primer on your lids could cause it to crease, so just use a thin layer.
5
Apply your mascara carefully. Depending on the look you want to achieve, you might use eyeshadow, eyeliner, and several coats mascara, or you might prefer a natural look and just swipe a thin coat of mascara onto your lashes and you're out the door. Either way, your mascara will be most likely to smudge right after you apply it, so try to hold your eyes open for at least a minute after you put it on to allow it to dry.^{[6]
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- If you want to curl your eyelashes, do so before you put on any other eye makeup so the eyelash curler doesn't smudge what you've already put on.
- Apply your mascara in thin layers. Wipe any excess product off the wand onto the edge of the bottle before applying.
- If your mascara tends to smudge a lot, try applying it only to your top lashes and not the bottom lashes.
6
Bake under your eyes with translucent powder after you apply your makeup. Use a small, soft brush to pat on a generous coat of translucent powder beneath your eyes, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes before dusting away the excess powder. This process is called baking, and it helps to reduce oil and shine, setting your makeup so it lasts throughout the day.^{[7]
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- If you're using concealer or foundation around your eyes, baking can help create a smooth, dry finish that can help stop your mascara from smudging.
- Translucent powder is also sometimes called setting or baking powder.
- You can also apply a little of the powder onto your eyelashes to help set your mascara.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Waterproof Mascara

1
Apply a conditioning lash primer first. Waterproof mascara can dry out your eyelashes, and it's really hard to take off. Both of these can mean damage to your lashes over time, but if you can't stop your mascara from smudging, waterproof mascara may help. If you do want to use waterproof mascara, just protect your lashes first by coating them with a conditioning lash primer.^{[8]
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- Conditioning lash primers will protect your eyelashes from the drying effects of waterproof mascara, and they'll also make the waterproof mascara easier to take off at the end of the day.
- Even with a conditioning primer, waterproof mascara will cause damage over time. This type of mascara is not suitable for everyday use, so only use it on special occasions where you really need your mascara to hold (like a beach photo shoot or a wedding).
- For a gentler, easier to remove alternative that you can use more often, try mascara that is labeled “water resistant” instead of “waterproof.”
EXPERT TIP

Alicia D'Angelo
Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist
Alicia D'Angelo is a makeup artist based in New York City. She currently works for teams with Dior Makeup, YSL Beauty and Pat McGrath Labs as well as bridal companies Once Upon A Bride and Miss Harlequinn. Her work has been featured in Today.com, New York Live, Forbes.com, VH1, MTV, Vevo, Entertainment Weekly, Refinery 29, and NYXCosmetics.com. She has a Visual Communications degree from FIDM-Los Angeles.

Alicia D'Angelo
Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist

Our Expert Agrees: Using a lash primer at night or before you put on your mascara can greatly improve your mascara's durability throughout the day. You can even put a little castor oil on a cotton swab to coat your lashes at night.
2
Swipe on the waterproof mascara like you normally would. Place the wand against the base of your lashes and wiggle slightly, then lift the wand up and outward, swiping along the length of your lashes. This will make your lashes curl slightly, making your eyes look wider and your lashes longer.^{[9]
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- The only difference is that with waterproof mascara, you should wait for the mascara to dry between coats, whereas with normal mascara, you should apply multiple coats before the mascara has a chance to dry.
- Since waterproof mascara isn't the same as oil-proof, this won't stop all smudges, but it can help.
- If you don't want to wear waterproof mascara every day, apply normal mascara first, then add a layer of waterproof to the tips of your lashes.^{[10]
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  Research source} You can also apply a waterproof topcoat to your regular mascara.
3
Use makeup remover to take your mascara off. Makeup remover will break down the waterproof mascara, making it easier to remove. This will reduce how much you have to scrub to get your face clean, which will preserve your lashes over time. It can also help prevent wrinkles caused by constant tugging and pulling at the delicate skin around your eyes.^{[11]
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- Makeup remover wipes, micellar water, and oil-based cleansers are all popular makeup removers.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Applying Your Mascara

1
Wipe your mascara wand on the rim of the bottle to remove any excess. Your mascara wand picks up a lot more mascara than you actually need, so wiping it off helps ensure you don't get too much on your lashes. Excess mascara leads to clumps, and since clumps take longer to dry, they're more likely to smudge.^{[12]
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- Avoid wiping your wand on a tissue or cloth. This can leave tiny fibers behind on the wand that may irritate your eyes.
2
Apply mascara to your bottom lashes first. When you look down to put mascara on your bottom lashes, your top lashes brush against your eyelids. If you've already put mascara on your top lashes, this could lead to the dots you see on your upper lid. To prevent this, start with your bottom lashes, then move to the top.^{[13]
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- When you're applying mascara to your top lashes, look straight ahead so your lashes can't touch your lids, but tilt your head slightly forward when you're applying mascara on your bottom lashes.
3
Hold a shield under your eyes while you're applying mascara. If your mascara smudges during application, hold something between your skin and your lashes while you're putting it on. This could be a spoon, a credit card, a piece of paper, or anything else you find that works for you.^{[14]
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- Some beauty stores even have special shields designed to fit perfectly against your eye for mascara application.
- You can also prevent smudging under the eye by “baking” your makeup. Dust the area under your eye with a translucent powder and let it sit for a few minutes before applying mascara and other eye makeup. Dust away any excess powder when you're done.
4
Top your mascara with clear topcoat if you want to seal it in. After your mascara has dried, swipe on a thin coat of a clear mascara or topcoat. This will lock your mascara into place, helping to prevent flaking or smudging throughout the day.^{[15]
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- If you can't find a clear mascara topcoat that you like, try using clear brow gel on your lashes instead!
- Some mascara topcoats are designed to waterproof your mascara and prevent running.
5
Try a tubing mascara if regular mascara isn't working. Tubing mascara coats each individual lash with a special polymer that dries into a tube. These formulas are less prone to smudging, although individual tubes do sometimes fall off throughout the day.^{[16]
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- Tubing mascaras have to be removed with warm water.
- You can also try a cake mascara. These old-fashioned mascaras are less likely to clump or smudge than mascara that comes in applicator tubes.^{[17]
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6
Bring cotton swabs or a makeup remover pen just in case. Even if you are mattified to high heaven and you've brushed on a protective clear coat, your mascara can still smudge if you get caught in the rain or sneeze too hard. If that happens, you can quickly touch up your makeup with a cotton swab or a makeup remover pen, and both will easily fit in your purse.^{[18]
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- Bring concealer or powder to blend and cover up the area after wiping away the smudges. You may end up with a visible gap in your foundation layer after cleaning up with a cotton swab or makeup remover pen.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I prevent mascara from getting on my eyelids?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

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Apply it carefully; you can even hold a tissue over your lid as a shield. Bending your mascara wand to a 45-degree angle may also help to create a cleaner application.
Question

How do I keep my eye makeup from smearing?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Keep your eye area clean and dry. If you get oily or sweaty, dab the moisture away with an absorbent material like rice paper.
Question

How do you stop mascara from transferring?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

You keep mascara from transferring to your skin by keeping your skin clean and dry. Applying primer to your eyelids makes a big difference. You can also wear water-resistant mascara.