Eyeliner traveling up my eyelid
October 4, 2018 6:27 PM Subscribe
My old favorite eyeliner was discontinued and my new (non-gel, non-liquid) eyeliner travels up my eyelid over the course of the day. I like the liner and would prefer not to have to try others, would eye primers, primers in general or anything else help stop my eyeliner from traveling? Mixed skin, no other eye makeup other than sunscreen.
I would try using an eye primer (I like NYX HD) and then either setting the liner with an eyeshadow in the same color, patted over the eyeliner with a thin brush, or a translucent setting powder which may dull some of the eyeliner effect a tiny bit but shouldn't be too bad. I like the Laura Mercier translucent loose powder.
posted by rachaelfaith at 6:31 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by rachaelfaith at 6:31 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
(Disclaimer: I am a Mary Kay consultant. I am not trying to sell you anything.)
The best things that have worked for my customers are eye primer, using a creme eye shadow as a base under your other eye stuff, and a finishing spray to go on top of everything.
My personal best is 17 hours, through interstate travel, a job interview, and being outside during a thunderstorm, with eye primer, creme eye shadow, mineral powder eye shadow, regular eyeliner, water-resistant mascara, and finishing spray to top it all off.
I'll let other folks recommend brands, because I'm obviously biased. But I've been with MK for 13 years because the goop works.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 6:44 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
The best things that have worked for my customers are eye primer, using a creme eye shadow as a base under your other eye stuff, and a finishing spray to go on top of everything.
My personal best is 17 hours, through interstate travel, a job interview, and being outside during a thunderstorm, with eye primer, creme eye shadow, mineral powder eye shadow, regular eyeliner, water-resistant mascara, and finishing spray to top it all off.
I'll let other folks recommend brands, because I'm obviously biased. But I've been with MK for 13 years because the goop works.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 6:44 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
I agree that eyeshadow primer will likely help, and setting the liner with powder (translucent or eyeshadow) may help. If primer and setting don't fix the problem, I'd move on to a different eyeliner.
posted by insectosaurus at 7:01 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by insectosaurus at 7:01 PM on October 4, 2018
I use Urban Decay Primer Potion and cheap e.l.f. potted cream eyeliner. I wear eyeshadow and the eyeliner doesn't transfer up and I put it on last but if I didn't wear eyeshadow, I agree that I would for safety pat some sort of powder atop the eyeliner.
I am not a fan of the business practices of MLMs including Mary Kay, so I would advise against their products. Mary Kay also isn't cruelty free since it operates in China which mandates animal testing, if that matters to you.
posted by vegartanipla at 7:06 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
I am not a fan of the business practices of MLMs including Mary Kay, so I would advise against their products. Mary Kay also isn't cruelty free since it operates in China which mandates animal testing, if that matters to you.
posted by vegartanipla at 7:06 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
I feel your pain! I just recently started regularly wearing sunscreen (I know, I know) after 20 years of wearing makeup, and it just isn't a very good base for makeup!
Primer will help. I like either ELF primer all over my whole face (helps with the general shininess from the sunscreen, too) or NYX eyshadow primer just on my eyelid. Then liner, then usually a quick pass of translucent powder over the whole thing to set it. When primer seems like too much work, I just quickly brush translucent powder over my face after letting the sunscreen soak in but before I put eyeliner on. Your liner just needs something to stick to.
One other thing to try is to make sure you're giving the sunscreen enough time to sink into your skin, so it's a little less greasy when you put your liner on. I usually put my sunscreen on first, then put my makeup on about a half hour later---quite often I do sunscreen at home and makeup in the car once I get to work.
posted by assenav at 7:15 PM on October 4, 2018
Primer will help. I like either ELF primer all over my whole face (helps with the general shininess from the sunscreen, too) or NYX eyshadow primer just on my eyelid. Then liner, then usually a quick pass of translucent powder over the whole thing to set it. When primer seems like too much work, I just quickly brush translucent powder over my face after letting the sunscreen soak in but before I put eyeliner on. Your liner just needs something to stick to.
One other thing to try is to make sure you're giving the sunscreen enough time to sink into your skin, so it's a little less greasy when you put your liner on. I usually put my sunscreen on first, then put my makeup on about a half hour later---quite often I do sunscreen at home and makeup in the car once I get to work.
posted by assenav at 7:15 PM on October 4, 2018
Benefit They're Real Push Up Eyeliner doesn't travel. It has a rubber applicator tip so it takes a bit of practice to use (my method is to dab some out on a mirror or even the back of my hand and stir it around with the rubbery applicator tip before applying- if I just click up the product and then apply straight from the pen, I get blobs). It's a very inky matte black gel liner with high pigment, so it gives a great dramatic cat eye. Don't try for a subtle smudgey look. Maybe hit a beauty counter and experiment with it to see if it's your thing.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:47 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:47 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Primer and a Korean brand eyeliner. Why Korean? Because a lot of Korean eyelids are monolid, which means the eyeliner is rubbed by eyelid skin constantly. This is the only formulation that works for my lids. I switch between The Yeon and Bbia brands. The Yeon is a fine brush and more “inky” in texture. Bbia is more of a felt tip and that one, kind of hard to describe, it sort of dries to a plastic ish texture? Like when I use eye make up remover it comes off in tiny bits of that makes sense. Anyway both come off very easily with makeup remover but do not budge all day.
posted by like_neon at 11:30 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by like_neon at 11:30 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oh and I buy them on eBay or Beautynetkoreea.com or Jolse.com
posted by like_neon at 11:31 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by like_neon at 11:31 PM on October 4, 2018
Seconding the recommendation for urban decay primer. I tried a million eye liners to solve this problem and all smudged or travelled until I started using this primer underneath. I do also recommend the urban decay 24/7 pencil liners as I find they have the most staying power (especially the matte colors) in combination with the primer. I’ve fallen asleep with them on after a late night and woken up with near perfect eye makeup. Both are pricier than nyx which I haven’t tried and may be just as good though.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 2:40 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 2:40 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
I might actually use a little powder before putting on the eyeliner.
If you're open to switching at all, Japanese liquid liners will not budge, not even in 90% humidity.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 4:47 AM on October 5, 2018
If you're open to switching at all, Japanese liquid liners will not budge, not even in 90% humidity.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 4:47 AM on October 5, 2018
Nothing, not even primer, has worked for me except Japanese and Korean liquid eyeliner.
posted by airmail at 6:14 AM on October 5, 2018
posted by airmail at 6:14 AM on October 5, 2018
I've found a lot of variation in how eyeshadow primers work for people - some that others swear by do nothing for me, while my favorite doesn't work on them. NARS Smudgeproof eyeshadow base is the only one that keeps things from budging on me (I used to use Urban Decay's primer until my eyelids got oilier along with my skin in my mid-20s), but you may want to try different ones to see which fits with your skin and eyeliner. At Sephora, you can ask for samples of different eye primers to try them out before you commit to purchasing one.
posted by jouir at 9:29 AM on October 5, 2018
posted by jouir at 9:29 AM on October 5, 2018
If I don't use primer, every eyeliner smears, smudges and migrates. The best primer I know of is by Nars. Expensive, but you need just the tiniest amount. In hot weather I use a small brush and apply powder eyeshadow over the liner.
posted by wryly at 9:58 AM on October 5, 2018
posted by wryly at 9:58 AM on October 5, 2018
Make sure you're using a sunscreen that drys matte, like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer. Let it absorb for at least 5 minutes. Then apply a primer, I use Urban Decay Primer Potion. Let that absorb for a minute or two. Then setting powder (translucent, loose powder). Then eyeliner. If you want to pull out the big guns, use a setting spray after.
Time for absorption is crucial -- if you are applying makeup right away to a surface it won't adhere to, it's not gonna work well. The next bit is controlling oil over the course of the day, which the primer, powder, and setting spray will do.
If you do all that and your eyeliner is still trying to escape across your lids, you might have to switch to a waterproof liquid. I use NYX and no matter how much I sweat or rub my eyes, it stays on until I take it off, even without a primer or anything under it. It comes off easily with micellar water, so you don't have to scrub like a madwoman to get it off your face :)
posted by ananci at 10:15 AM on October 5, 2018
Time for absorption is crucial -- if you are applying makeup right away to a surface it won't adhere to, it's not gonna work well. The next bit is controlling oil over the course of the day, which the primer, powder, and setting spray will do.
If you do all that and your eyeliner is still trying to escape across your lids, you might have to switch to a waterproof liquid. I use NYX and no matter how much I sweat or rub my eyes, it stays on until I take it off, even without a primer or anything under it. It comes off easily with micellar water, so you don't have to scrub like a madwoman to get it off your face :)
posted by ananci at 10:15 AM on October 5, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by olinerd at 6:29 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]