why does my eyeliner keep getting messed up??

February 14, 2019 4:46 AM

For years and years, I have been wearing winged eyeliner on a daily basis. Now suddenly, it won't stay put and keeps smearing everywhere. I haven't changed my technique or the brand of eyeliner that I use. What gives??

For years I have been wearing winged eyeliner - it's never gotten smudged. I wear it quite thick. I do this on a daily basis. I don't prime my eyelids or anything like that. It's quite a defined liner look - not a smokey eye.

Recently I've been finding that my eyeliner gets smeared all over my eyelid quite early on in the day. This literally does not happen to me! Except, well, it does now.

I haven't been crying, or sweating, or anything else that might cause it to smear. I have quite hooded eyes, but this has never caused me a problem before.

What can have changed, and more to the point - how can I stop this from happening? I use Rimmel Exaggerate and have been for years.

posted by unicorn chaser to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (8 answers total)

Best answer: Could be many things - have you changed your skin care products? Your spf? Have you started to wear glasses? Has your skin become more oily? How old are you, ie aging can cause subtle changes that could increase the effects of a hooded eye to the point where it now no longer works with your tried and tested application methods and where you place the eye liner.
posted by koahiatamadl at 5:02 AM on February 14, 2019 [7 favorites]

When my eyelids aren't primed with powder or eyeshadow my eyes do this too, I tend towards oily skin.

Another thing you can do is put a layer of eyeshadow over the liner, I like this brush for that.
posted by lafemma at 5:05 AM on February 14, 2019

A quick google popped up a review from 8 months ago mentioning a formula change. Did this smearing start when you switched to a new tube?
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 5:07 AM on February 14, 2019 [5 favorites]

Is there any possibility the manufacturer changed the formulation?

I googled it, and found this evidence from Environmental Working Group that the formulation changed after 2014 — they had to assess a new formulation. (I honestly didn’t even look at whatever EWG said about it — just, they noticed that there was a new formulation.)

It’s not clear from their write-up what exactly changed between the two formulations. Maybe you can find more info elsewhere. But that could explain a change in its performance.

Maybe you just now got a “new” formulation (maybe the store was working through stock of the old formulation?)
posted by snowmentality at 5:19 AM on February 14, 2019 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I was going to suggest aging as well. As we age the eyelid can start to fall/droop and become hooded and that upper eyelid skin is touching/falling near the lashline and messing up your liner.
posted by loveandhappiness at 8:12 AM on February 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I know you say you have not been crying or sweating more, but have you been happier? Like, laughing more? Big smiles and laughs make my eyes crinkle and my eye makeup looks totally busted.
posted by juniperesque at 8:38 AM on February 14, 2019 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I think the aging explanation is most likely, as I didn't notice this issue in relation to starting a new bottle or anything like that. Thanks, guys! I will have to come up with a different method of application (maybe not so thick, or starting in the middle of the eyelid rather than the inner corner) to stop the smudging.

I've just seen juniperesque's comment and - I have been laughing and smiling quite a bit. That could be another factor!
posted by unicorn chaser at 8:42 AM on February 14, 2019 [1 favorite]

I use Exaggerate eye liner and have hooded eyes. Applying using layers (primer > neutral base powder > liner > setting powder) works even in summer humidity as long as I have the patience to wait for each layer to dry/set.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:34 PM on February 14, 2019 [1 favorite]