Every work day, I wear a small amount of eyeliner on my top lids only, plus some shadow. This is about all the makeup I wear. The problem is that after only a short time, I have gray smudges under my eyes where the liner has migrated around to the bottom somehow. Is there a product or technique that can stop this? I used to put a little pressed powder under my eyes, but that proved totally ineffective. Any help?
DB
Tired, but not as tired as I look
Have you tried liquid liner? I haven’t used it in years, but I remember it staying put; it dries to a “harder” consistency if you know what I mean.
Gosh, I haven’t tried that liquid stuff since high school. I always liked the dramatic look of it, but I quit using it because if I rubbed my eye a little, it didn’t just smudge, it was gone, baby! Also, I fear that it might flake off into my contact lenses. But it’s a thought…
Yes! Laura Mercier cake eye liner. It comes in black, navy blue, emerald green, and brown. It’s expensive, but one little compact of it lasts forever. Put a little water on the flat eyeliner brush to apply. It goes on damp, but dries quickly. After that, it will stay put. Period.
OP - I have never ever had this problem with liquid liner, and I have worn it when in full regalia, dancing, sweating, under the hot lights. I highly suggest you leave behind that old crappy eyeliner! Of course don’t put your hands near your eyes after you put the liquid stuff on until it dries (only a few minutes).
Can I hijack this with another question? Does anyone know how to decide what kind of eyeshadow to wear? How do you match your skin tone?
Re shadow: I don’t try to complement my skin tone, but my eye color. I have blue eyes, so I wear only purples, grays, and browns. I assume you have brown eyes, Anaamika, but I’m not sure what goes with brown…gold or green?
**Q.N. **, I’ll look for the Mercier.
I look for colors that compliment both my skin tone and my eye color. There are a few places to get hints for this. Laura Mercier is my favorite; her tips based on eye color are as follows:
Brown Eyes - Greens and blues; some greys.
Hazel Eyes - Purples, greens, and some blues.
Blue Eyes - Browns, pinks, and creams.
Green Eyes - Purples, greys, and pinks.
Yikes! Twenty bucks for eyeliner! Q.N., I might have to do some good deeds or something before I can justify buying myself this present. 
Ok, greens and blues. But how do you know not to go too vivid? Because quite frankly I am not used to wearing green & blue makeup of any kind, and it looks odd to me.
Edited to add: The liquid eyeliner I buy is expensive, but not that much! It runs me about $5 - $7 a bottle.
Foundation and face powder on your eyelids beneath eye makeup keeps it in place.
I used to have this problem with every pencil eyeliner I tried, no matter how expensive. Until someone told me about Revlon’s ColorStay. Once I tried it I was hooked. That was about 10 years ago. I’ve tried others, but the ColorStay is by far my favorite. I use both the pencil and the liquid and both are great. Very little if any smudging with the pencil, absolutely none with the liquid.
It must be popular because whenever I go to buy it, it’s almost always sold out. So when I see it on the shelf, I usually buy 2. Or I buy Almay’s 16 Hour - it’s the same stuff in a different color package, but usually a little more expensive.
I would not go for any of the bright shadows; they come off as too “costumey” on me. I use a medium brown on my lid and then eyeliner, and just a touch of lavender (violet or green) eyeshadow at the lash line to bring out my green eyes. I used to wear a dusty amethyst shadow, but even that seems to be a bit too much for me now. Of course, it’s different on older women. You’re still young enough to take chances. But keep the tones “dusty”. You don’t want to end up like Mimi! :eek:
I don’t wear makeup, but I do watch What Not to Wear, and that’s where I learned this idea of a shade “opposite” your eye color. Brown on a blue eye seemed counterintuitive but it works to make them stand out.
I don’t like Carmindy’s makeup on herself, but I usually like what she does for other people.
If you use any kind of cream, too, to remove eye makeup, a little can remain behind and cause liners to run the next day.
Just a tip from a former racoon eyed gal.
Regarding eye shadow, I haven’t worn any for several years, mostly because it took too much care to get it applied just right. I was trying to emphasize my brow bone and it always came off looking artifical. Now, mostly I just brush some blush up there until I can see my brow bone. Any tips for applying shadow in a natural manner? (If it’s helpful, I have fair skin and brown eyes. And glasses.)
And the brush isn’t included (though you can get a cheaper brush from Sephora). But it is hands down better than anything else I’ve ever used. Even my friends who skimp on makeup spend the $20 to get LM’s eyeliner. It’s that good. And it will last a long, long time.
I tend to use these colors in combination with more “normal” shades. Like yesterday, I wore a minty frost, but put it on very sheerly, and in combination with a boring charcoal plum shade. I have a beautiful khaki green. I wear it with some boring beige and pink colors, and use it only along the lash line and in the crease (blended well). No Mimi here!
A lot of it takes practice. The way I learned how to apply makeup was going to lots of Laura Mercier counters for free makeovers. They teach a lot of technique there, and you’re not obligated to buy anything. She’s got a great book out now–you can buy it online or at an LM counter–with all her tips. She has a real “less is more” philosophy that I identify with.
No, I don’t work for Laura Mercier. I just really like her stuff.
Funny you should notice that because years ago when my sister worked for Mary Kay, the mantra was “Brown makes a blue eye tired.” I prefer a light to medium gray with blue eyes.
:smack: I’m sure you’re right! The last time I wore eyeshadow was high school–purples with green/gray/blue eyes. And sometimes green because I thought that would bring out the green. :smack: I remember something about teal eyeliner :eek:
Teal eyeliner? Amateurs. I had royal blue mascara that I wore with my teal eyeliner. :o
When I use eyeliner (perhaps three times a year?), it is liquid as I have the same issue the OP has with crayon. No thanks.
Anaamika, if I were you I’d hop over to Vasanti Makeup’s homepage. They used to work for MAC and NARS but decided to launch their own makeup line for Asian skintones (esp. South Asian skintones).
They are very high quality so you pay a little more (though less than for NARS or MAC) and only out of Canada, with a few select location at ULTA’s across the country. However, the accuracy of the colours for S. Asian skin is remarkable.
Also, they will do a free makeup consultation if you send them a picture-whether you buy their products or not.
My cousin is out here and I did a little makeover on her using Vasanti products and she almost fell off her seat. Plus, I like them as a company-they’re super nice. I reviewed their products on my blog and came up in the google search and they actually sent me free stuff for all the mad props I gave them.
I do buy products at Sephora & MAC that I think are similar to Vasanti’s (at times when I’m too lazy too wait…for instance, I just shelled out for NARS starlight eyeshadow though I’m pretty certain Vasanti’s would have been the same and cheaper) but I occasionally write to the Vasanti chick (who I became friends with during the online consultation, what can I say…I’m a shmoozer) for tips and they are happy to help me because I’m a loyal customer. IMO most individuals do not really know how to work with ethnic skintones but as they are a company founded and run by Asians, they do.
I do a very thin teal liner right now (with the whisper of violet just above it). And black on the bottom. Way thin.