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Alright now, when was the last time you came home with your eye makeup looking exactly as it did when you left? With the unforgiving humidity here in Singapore, it’s incredibly challenging to maintain that winged liner all day and have your inner corners clear of the notorious black goop. We’ve all faced outrageous eye makeup meltdowns, even with products that claim to be waterproof and smudge-proof. So if you’ve experienced your eye makeup smudging and want to know how to stop it, these eight tips could probably save you!

1. Set your eyeliner with eyeshadow

This tip is an additional step to drawing your eyeliner, but it’s one that guarantees its longevity. Applying eyeshadow of the same colour on top of your liner prevents it from getting rubbed off near the roots of your lashes at the end of the day. Say goodbye to your makeup smudging with this easy tip!

makeup smudging - eyeliner

2. Apply translucent powder under your eyes

Want to stop that bottom lash mascara from smudging? Youtube beauty gurus like Wayne Goss and Carli Bybel swear by this trick! Even if you’re used to setting your under-eye area with powder, applying another coat of powder before applying your mascara may prevent it from smearing. Watch the video below to see how Carli does it!

3. Use gel liners instead

makeup smudging - bobbi brown gel eyeliner

Still not giving up on that favourite liquid eyeliner of yours? The reason waterproof eyeliners still smudge on you is because they may not be suitable for you!

If your eye area tends to get oily or watery, you should consider switching products. Opt for waterproof gel liners, which usually have longer staying power! Here are some highly recommended gel eyeliners so that you can stop worrying about your eye makeup smudging:

• Tarte Sea Surfer Curl Waterproof Gel Eyeliner, S$31 on Sephora.sg
• Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, S$50 on Lazada

4. Try cream or liquid eyeshadows

makeup smudging - cream eyeshadow

If regular powder eyeshadows don’t last on your lids, why not opt for liquid or cream eyeshadows? These are most likely to stay on your lids for much longer as soon as they dry down! They’re also quite versatile – you can use them as they are, or as a base (where you can pack on your regular eyeshadow on top to make it more vivid). Here are some products to get you started:

• Ilia Liquid Powder Chromatic Eye Tint, S$38.82 on REVOLVE
• M.A.C Dazzleshadow Liquid Eyeshadow, S$42 on Sephora.sg
• Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Liquid Eyeshadow, S$33 on Sephora.sg
• Supergoop Shimmer Shade Eyeshadow SPF 30, S$39 on Sephora.sg
• Charlottte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise Eyeshadow, S$48 on Sephora.sg

5. Make them waterproof with Duraline

If you haven’t heard of Iglot’s Duraline – girl, you’re missing out! It’s basically a clear substance that turns any powder into a liquid. Yes, you can glide on your favourite eyeshadow colour like eyeliner with just a drop of this! The best thing about this product is it also makes your makeup budge-proof! This tutorial by Youtuber MsLaviniaful shows the stuff you can do with Duraline.

DV tip: Use a drop of Duraline in a gel eyeliner pot and it will instantly make it more long-lasting!

6. Stop lining your entire waterline

Hands up if you’re guilty of lining your whole waterline! It’s time to stop collecting those black goop in your inner eyes.

makeup smudging - eyeliner

Instead of accentuating your waterline, apply only a third of the bottom outer corners with eyeliner. To make it last longer, apply tip number one on this list – top it off with eyeshadow using a pencil or smudge brush! If you do wish to fill in the waterline, opt for a light brown or nude eyeliner instead. This way, it won’t darken your under-eye area as much if it smudges!

7. Don’t skip primer or concealer

Depending on your skin type, you should find a primer or concealer that works for you, in order to achieve the perfect canvas for any eye makeup to go on. If you’ve got oily lids, find a product that dries more to a matte finish, or you can simply set it with powder.  Setting the primer or concealer with powder also reduces the chances of your makeup smudging and creasing!

DV tip: Also avoid piling on too many products (this includes your skincare) because that could just be the main cause of your constant makeup smudging and creasing – especially in hot and humid weather!

8. Take Q-tips with you

makeup smudging

The last tip Q-ed in this article is probably the simplest and lightest tool you still haven’t carried in your makeup bag – Q tips! It’s always useful to take some with you so you can quickly and neatly clean up any smudged areas and reapply your makeup!