As if a crisp, clean eyeliner isn’t hard enough to nail on the first try, oily eyelids add to a never-ending list of eyeliner woes: the lines that you work so hard to perfect in the morning are smudged by midday or, for some of us, in literally with just the blink of an eye.
While securing the best waterproof eyeliners is an essential step for keeping your eye-framing lines smudge-free, there are other tips that you can use to set your hard-drawn lines in place throughout the day.
Read on, because we share five simple tips on how to prevent eyeliner from smudging on oily lids!
Layer liquid onto pencil eyeliner
Photo source: @innisfreesingapore/Instagram
Waterproof liquid eyeliners are your best bet when it comes to achieving clean, smudge-proof lines. It’s why even Blackpink makeup artist, Maeng, advises using a waterproof liquid liner for tightlining, and not just when recreating Rosé’s signature semi-smokey-eye makeup look.
Well, that’s at least until a pencil and liquid liner combination comes into play. That’s right – instead of just choosing a great waterproof product, stack two types of eyeliners, a pencil and a liquid eyeliner, onto your lids for maximum budge-proof protection.
Since it goes over your oily lids, the pencil eyeliner creates a more adhesive base for the liquid liner to stay on for a longer time.
So, step one, shade pencil eyeliner onto your lids with light strokes, and, step two, draw over it with liquid eyeliner. Of course, you should still make sure that both these eyeliner products are waterproof as well.
Sephora Collection Long Lasting Eyeliner High Precision Brush
This affordable eyeliner from Sephora (surprisingly) delivers on every front: it glides onto the skin effortlessly, has a fine brush tip for precise application, and doesn’t budge throughout the day.
It’s one of the best-budget eyeliners for long-lasting clean lines on oily lids!
Sephora Collection Long Lasting Eyeliner High Precision Brush retails for RM57.
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
With a fine marker tip, Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner lets you create everything from ultra-thin to thick and edgy lines to frame your eyes.
It’s an eyeliner that’s easy to control even for beginners – plus, it comes in eight intense shades to help you achieve every kind of look.
Of course, this super long-lasting eyeliner will stay smudge-free even on oily lids!
Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner retails for RM140.
Use an eyeshadow primer
Photo source: @innisfreesingapore/Instagram
We’re busting the common makeup myth that primer is only useful for helping your eyeshadow to go on (and stay on) smoothly. The truth is that primer is just as important as a pre-eyeliner step, as it helps you to boast smudge-free lines throughout the day.
That’s not to say that you have to apply primer twice during your makeup routine. Simply make sure not to skip the first step of priming your clean lids; primer will fix your eyeshadow in place as well as keep your eyeliner looking fresh and clean even after many hours.
How do you prime the eyelids? Squeeze a grain-sized amount of primer onto a finger and gently pat the product onto your eyelid. You should start from the centre, and tap it out towards the sides for a thin, even application.
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer seriously sits like a silky veil over your skin, blurring fine lines and wrinkles, keeping eyeshadow smooth, and even repelling water for an all-day-fresh look.
Apply your eyeshadow quickly before this primer dries for the best results!
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer retails starting from RM360.
E.L.F. Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer
This wallet-friendly primer feels lightweight and comfy on the eyelids, and is a vegan and cruelty-free option too.
Its thinner consistency is no downside, but you should know that your eyeshadow might crease a little after a couple of hours.
E.L.F. Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer retails for RM23.
Eyeshadow on fleek
Photo source: Pinterest
Instead of putting all your attention on the eyeliner itself when trying to nail no-smudge lines, don’t forget to also get your eyeshadow right for an overall clean, crisp style.
While priming is the key first step, setting powder is an important last step, right before you outline your eyes with liner.
Hydrating setting powders are a good choice for reducing the shine on your eyelids without sucking your skin dry. You can keep an eye out for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramide, all of which preserve the skin’s moisture even as the powders cut down an oily sheen.
After you’ve applied your eyeshadow, use a makeup brush to lightly sweep the hydrating setting powder over your lids and across your under-eye area. Your lids will become an oil-free canvas ideal for preserving no-smudge eyeliner!
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
TikTok-approved, Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder is the ultimate lightweight and super-silky formula to go over your makeup.
If you’re using it not just on your eyelids but the rest of your face too, you’ll also enjoy a translucent glow on your skin.
This setting powder is infused with vitamin E, which maintains your skin’s natural barrier to better lock in moisture, so your eyelids will feel comfy all day.
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder retails for RM200.
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder Face Powder
Infused with powerhouse hydrating ingredient, hyaluronic acid, By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder Face Powder blurs out your skin’s imperfections without drying it out.
Dust it all over your face for a filter-like soft-focus finish. You can say goodbye to cakey, creased makeup and hello to natural, luminous skin with this hydrating setting powder!
By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder Face Powder retails for RM140.60.
Avoid the outermost corners of the eye
Photo source: @longlong180/Instagram
Every time you yawn or tear, your eyeliner at the outermost corners of your eyes will smudge a little more.
To avoid colouring in the outermost corners of your eyes, extend your eyeliner in a straight line starting from before the ends of your eyes; rather than follow the downwards slope of your lash line, bring the eyeliner outwards, and then upwards for a cat-eyed or natural wing.
You won’t just avoid smudged midday eyeliner, you’ll also get to flaunt longer and wider-looking eyes too.
Draw a three-quarter eyeliner
Photo source: Pinterest
Since shorter lines also mean less smudging, our final tip for keeping your eyeliner smudge-free on oily lids throughout the day is simply this: fill in not the entire length but only three-quarters of your lash line.
Start from around the inner edge of your iris and extend your eyeliner outwards towards the ends – nobody will find out that your eyeliner is “incomplete”.
Featured image credit: @_pepper.jeji, @innisfreesingapore/Instagram
Related read: Make your eyes look 3 times bigger with only eyeshadow, according to this makeup artist
