This column first ran in Valerie Monroe’s newsletter, How Not to F*ck Up Your Face, which you can subscribe to on Substack.
Q: This has been bugging me for a while. I rarely wear makeup anymore, but every once in a while, I want to level up my look a bit. I do a little eyeliner crayon on the top lid, plus mascara and lipstick. Inevitably, when I catch my face in the mirror a few hours later, the lipstick is gone (of course) but so is the eyeliner, and the mascara is smeared under my eyes!
What gives? I’ve heard waterproof mascara is evil, so any tips on how not to get raccoon eyes?
Another thing: How do I figure out which shade of lipstick is flattering to my still lovely but definitely older face? I am very fair, and my hair is light and blondish with some shots of pink every now and then.
A: Dear Reader, as for your suggestion that waterproof mascara is evil, I assume you’re thinking of the news that it contains potential carcinogens, so I’m glad you’ve eschewed it.
For answers to your questions, I went to the best resource: makeup artist Barbara Stone, who has, as usual, terrific advice. Optimistic (again, as usual), she starts with “There are a couple of easy fixes for your eyes!”
The first is a waterproof pencil. She enjoys Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil and Sephora Waterproof 12HR Retractable Eyeliner Pencil. But waterproof pencils do contain similar chemicals to those in waterproof mascaras, so if you’re averse to anything waterproof, read on …
About that disappearing eyeliner and errant mascara? “Here’s the deal: If you use a fairly rich moisturizer, some oils are likely to encourage smudging,” Stone says. She suggests applying an eye-shadow base to your lid before the liner and mascara because it will help control that oil. Stone loves Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base because it’s colorless and won’t add texture to your lids. If you want one that brightens as well, she recommends Laura Mercier Eye Basics Primer in Flax.
Another option for keeping your liner in place is to apply some powder to your lids and again over the eyeliner pencil with a small powder puff (Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder is great for this). She also recommends tracing the powder along your lower lash line (not the whole under-eye area) to absorb excess moisturizer and prevent smudging.
Next, Stone says, a fine replacement for waterproof mascara is “tubing” mascara. It’s considered water resistant because water won’t remove it unless you gently rub it off. These formulas coat each lash with a “tube” of color, and they stay put and don’t flake or smear, she says. We tested six tubing mascaras and found the best one.
One last tip from Stone: When a mascara is close to pitching time, it’s more likely to flake. Some products last three months, some six, but flaking means it’s time for a refresh.
She is momentarily less optimistic about the elusive “One Perfect Lipstick,” which she says can take some time to find. What you want is a shade brighter than your lips. You can try an iteration of the old Scarlett O’Hara trick of pinching your cheeks, instead pinching your lower lip to see what your natural brighter color may be and aiming for that.
Product-loving Stone suggests a jumping-off shade anyone might like: Anastasia Matte & Satin Lipstick in Hush Pink (love this formula!). “It’s sheer and perky but not loud and not too blue or coral. You can soften it with gloss or deepen it by applying a lip pencil all over the lips first,” she says. Her favorite pencils are the Edward Bess Natural Defining Lip Liner and the Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Ballet Pink, which she says are flattering to many lip shades.
When I wear lipstick (almost never), it’s some kind of gloss. I’ve found I can wear a shade or two I might not have considered because it seems too deep or bright by applying a clear, waxy lip balm (this is my current favorite), then dotting the color over my lips and blotting. It leaves a pretty stain, as if you’ve been nibbling berries out of a pail (like the dainty fawn you are). I recently tried this with Jones Road’s the Lip Tint in Pink Rose to a pleasing effect.
Originally published on March 19th.
More From This Series
- My Scalp is Pink and It’s Showing Through My Hairline. Help!
- I’m in My Mid-40s and Got Dysport. Can It Age You?
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