Apparently I have oily eyelids. Until a few months ago, I had never really thought very much about my eyelids. They certainly weren’t on those “t-zone” charts that I always saw as a teenager with typical combination skin (for the uninitiated, that’s skin that is dry is some areas and oily in others).
What I have known is that I can only wear one type of mascara. Regular mascara runs down my face in minutes, and even waterproof mascara gives me raccoon eyes after a couple of hours (and then I have to use a chisel to get it off — ugh!). The only mascara that will stay on my eyelashes is the kind that needs warm water for removal (I love Clinique’s version, and Sephora has another type as well).
As I get older and more courageous about letting out my inner 1940s movie star, I’ve been bolder about adding eyeliner to my makeup regimen so I can occasionally achieve a vintage look (I love this glam tutorial!). Once again, however, I find the eyeliner all over my face in less than an hour.
I first tried some ELF liquid liner to get the cat’s eye look I wanted, but when it didn’t last I invested in MAC’s gel liner, hoping for a better result. To my disappointment and surprise, the gel liner smudged throughout the day.
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| My eyeliner arsenal: MAC gel liner, ELF liquid liner, and MAC Paints. |
I turned to a local MAC counter for help, hoping they could find a solution for my problem.
I told the MAC artist about my issues with eyeliner that won’t stay put, and he suggested the gel liner.
“Um, that’s what I’m using,” I said nervously.
He looked at me for a second. “The GEL LINER runs? Hm….Do you have oily eyelids?”
“What?! Um, not that I know of….” I stammered. Oily eyelids? I had never heard of such a thing. My skin tends to be pretty dry, so I was pretty sure I didn’t have any extra oil anywhere.
The makeup artist examined my eyes. “Ooh, yeah, there’s some shine there.”
Um, ok. So apparently I have oily eyelids. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
BUT the good news here is that once the source of the problem was found, a solution was offered. Now, whenever I want to glam with my eye makeup, I first apply MAC Paints in Bare Canvas to my eyelids. My makeup lasts all day, even when I switch back to my cheap ELF liquid liner.
(Side note: Apparently some colors of MAC Paints have some questionable ingredients. Bare Canvas is fine, but others have health warnings. Ick! I’m looking for a healthier and eco-friendly alternative.)
So anyway, I’m thinking there might be a few other ladies out there who suffer from chronic raccoon eyes like me. Be comforted, ladies — whether your eye makeup taste leans toward Taylor Swift or Betty Draper, with the right tools you can get a look you love!
