I suppose you could say that I’ve reached that point of my life where I’m constantly angry at the weather. Winter leaves me dry, summer leaves me, well, sweaty, and there is nothing cute about that. The sweat situation leaves me and my face at an absolute mess, wishing I had some primer for my primer. There is nothing as bad as accidental raccoon eyes, which happen ever-so-often because of mascaras.
Consider this my summer gift to you. (PS: Seasonal gifts should totally be a thing! Also, if you’re reading this; hi parents!) It’s the easiest, most foolproof way to stop your mascara from smudging under your eyes. This trick works great with regular mascara. I avoid using waterproof formulae because they are too harsh and a pain to take off. Lash primer is completely optional, I’m currently loving and living for the Dior Show Maximiser 3D Primer.
Turns out, the only thing you really need is clear brow gel.Yes, the kind that keeps your eyebrows in place. It’s one of the most underrated multi-purpose products out there — which just happens to be my favourite kind. On an unrelated note, brow gel is also great for keeping flyaways from your face. I’ve also been known to tap it onto my eyelids for hardcore eye shadow primer. There’s nothing a brow gel can’t do!
Going back to where we were: primer is optional, apply a couple of coats of your favourite mascara: top lash, bottom — however you like it! My go-to are drugstore mascaras, because you should ideally be switching up your tubes every 6-7 months anyway. Once your mascara is dry, go over your lashes with a coat of brow gel. This does such a good job at sealing it all in — no more raccoon eyes! It takes a bit to dry out though, so don’t open your eyes too wide to soak in the wonders of the world; you may end up with wet mascara dots on your brow bone or even worse, under your eyes. Look straight ahead for about a minute to ensure your lashes are completely dry. Make a lot of weird faces at your reflection. Sing a song, think your thoughts. Whatever floats your boat.
I have tested this hack in the hot summer sun by the beach and it stayed immaculate. Ta-dah! Now you have perfect, long, voluminous eyelashes. They don’t even get clumpy with gross spider lashes. It’s wonderful, you don’t need to scour it off your face either: it comes off easily with micellar water. Let’s leave the running mascara for another day.