One of the most coveted ‘desert island’ products for beauty lovers is mascara. Why? Well – put simply, it can singlehandedly give your face an instant lift, and even the most tired of peepers a wide-awake look. But there’s nothing more annoying than when you’ve spent ages on your make-up, just for it to end up halfway down your face by lunchtime. 

While mascara might be one of the most talked about products in beauty – with everyone looking for ‘the one’ that gives them the thickest, longest lashes (PSA: this one’s the best, if we say so ourselves INSERT LINK TO BELLALASH) – it’s also important to know how to get the best from your formula in order to prevent that dreaded fallout. And you’ll be surprised to hear that it’s actually got nothing to do with the mascara’s formula itself, but more the base that you’re working with. Here, we explain what you can do to banish the blotchiness for good.

The skin around your eyes is too oily

Whether you’re naturally oily, or you’ve packed on an eye-reviving cream or liquid concealer before applying your mascara - the truth is, working with an oily canvas before applying your mascara will cause it to smudge. Oil can encourage the pigment of the mascara to transfer onto your skin even once it is dry, and this is worsened again when skin is hot or sweaty. In order to banish any excess oil, try cleansing your face properly before applying your make-up. It’s also a good idea to lay off thicker formulas when it comes to your skincare (save these for night-time when you’re not going to be wearing any make-up at all).

You’re not using a primer

Priming your lids and your under eyes is essential when you don’t want your mascara to budge. This will help to stop any oil from interacting with your mascara which can cause it to run, and will also leave a matte finish to the skin that will keep smudges at bay all day.

Your lashes aren’t clean

You need to make sure that your lashes are totally clean before applying your mascara. Any old or leftover mascara will likely create fallout and flakiness. 

You’re coating all your bottom lashes

Experts advise that if your bottom lashes are extra-long, you should only coat the roots of them in mascara as opposed to the whole length of the lash. This should stop any smudging from the tips of the lashes – the bits that are usually responsible for any product transfer.

You’re not using powder

Powdering your under eyes before applying mascara is essential. Use a generous amount of loose translucent powder under your eyes before you apply your mascara, and be sure to let it set properly before dusting away any excess that’s left on the skin. This will keep any oil around your eyes from reacting with the waxes within your mascara formula.