Sweat Proof Eye Makeup

Whether you’re the type that needs to glam it up at the gym, or you live in a hot sticky climate that screams makeup meltdown, there are a few tips and tricks to achieving sweat proof eye makeup that will leave you looking fresh and gorgeous, not smudged and smeary.

Six Different Eyeliner Looks

Primed to Perfection

If you aren’t in a long term relationship with an eye shadow primer, it’s time to get involved. Eye shadow primer helps your shadow cling to your eyelid, which is a naturally oily part of your face, to allow for extended wear and minimal creasing. Primer also keeps color looking vibrant and true to tone and can come in a tinted formula or a clear, translucent shade that won’t interfere with your eye hue du jour.

Some top eye shadow primers include:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion is a cult favorite that goes on nude and helps shadow cling to lids all day or all night.
• Smashbox PhotoFinish Lid Primer can be worn on its own for a nude shadow look or layered under any eye shadow to increase staying power.
• Benefit Stay, Don’t Stray doubles as an eyelid primer and can be worn under the eyes to keep concealer in place.

Mad for Matte

For truly hot and humid days or times when you know you’ll be working up a major sweat, ditch your regular eye shadow formula in favor of a long-wearing one that stays in place and won’t smudge. Matte formulas tend to have more staying powder than super glittery or creamy shadows. Be sure your primer has completely dried before applying your eye shadow with a shadow brush.

For extra staying power, dust a matte nude shade that closely matches your skin tone from lash line up to the brow bone before applying your desired hue.

Top Long Wearing Eye Shadows

• Tarte Amazonian Clay long-wearing eye shadow comes in a variety of color palettes. When used with their eye primer, it promises major staying power.
• Revlon Colorstay 16-Hour Eyeshadow Quad is an affordable drugstore palette that includes four coordinating shadows to create a multitude of eye looks that promise not to crease or smudge for up to 12-hours.

Lined and Defined

There’s nothing worse than meticulously creating the perfect smooth line, only to discover that your liner has smudged within an hour. Forego soft, powdery pencils or smeary creams in favor of liquids and gels that can hold up to heat and sweat for a sweat proof eye makeup look that’s sexy and dramatic.

Top Long Wearing Eyeliners

• Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is a quick-dry liquid that stays on all day or night and won’t smudge, run or feather. The felt-tip applicator makes it easy to draw a bold or natural line.
• Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner stays on for an impressive 24-hours without smearing or running and comes in blackest black, brown, charcoal and eggplant. The gel formula is applied with the included brush.
• Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner comes in 13 shades ranging from traditional black to emerald green and gives the look of a liquid liner in an easy-to-apply and long-lasting gel formula.

Smudge-Proof Lashes

If you tend to battle a case of raccoon eyes by mid-day, a waterproof, smudge-proof mascara is a makeup bag staple. The only downside to these formulas is that they can be difficult to remove, so always keep plenty of makeup remover on hand at the end of the day.

Top Smudge Proof Mascara

• Clinique Lash Power Mascara Long-Wearing Formula claims to last a full 24 hours with nary a smudge or smear in site. The lengthening formula is removed with soap and water.

Tips and Tricks

Even if you’re sporting long-wearing sweat proof eye makeup formulas, there are a few additional tips to make your makeup last.

• After you’ve applied eye shadow primer and under eye concealer, set the eye area and absorb any oil or sweat with a dusting of mattifying powder using a small eye shadow brush.
• Set your eyeliner by applying a coordinating shade of powder shadow right underneath your liner to keep it from smudging.
• Avoid applying rich or heavy eye creams in the morning since they can make makeup run. Apply a lightweight eye gel or skip eye cream all together in the am.

Lasting Power

No matter how high the temperatures are soaring, with the right products and application you’ll have perfect eye makeup that lasts all day or into the night.