Ask Me Beauty: My eye are runny and cause smudging

Whenever I put any eyeliner or shadow right around the outer corners of my eyes, it never lasts. My eyes water a lot or I just blink a lot and the colour ends up coming off and looking terrible. Any suggestions on making the colour stay?

Dear Victoria,

Unfortunately there is no 100% foolproof method for preventing smudging, especially where watery eyes are concerned. But here are tips on how you can reduce it.

First, using a good eyeshadow base is the most important part. I really like Urban Decay Primer Potion because it lasts really long and prevents creasing. But in some cases, even this might not be waterproof enough for some people. Another method you could use is using either a gel eyeliner such as the MAC Fluidline or any other brand as a base, because gel eyeliners are really long lasting and don't easily come off with just water. You could also use a waterproof or water resistant eyeliner pencil and smudge that as a base. Even if some of the eyeshadow comes off a little bit after hours of extended wear, the base will help it last longer. The MAC Liquidlast liners also stay on forever. Switch to using a waterproof mascara if your mascara tends to run, and avoid kohl and soft pencils as eyeliners, I prefer gel eyeliners for this reason. You will have to use an oil-based eye makeup remover to take these products off at the end of the day.

The other thing you want to consider is what is causing using your eyes to water in the first place. Reducing the culprit might be better than just treating the symptoms. Your eyes might be watering due to allergies, maybe it's a product you're reacting too, or other agents such as pet dander, smoke, pollen, etc. Try to eliminate any agents that are causing runny, water eyes in the first place, or treat allergies with an anti-histamine.

Another common issue is skin dryness. I have noticed this on myself, if I use an eye cream, especially on the outer corners and let that sink in before applying makeup, it somehow reduces the watering.

Lastly, if your eyes are watering, it could be a natural way for your eye to cleanse itself of foreign bodies that have entered the eye socket - for example shadow fall-out during application, or product on the waterline. Be really careful not to get eyeshadow fallout into the eye during application, and skip using makeup products on the tightline and waterline all together if you have sensitive eyes. It might be irritating your eyes and they are trying to "wash away" the products naturally by producing tears. An easy trick I do is after I finish my eye makeup, I use a Q-tip moistened with my own saliva (sounds gross but only do this on yourself, your saliva contains natural anti-septics and because it's a natural fluid, it will not irritate your eyes at all, unlike makeup remover) and run it along the inner parts of my eye to remove any product fallout, especially on the waterline, tearduct and outer corners. You'll be amazed at the product gunk that sometimes comes out, and this really reduces the tear production of my eyes. If I notice watering during application, I use a dry Q-tip and just hold it in the place of the seepage to absorb the "eye juice", it prevents smudging of the makeup.

Unfortunately there's no 100% guaranteed way to prevent runniness of the eyes. If you have naturally water eyes, it's likely that even with all these tips, your makeup might need a few touch ups during the day, but hopefully these tips will help to improve your situation a little bit.

If you have a beauty related question and need advice, please email your question to askmebeauty@gmail.com The best questions will be published on my blog, your anonymity is guaranteed.

Ask me Beauty: I stick out like a sore thumb!

How do you make the transition from a woman who wore no makeup to one that is now sporting a full face of makeup? I love the looks at home but when I get out in the work environment or to a family dinner I find it difficult and uncomfortable with all the double takes and comments. They have all been positive and complimentary but I still feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Should I try just wearing one or two products and slowly increase?

Dear Stacey,

I love the fact that you are becoming more comfortable and adventurous with your makeup - bravo! Especially since you have been receiving positive feedback from family and friends, it means people are noticing this change and like your new look. Of course it can be a little unnerving to be the center of attention sometimes if you're not used to that, especially if you're not used to being complimented on your makeup.

I like your own idea of starting out with just a few products on your face at once, and then - if you want - gradually building up to a level that you feel confident in and happy with. This could mean wearing a pretty lipstick to an evening out, applying a few extra coats of mascara during the day, or just brightening your face with a bit of blush. You will get more comfortable with the idea of wearing makeup, and other people will grow more accustomed to seeing you with it on. You could also experiment with different colors, try neutral shades first, and if you want - gradually add in a bit of color by maybe wearing a bolder lip color, a fun colored eyeliner, or even a bold eyeshadow now and then. Or just stick to wearing neutral colors at work and keep things toned down, and then surprise your co-workers one day at a staff party with a more dramatic look to show the other side of your personality! You might even end up liking that "surprise" effect. Especially as you grow more confident in your skills, you'll start to care less about other people's reactions, because you'll know you look great.

Bottom line: You should just wear the type and level of makeup that you feel comfortable with. It's all about number one, baby! I feel perfectly fine going out in a full face of makeup with artistically applied, bold colors and if I'm going out somewhere at night I'm usually wearing more than other women, but I realize that not everyone might feel that way. And even if you do get the odd look now and then from a family member - remember it's your face and you have to be happy with the reflection in the mirror, not others. And with time, people will appreciate the new you! So just have fun with it and enjoy experimenting.

XO,

Julia

If you have a beauty related question and need advice, please email your question to askmebeauty@gmail.com The best questions will be published on my blog, your anonymity is guaranteed.

Ask Me Beauty: Are nail polishes bad for my health?

I recently watched your nail polish haul and your comments on "Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat" led me to purchase this top coat. Generally, I am very happy with the product, as it really speeds things up. However, I got a bit skeptical when I read the warning on the bottle saying that the "product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm". I was wondering whether you knew more about the ominous warning.

-Claudia


Dear Claudia,

This warning is most likely because of the ingredient Toluene (also known as methylbenzene, toluol, phenylmethane) contained in Seche Vite, which is a solvent that makes the polish easier to apply. Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent for the manufacturing of paints, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and rubber. Like other solvents, toluene is also used by some drug abusers as an inhalant drug for its intoxicating properties. Inhalation of toluene fumes can be intoxicating, and in larger doses nausea-inducing.

Toluene is one of the substances that some nail polish manufacturers are starting to omit from their products, also known as the "Big Three". These are three toxic chemicals that are often used in nail products, namely Dibutyl Phtalate (DBP), Formaldehyde and Toluene. It is debatable whether or not these three chemicals pose a serious risk to consumers who use nail polish on a regular basis. Some people might be more concerned about these chemical ingredients than others, especially pregnant women who may wish to take extra-ordinary precautions. Personally, I do not feel that these ingredients pose a serious risk to my own well-being, so I will continue to use them on myself. This is something everyone must decide for themselves, however, beauty products must label their products very carefully with any warning labels to prevent misuse or liability, etc. You have to consider that while these ingredients are certainly toxic in larger quantities or if inhaled purposefully, you are only exposed to a minute amount in your nail products and unlikely to be sniffing and inhaling the polish vehemently.

What I suggest is that you check out this post on ALU that explains "Big Three Free" polishes in more detail with lots of useful links, and this other page on ALU for an updated list on which companies offer Big 3 Free and other chemically reduced nail polishes. Michelle from alllacqueredup.com has obviously done a lot of research on this topic and I would only do her a disservice by trying to regurgitate the same information on my blog.

Hope that helped and happy and healthy nail lacquering!

XO,
Julia


If you have a beauty related question and need advice, please email your question to askmebeauty@gmail.com The best questions will be published on my blog, your anonymity is guaranteed.

Ask Me Beauty: Too much product on the lips?

When you wear lipstick or lipgloss, what do you do when it starts migrating towards the inner part of your lips and forms a line where your lips meet? Is it an indication that my lips are too dry or that I applied too much?

The way you describe it, especially with a line of product forming where your top and bottom lips meet, sounds like a classic case of too much product applied. However, the easiest way to correct this problem is by blotting! I use a piece of tissue paper, and carefully press it against my lips. You can also make an "O" shape with your mouth, stick your finger in your mouth and then pull it out, that will remove excess product from the inner side of your lips, which will also prevent transferring the lipstick to your teeth. With lipgloss, just apply less, focusing on the center of your mouth.

This is how I prepare my lips if I want super long wearing lip color using lipstick and gloss:


1. Exfoliate your lips using a damp washcloth or a toothbrush
2. Moisturize your lips with some hydrating lip balm, allow to sink in and remove any excess
3. Use a bit of translucent blotting powder before applying lipliner, this will help the lipstick stay in place
4. Apply corresponding lipliner and fill in the entire lips
5. Apply lipstick on top
6. Blot with a kleenex
7. Optional: Dust a bit of translucent powder on the first layer of lipstick, then apply a second coat of lipstick
8. If you want gloss, add a small amount to the center of your lips and spread, you don't need to pile on the gloss, a small amount is entirely enough.

That should have your lip color locked in place for several hours at least, depending on the quality of the products used. If you like wearing just gloss, you don't need to slather on 5 layers, you just want your lips to look glossy, not covered in a gooey film. Using a lip balm before applying gloss also helps it to spread evenly without having to pile on lots of product. I hope that helped!


If you have a beauty related question and need advice, please email your question to askmebeauty@gmail.com The best questions will be published on my blog, your anonymity is guaranteed.

New column! Ask me Beauty

I want to announce the start of a new column on my blog, that my readers will hopefully find interesting. It will be a beauty advice column, where you - my readers - can send in questions to a special email address I have created. I will be publishing the best emails on my blog with my answer! I assure you that I will of course keep your last name and your email address completely private, or you can sign with a pseudonym. If you need advice on the topics of beauty, for example recommendations for a look, skincare, how to achieve a smoky eye, or even other advice on fashion, hair or whatever else you can think of, then please email me at this email address:

askmebeauty@gmail.com

Please send your questions specifically for my column to this email. Your email will be published on my blog, but may be edited slightly by myself for grammar or length. Your last name, identity and email address will be kept completely private. If you include any pictures in your email, please specify if you want them published on my blog or not.

I get asked so many beauty related questions, and I don't always have time to answer them all. This way, everyone will be able to benefit, and I will try to answer as many of these questions as I can! (Please note that my advice will come as a peer, I do not claim to be a cosmetologist or doctor with a medical background. I will however do my best to research the topic to the best of my abilities, or pass along my own personal advice.)

Looking forward to your emails!

XO,

Julia