The eyes have it: Combatting oily eyelids

Oily eyelids can be a real pain when you’re trying to get your eyes to look truly glam – before you know it, there’s makeup and mascara everywhere and you look as if you’ve just come out of watching a movie heartbreaker on the big screen.
Unfortunately it’s Mother Nature that’s working against us. The oil is produced naturally by glands that line our eyelids in order to add some oiliness to our tears and stop our eyes drying out. Follow the steps below to get a look that will stay in place:
Step 1: Be clean to be seen
Always, ALWAYS, remove eye makeup as soon as you’re home…but if you fail that, at least make sure you give your eyes a good cleanse first thing in the morning with a good quality makeup remover that’s made specifically for eyes. Use clean cotton pads for each wipe and make sure to give a final wipe when you think you’ve removed all the gunge. It’s amazing what will still come off.
Step 2: Moisturize, moisturize
The next step is to moisturize your face, paying particular attention to the eyes. Again, look out for products that are specifically made for eyes. Ideally, opt for products that specify that they’re oil-free – otherwise you’ll be fighting a losing battle from the start. Day moisturizers, in general, tend to be less oily than night moisturizers. Finally, give your eyes a quick, light pat with a blotting sheet or tissue to remove excess moisturizer before you move to the next stage.
Step 3: Stay clear of the line
As you apply your eye makeup, try to avoid going too close to that lash line. If you can, start with a Vitamin E supplemented primer – these help to make your makeup last, while the Vitamin E (also sometimes labelled as tocopherol) nourishes the skin. Try to use long-lasting shadows or waterproof ones to make sure your makeup stays in place for as long as possible – steer clear of creams, as they just add the oiliness back. Dry or semi-dry shadow is much better. Add the colour in thick layers rather than all at once to avoid caking. Add a finishing touch with gel eyeliner rather than a pencil or liquid liner.
Step 4: Powder power
When you’re looking picture perfect finish off with a quick brush of loose transparent powder – just remember to keep the brush you use for your eyes separate to your other brushes. The powder will help keep the shadow in place and will absorb any excess oil.
And a tip for final fabulousness…
It might be obvious – but try not to rub your eyes. Not only does this smudge any makeup you’re wearing, but it can actually encourage more oiliness. And after all that effort, you don’t want that!

Leave a Reply