Summer is the time for outdoors fun, beaches and cook-outs. But also, dare I hope, for romantic candle-lit dinners on the terrace of some intimate bistro? And at times like those, a girl needs her high-drama eye!
To that end, when it comes to summer eye makeup, I avoid shadow as much as possible. After all, in the hotter months the M.O. is light, breezy, effortless — and the less you slather on in the morning, the less will be running down your cheeks by midday. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have your Statement Eye. Au contraire, follow these simple steps and your regard will be as scintillating as ever!
1) Let’s start at the very beginning…
An eye primer. A lot of women skip this step, but an eye primer — like a foundation primer — will neutralize your lid color (masking veins and redness for a flawless, seamless look), help set your liner and keep its color truer longer. I love this one from Paula Dorf.
But I’m not necessarily wild about the price ($25 for three grams). What can I say, recent college graduate here. So you can also dab on concealer or pressed powder for a similar yet lighter effect — an option that may even work better for those in especially humid climates.
2) Line away
You may be devoted to your pencil liner — and, like me, you may have spent years mastering the proper technique to use it! — but the waxes added to make it glide on smoothly are also more likely to make it smudge. And then your skin’s natural oils, probably in overdrive this time of year, aren’t going to help the situation any (nor will your eye cream).
At times like these, it’s tempting to ask, “What Would Joan Holloway Do?” Well, I’ll tell you. Joan wouldn’t be having this problem because she’d be looking incredible in a liquid eyeliner:
We, unfortunately, are not Joan. Getting this look right takes practice and a steady hand (but that comes with practice, too). Luckily, today’s liquid eyeliners have easy to use applicators. Diane, founder of weBegirls, swears by Lancome Artliner with its precision foam tip. I used it on my hand and it is definitely precise — and easy to control. My own favorite, Almay Amazing I Liner, has a similar flex-tip applicator. If you haven’t already, give liquid liners a try — there’s nothing else that can give such a polished, put together look.
Or you can throw caution to the wind and embrace the smudge with a kohl liner. Forget those faux kohl pencil liners. The real deal, such as Guerlain Terracotta Loose Kohl, is so much better. I bought the Terracotta Loose Kohl in black years ago, when it first came out and I was apparently rolling in it ($35 for .03 oz). But I absolutely love this product. Like with liquid liner, the wand is tricky — I still sometimes get powder fallout on my cheeks. But it delivers an exquisite smoky eye that lasts for hours. You can also use the Eastern method — placing the wand at the inner corner of your eye, closing your lid and then swiping the wand through to apply the product to the waterline. I, sadly, don’t lead the kind of amazing life that requires such a dramatic look. But I hope to one day…and I’ll have the eyeliner for it.
3) Having your cake and eating it, too
Another product I love is cake mascara, particularly this one from La Femme. 
It is an absolute stroke of genius. It’s much more hygienic than wand mascara since you simply replace the brush every three months or so and not the entire product — which I’m sure you all do with your current mascaras (right? right??). It lasts forever since it never dries out — you apply water to the brush whereas the mascara itself stays dry. While it’s not super travel friendly, you don’t need to take it anywhere because there’s no need to reapply. It lasts literally all day.
A final word to the wise…
Now that I’ve shared my secrets for the smudge-proof eye, I’ll admit that I’ve been lying through my teeth. There is no such thing as “smudge-proof.” If you rub your eyes during the day, your makeup will smear and come off — forget whatever “long-lasting” or “24 hour” effects the products you use claim to have. So keep those mitts away from your eyes — in fact, just don’t touch your face at all — in order to have a truly smudge-proof summer.
Paula Dorf Eye Primer is available at some department stores, beauty supplies and online at pauladorf.com.
Almay Amazing I Liner ($5.69) is available in many drugstores, including CVS and Riteaid, as well as online at facevaluesonline.com.
Both Lancome Artliner ($29) and Guerlain Terracotta Loose Kohl are available at most decent department stores, beauty supplies and online at Sephora.com.
La Femme Professional Formula Cake Mascara ($7)Â is available in some drugstores and online at makeupmania.com.
