Expert Q&A: Help! I Have Oily Eyelids and My Makeup Doesn’t Last

If your eyeshadow slips and slides once applied or your smoky eye looks more like a glossy black eye, this is for you. As a fellow oily lid babe, I too struggle with getting my eyeshadow to stay unassisted. Thanks to genius inventions like eyeshadow primer and concealer, I’ve been able to make my eyeshadows work for me — and so can you.

When faced with my eye shadow woes, I sought out the help of one of our fave makeup artists, global Urban Decay artist Steve Kassajikian, who recommended primer above all else. “Use the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion all over the lid” he says, “Preferably Eden or Caffeine since they have a matte finish.” The primer potion ensures 24 hour wear and will increase the staying power of any shadow, oily lids or not.

Another pro tip: wet your shadow. This will intensify the color of your shadows and help them last a little longer. To wet your shadows, spray your eyeshadow brush with Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray and apply as normal. If your wet shadow still won’t stay put, try a glossy lid — an eye look that’s editorial, yet wearable and gives your oily lids the props they deserve. To nail the glossy lid look, try the NYX Professional Makeup Dazed and Confused Eye Gloss, a balmy formula that tints the eyelid with just the right amount of shine.

The final tip for getting eyeshadow to stay? Kassajikian suggests using an eye pencil as a base. He recommends the 24/7 Glide on Pencil which will intensify your shadow. Follow this up with the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray to lock in your look.

How do you get your shadows to stay? Sound off in the comments below!