today, i’d like to share with you a product that ended all my mascara woes.  you see, i have extremely oily lids, which smudge pretty much all formulations of mascaras, except tubes.  the trouble with tubes is sometimes they shed at the most inopportune times.  also, i just like playing the field.  i want to be able to use whatever mascara catches my eye instead of limiting myself to a small selection due to my special needs.  enter Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat! (cue light from the heavens and singing angels)

Anastasia Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat

now, this is the product that will save you from mascara-smudged raccoon eyes! (please note, if it’s your liner, that’s an entirely different topic)  this topcoat also makes your mascara flake proof and waterproof, so no more carefully dripping half an eye drop into your dry eyes!  you can feel free to use as much as needed.  Lash Genius gives you the confidence in knowing nothing will make your mascara less than perfect until you are ready to take it off!

it goes on clear and without clumping.  i also use it by itself on my lower lashes to give them some definition.  it can also double duty as a brow gel, keeping your unruly brows in place.

now, the drawback of bulletproofing your mascara is that it will be a little harder to take off.  i prefer oil-based cleansers for taking it off, because i feel the slip from the oil lessens the tug of makeup removal on the delicate skin.  apply your oil cleanser and gently rub it into the lashes for a few seconds.  at this point, i like to switch to brushing my teeth while the oils break down the coating and the rest of my makeup.  it’s not necessary, just my preference.  if you’re not using an oil-base makeup remover, i like to soak the cotton ball and hold it up against my eyes and lashes for 10-15 seconds before gently rubbing off the makeup.  it may take a few extra passes, and while this sounds troublesome, it’s not really that much extra work.  to me, the benefits definitely outweigh the little extra time spent taking it off.

Lash Genius is definitely a holy grail product for me.  it is somewhat pricy at $21, but i consider it a worthy investment.  it gives me the ability to wear whatever mascara i want without carrying around a bunch of q-tips to fix the smear and having to check the mirror every couple of hours.

Readers, do you have trouble with mascara smearing? what do you do to prevent this? do you consider a clear coat a good investment? leave me a comment down below!