How do you help minimize fall out from eyeshadows? Any techniques or products that help you prevent or minimize fall out?
Sticky bases – I like cream bases overall, and then pat on rather than sweep. Also, gently tap the brush against your forearm to loosen any excess product.
Thanks to Maria for today’s question!
Got a question idea? Submit yours here.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
I pat on my eyeshadow (vs swiping) while looking down into a mirror. That way the fallout, if any, gets on the mirror instead of my cheeks and I can wipe it off easily with windex later.
wow! thats a super idea… i am soo trying it tonight ! 😀
That’s just a good tip! I’ll try it the next time when I make glitter eyes 😀
Oooooooo, that’s a good idea. I’ve always done the patting part, but never tried looking down at a mirror. I’ll have to try that tomorrow. Thanks!
That’s genius!
@Suma, Melene, Krist, Michilicious—Thanks! I hope it’s helpful to you.
little piece of paper towel under my eyes, especially when doing glittery Urban Decay, those joints are pretty but have the WORST fallout, my god. and putting on my foundation last, can sweep away and cover up fallout
I lightly tap my brush against the sink for normal shades. If I’m working with a complex shade, or one with chunky glitter, I use Pixie Epoxy under it 😉
I tap the brush over my sink so the excess product falls off. It works pretty well.
Yup same like what u do…also if u put a layer of loose powder under your eye, then all the excess fallout just catches on it and you can sweep the powder off..
I usually tap off my brush before using any shadows with lots of fall out. For REALLY glittery or dark shades I sometimes use shadow shields, if I have the time to bother with them.
First of all, I find that using a primer such as a MAC Paint Pot always helps the eyeshadow to stick to my lids and minimize fallouts. I also like to pat the color on my lids first before blending them out. Sometimes if I do try to use really powdery and dark pigments,I use a piece of tissue under my eyes.
Don’t care! I believe it take longer to be all careful when putting it on, than just putting it on like normal and just removing the fallout afterwards!
Sometimes fallout is really hard to remove though!
I’m going to be trying out that glitter glue primer from Too Faced to see if it works. Right now, using either a tissue or a “trimmed to shape” post-it note helps but, really, what a pain. On youtube, I’d also seen sticky tape being used to lift off the type of glitter that won’t brush away (like the stuff that falls from UD’s Midnight Cowboy Rides Again).
tap away any excess, or use collection 2000 translucent powder under my eyes.
use a fan brush to brush them off 🙂
I do what you do, Christine. I also avoid putting foundation on first so that I can wipe away fallout. I try to stay away from MAC lustres or anything that screams “DUSTY” if I’m in a hurry, unless I have some Fix+ or something similar handy.
I will lightly tap the brush to remove excess. I will apply my foundation after I do my eyeshadow if it is very glittery. I will also sometimes put a tissue under my eyes to cover my cheeks from excess fallout.
When I’m using shadows with fall out, I just do my eyes first, clean up, then do the rest of my makeup. I don’t like using. Even if I just pat on the shadow, I still have to blend it out otherwise it will look cakey
Great question, Christine! I look forward to everyone’s comments.
I bought a couple of different-sized, stiff painter fan brushes at the craft store. A small one for e/s & a large one for cheeks/face. After application, I go over my undereye are with a damp mu sponge, then, I go over this area, & my face if necessary, with the small fan brush to wisk away any glitter fall out. I use the large fan brush to lightly wisk away excess glitter from mineralized blushes or highlighters I use on the cheek area. One of the best mu tools I every purchased.
I typically swatch or research my eyeshadows before I buy them for this reason. I don’t like to wear eyeshadows with chunky glitter for one. If I have an eyeshadow with fallout that I really like, I’ll use it wet.
Applying a good base so that the eyeshadow can adhere
Holding a tissue below the lower lid while patting on the eyeshadow
Doing all of this before applying foundation (so that cleaning up any mistakes won’t interfere with anything that has already been applied)
I use Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue and it’s been absolutely awesome for this. I use it under my Urban Decay Naked palette shades that tend to cause glitter fallout and it’s solved my problem. I love this stuff.
I always use a primer (usually urban decay primer potion). If the shadow I’m using has glitter or is really soft then I’ll wet the brush I’m using so it is damp. With the damp brush and primer potion the glitter sticks to my eye where I want it and not my face where I don’t. If I do get glitter on my face then I use tape and a patting motion to lift the glitter. Another good way to make sure glitter stays is to saturate your finger with a good hairspray and pat it on your eyes. Granted, you have to put the shadow on quick and you can’t blend it after, but it certainly will stay put.
Pixie Epoxy! Super sticky base that makes even Urban Decay’s most glittery shadows bearable. I also tap off excess and pat on glittery shades. Using a sponge-tip applicator can work to pack it on while minimizing fallout as well 🙂
A while ago I got the BE foiling kit; it comes with a great brush and instructions to minimize fallout. I lean my head back while patting on the color so most of the pigment ends up on eyes. Also I do the foundation/powder thing after eyemakeup. I just discovered Pixie Epoxie by reading the comments here recently… AWESOME stuff!!! Thank you Temptalia commenters! 🙂
I just tilt my head back a bit when applying eyeshadow.
what other bases are there besides cream?
and i bought these shadow shields from sephora that are especially helpful when dealing with things like glitter, where its just plain impossible to avoid fallout
I always use a primer, tap my brush and pat for minimal fallout. If it’s really glitteray or chunky I then wrap my forefinger with a tissue and hold it directly underneath the eye I’m working on to catch the fallout. It won’t mess my concealer up bc if the eyeshadow is that messy to begin with I’m doing my face last.
Now I know this sounds very weird but it works for me.
I use hairspray to spritz a Post It Note (small square or rectangle of note paper that has a slight adhesive strip on the back) I hope they are called “Post It Notes” elsewhere in the world.
Then I lightly roll the Post It Note so it curls from the bottom. I take the sticky, curled paper and use the adheasive on the back to adhere under my bottom eyelashes.
The hairspray’s stickiness literally catches the fallout and voila…. clean foundation on my face and no excess stickiness under my eyes.
Hope this helps someone else 🙂
that sounds like a pretty good idea – I’ll have to try it. I find that holding a piece of tissue under the eye the whole time is kind of a pain.
My trick for eons of years has been using Garden Botanika eye primer – they had eye primer made of only good things for eons before any other company came out or even heard about eye primers and it’s still the very best I have ever used. That helps keep the fall out. I also tap off the end of my shadow brush on the back of my hand or against the cap if it’s a loose shadow before application and I never start with app on the outside corner – only the middle part of the eye and work from there – less chance for fall out and way better chance you can merge your shadows together into a good blending,.
Always put it on before applying foundation or concealer and tap the brush on edge of shadow case
I use sticky base like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy and I put duct tape under my eye (not too close though, and be careful when you take it off, we don’t want premature lines! ;)).
I always did my eye makeup first, so the duct tape won’t bother my foundation, blush, etc…
Tap brush first,pat it on then use a damp Q tip to roll away any fallout.