Why tubing mascara is a total makeup game changer

As far as makeup woes go, there is nothing I find more infinitely maddening than mascara smudges. The beauty junkie's equivalent of a 4 o'clock shadow, panda-esque rings under the eyes are so not a vibe.

Take it from me, I'm a chronic smudger. Previously in my beauty lifetime, unsightly rings were something of an inevitability. A combination of dry skin (therefore having to apply a rich day cream close to my eye area) and hay fever-beholden eyes, left me wild with frustration.

That was before I discovered the pure genius of tubing mascara.

What is a tubing mascara?

© Getty

For the smudge prone, I'm not exaggerating when I say that tubing mascara will revolutionise your makeup routine. It is an innovative formula that covers your individual eyelashes with polymers, essentially coating them in small, smudge proof tubes.

What is the difference between tubing and normal mascara?

Normal mascara works by coating lashes with thick layers of pigment. This is great for volume purposes, especially those that are buildable. But the downside of these typically wax-based formulas is they "tend to flake easier and can be difficult to remove", according to cosmetic chemists Daniela Del Ciotto and Martin Mackenzie-Smith of The Cosmetic Experts.

Tubing mascara on the other hand, is all about endurance. "Once product is applied on the lashes, the water evaporates, and the polymers dry to form a film," Daniela and Martin explain. "The polymers coat each lash in a tube-like casing which has water-resistance properties, and it is less likely to smudge."

"Tubing mascara formulations are longer-lasting, and the film will remain until removed by mechanical forces or by warm washing. The mascara will then come off easily as very small tube-shapes. Formulations can still be enriched with ingredients like butters, oils, and waxes to provide additional lash-conditioning properties."

How can you tell if a mascara is a tubing formula?

In my own experience, tubing mascaras are rarely marketed as such. Understandably, without the word "tubing" on the label, it may be a bit unobvious. Turn your attention to the ingredient list – look for "acrylates copolymers", "polyvinylpyrrolidone" (also known as PVP) and other PVP-type film formers, all indicative of a tubing formula.

How to remove it

Soak a cotton or reusable cleansing pad in hand-hot water, wring it out and press it against your eye. Using your thumb and forefinger, gently swipe downwards over your lashes and the mascara should fall off in small tubes.

How we chose:

• Performance and personal testimony: The buys chosen below are products that I (Hello! Fashion's resident beauty obsessive Orin Carlin) personally really rate. 
• Smudgeproof quality: After scrupulously testing a range of tubing mascaras, I have picked out the formulas that delivered the goods in terms of length, curl, separation, volume and staying power.

Hello! Fashion shares the best tubing mascaras to shop now: 

Why you should trust me:

Orin Carlin is Hello! Fashion’s SEO Content Writer. Promising to leave no stone unturned in the name of fashion and beauty journalism, she is the proud creator of our ‘Try The Trend’ series. With a particular interest in formula innovation, microtrends, royal and bridal beauty, perfume, rituals, treatments, fashion history and vintage icons, she can either be found interviewing major industry names (previous subjects include Georgia May Jagger, Mary Greenwell and Sam McKnight) or scouring the internet for must-have pieces. It's not just a job; it's a personal quest to unearth noteworthy pieces that resonate with style and beauty enthusiasts.

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