There are a few reasons mascara flakes off or smudges on the skin causing dark circles, or “panda eyes”. It can be a result of rubbing the eyes due to pollen or other allergies. Or the mascara might have dried out, causing it to come off – the shelf life of an opened mascara is about three months.
There’s another factor that could be affecting how well your mascara lasts. “The most common cause of panda eyes I’ve discovered is concealer,” says Dominic Skinner, director of makeup artistry at Mac Cosmetics. “A lot of concealers are oil based, and mascara is normally removed with cleansing oil. So if you use an oil-based product under the eyes and it works its way to your lashes, it will start to break down and the colour will transfer.”
