How To Bring Dried Gel Eyeliner Back To Life

Cream and gel eyeliners are amazing in my book. They're always so pigmented and glide on so smoothly. The only problem? They can dry out way too quickly. But don't throw your eyeliner away just because it dried out. There's a way to revive cream and gel eyeliner so you can continue using it on the daily. Because constantly replacing this type of eyeliner can get annoying... and expensive.

Even if you're super consistent with tightening the caps to your eyeliner pots, that pesky air just always finds a way in. So if your eyeliner is only dry on the surface, but still has some bounce to it when you press on it with your finger, there's a simple solution. All you have to do to re-wet the surface of your eyeliner is simply mix it up with a toothpick. By mixing the eyeliner in the pot, the fresh product on the inside has a chance to come out to the surface. But surprisingly, even if the product has dried so much that it has shrunk to half of its original size, it can still be revived. And the trick to it is the same as reviving a tube of mascara: eye drops. Trust me; it's easy. Here's what you'll need.

Rohto Cooling Eyedrops, $7, Amazon

Any kind of eye drops and a toothpick are all you'll need to bring your favorite cream or gel eyeliner back to life.

Really? It can bring that back to life? That shrunken, crusty eyeliner that barely even swatches? "Why yes, yes it can," she said in her best infomercial voice.

1. Add Drops

Start by adding two to three drops of your eye drops into your eyeliner. If the liner is reeeally dried out, try poking a few holes in it with a toothpick before adding the eye drops (don't worry if it cracks). This will help more easily wet a dry center.

2. Mix It Up

Next, using your toothpick, mix up the eyeliner and the eye drops until you have an even consistency. Make sure to mix in the edges and the bottom of your eyeliner rock too.

3. Smooth It Out

If the whipped surface that results from mixing isn't doing it for you, smooth it out with your finger. I would recommend wrapping your finger in a piece of cellophane or a tissue before stamping it over the eyeliner. I kind of just went for it, and yes, the eyeliner does wash off; but I do still have some eyeliner trapped under my fingernail. So consider yourself warned. And if you too decide that your bare finger will do, make sure to wash your hands before this part, because germs.

After such a disheartening first swatch before adding the eye drops, I was beyond excited to see that my eyeliner was restored to its former glory. I mean, look at how rich and opaque that color is! I'll definitely have to go back to using this when I do my makeup. And next time, I won't leave the cap off for a week.

Images: Miki Hayes