Applying eye makeup can be time consuming. Whether you're creating a sexy, smoky eye or gilded lids, it takes work to get your look just right. Try the following five tricks and make running mascara, shadow smudges and eyeliner smears things of the past.

Make sure the eye area is clean, especially if your lids tend to get oily. Rub them gently with cleanser when you wash your face, then run a moisturizing makeup remover, like Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, over the lids and under the eyes with a cotton ball. You should also make sure the eye cream you use before you put on makeup is lightweight and oil-free. If you use a dense, super-thick treatment, apply it at night before you go to bed.

Applying a primer to your eyelids and lashes is essential for creating a stay-put look. Before putting on eye shadow, dab a base product like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion generously on your entire lid, from the lash line to the brow bone. (You can also use concealer if you're in a pinch.) Primer also comes in handy with mascara. To keep it from smudging, use two coats of a mascara primer like Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer. It also conditions your lashes and preps them for smooth and seamless application.

Use a translucent mattifying powder to set your color, applying it gently over both your eye shadow and eyeliner with a small shadow brush. Make sure to dust it all the way down to your lash line. Dermablend Professional Setting Powder expertly seals any type of makeup and really goes the distance when it comes to long-term wear (it can keep makeup in place for up to 16 hours!).

While waterproof eye makeup isn't 100-percent smear-proof, it takes a lot more to make it budge than non-waterproof formulas. And, if you're using liquid eyeliner, it's a must. Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner comes in 11 stay-put shades, and L'Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow lasts - you guessed it - for a full 24 hours.

In the event that you do experience an eye makeup emergency, keep makeup remover on you at all times. Pre-moistened wipes like L'Oréal Paris Ideal Clean Makeup Removing Towelettes are easy to carry, a cinch to use and will erase out-of-bound marks and unsightly smears in an instant, without creating additional mess.

What are your secrets for making eye makeup smudge-proof? Tell us in the comments!