However, as you may have guessed, coating your mascara in loose powder and inserting it back into a tube is a surefire way to cross-contaminate your beauty products – not good when you’re using it near a sensitive area like your eye.

Not only that, but loose or pressed cosmetic powder is designed to dry up excess oil and moisture – introducing it to your mascara wand and tube could lead to a clumpy mess that can’t be used. A waste of money, indeed. Fortunately, former beauty editor, founder of Naturium skincare brand and beauty expert Susan Yara is on hand with a better, more hygienic way to use loose powder as a lash primer.

TikTok’s setting powder mascara hack genuinely stops your mascara from smudging – here’s how to do it hygienically