Eye make-up is one of many cosmetics widely used by professional makeup artists and regular consumers alike. However, application of eye make-up is considered quite a difficult task, especially for those individuals who are inexperienced or have difficulty manipulating the applicator and shades for eye shadow. In particular, for many, application of cosmetics near the eye causes great stress. When one is applying eye make-up to one's own eyes, the stress level can make appropriate application difficult.
Users often struggle to achieve the proper proportions when applying eye make-up. For example, eye shadow often is applied more heavily in some areas and feathered, or smudged, at other areas to produce a desired effect. Often, the applicator is at one end of a tubular applicator, and the smudger is at the other end. Separate tools for applying and smudging also are available. Therefore, multiple tools may be used to properly apply eye shadow. Alternatively, a tool must be turned end-for-end to complete the application of eye shadow.
Having to deal with multiple tools or turning a single tool end-for-end causes complications. For example, in manipulating the tools, there exists the danger that the material being applied accidentally will be introduced into the eye or inadvertently is applied to other objects, such as the user's clothing or the wrong part of the body. The same danger exists for a tool that must be turned end for end to achieve the desired effect.
In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to be able to apply two shades of eye make-up simultaneously or serially. To do so requires manipulation of two applicators in addition to at least one smudger. The need to skillfully manipulate a plurality of tools makes it more difficult to obtain the desired effect.
Thus, there exists a need for an applicator that can serve to smudge eye make-up applied from the applicator without having to turn the applicator end for end. Similarly, there exists a need for an applicator wherein the applicator element or the smudger is axially movable relative to the other.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds