David Urbanke, Joanne Li Photos
Mascara is every beautiholic's best friend, no matter the age or gender! Flawless lashes make eyes irresistible, giving your entire look a stunning transformation. Whether you are preparing for a romantic candlelit dinner date, a walk down the aisle or simply want to enhance your day to day beauty, our 7 mascara tips will help you get the most out of your mascara and achieve gorgeous, voluminous lashes.
Pick Your Perfect Mascara
First, decide on the look you want to achieve. If you’re dreaming of fuller lashes, go for a volumizing mascara. They usually come with a special brush that makes it easy to coat every lash, even those tricky ones in the corners. To make your lashes longer, opt for a lengthening mascara, and for extra curl stick to curling formulas. Some mascaras are even double-ended, so you get the best of both worlds in one tube!
Hiromi Kamiyu, Joanne Li Photos
Curl Before You Coat
An eyelash curler is an absolute must-have in any makeup bag. It gives your lashes that beautiful life and makes your eyes look more wide-open. However, many make one big mistake when using it. The right way to use this little beauty device is before applying your mascara and not after. Once mascara has dried, your lashes become more fragile and more prone to breakage, so your curler might just damage them.
Don’t Pump the Brush
Turns out, pumping the wand to get more product on your brush isn’t the best idea. In fact, moving it in and out can push more air to the tube, which can dry out the mascara. Instead, beauty experts suggest twisting slowly around the tube. Try this trick next time!
Wipe Off Excess
Who likes clumps? Neither do we! So, every time there’s too much product on the wand, make sure you wipe off the excess with a tissue or scrape it off on the side of the tube.
Less is More
Layering is a very cool trick that works perfectly for a fuller lashes look. Just remember not to go too overboard with it - two layers is more than enough for a beautiful lashes. Any more than that, and you might end up with heavy lashes that don't look as natural.
Kristina Yenko, Gabrielle Robert
Use the Zig-Zag Trick
To create the illusion of thicker and fuller lashes, try using a zig-zag technique every time you apply your mascara. Simply hold the mascara wand at the base of your lashes and, as you move upward, gently move it from side to side. It helps the bristles to coat all angles of the lashes to add slightly more product to lashes for natural volume. To define and separate individual lashes, use the tip of the wand.
Mind the Expiration Date
Sadly, mascara has a short shelf life, so make sure to replace yours every 3-6 months to avoid bacterial growth. Bacteria from the brush can get to your eyelashes, and, even worse, your eyes, potentially causing irritation and infection. Also, to keep things safe and hygienic, don’t share your mascara with anybody else, even your closest friends.
