Of all the elements sitting in your makeup bag, mascara is one of the absolute essentials. Though you can live without liners and contour and blush, if you want to look instantly put together, mascara is something you cannot live without.
But mascara isn't as straightforward as it seems. Just think about it: How often are you dealing with things like clumps and sticky lashes? You could have sworn that you applied the product the same way as your flawless look the day before. What went wrong?
Well, it looks like you need a mascara handbook. Here are 12 of those necessary tricks that will transform both your makeup routine and your life.
PSA: Not all mascara wands are created equal.
What works for your best friend may not work for you. Wands are made in a variety of sizes — long, short, thick, skinny, etc. You have to find what works for you and stick with it.
For example, fat brushes intimidate me. I can't wield them with precision. I work much more efficiently with a longer, skinnier wand.
Holding your wand horizontally will thicken your lashes.
When you want your lashes as thick as Kate Moss', you'll want to wield that brush parallel to your lash line.
But if you want a natural look, hold it vertically.
If you want a natural, fresh-out-of-the-shower look, then lightly run your brush over your lashes perpendicular to your lash line.
Ditch the eyelash curler in favor of a curling mascara.
Is there any makeup contraption as anxiety-inducing as the eyelash curler? Every time I pick it up I am convinced I'm going to hear a loud noise and jump out of my skin, effectively pulling out all of my lashes with it.
It'll be a breeze when you replace the curler with a curling mascara formula.
Take that brush and wiggle it.
It's just like Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz advise. The key to beautiful lashes is to take that brush and wiggle it, NOT use a zig-zag motion.
Baby powder is the key to plumper lashes.
There's a fine line between plump and clump, and baby powder is the way you walk it. Apply a dusting of baby powder to your lashes in between each coat of mascara you put on for that thick-lash look you've been working toward.
Avoid those clumps by wiping your brush on a tissue.
When you get a new tube of mascara, you are eager to get that freshness on your lashes. But for the first few uses, your wand is going to be dragging out tons of extra formula, which leads to MAJOR clumpage. (Yes, that's a word, look it up in the makeup dictionary.)
To navigate past the aforementioned clumpage, wipe the excess mascara on a tissue. It'll give you the perfect amount of product for amazing lashes.
Hot water is another clump-saver.
Soak your mascara tube in hot water before usage. The heat will thin out the formula, leading to a silky-smooth finish for application.
Layer two different types of mascara for a longer-lasting look.
Start your lash routine with an uplifting mascara formula. After a couple of coats, finish off your makeup with one layer of waterproof mascara. It'll keep the mascara in place — instead of in the corners of your eyes.
Make your mascara work double-time as an eyeliner.
Who needs a gel liner when you have a tube of mascara handy?
Grab an eyeliner brush and steal a swipe of formula from your wand. Trace the color over your top and bottom lids and you're good to go.
And have it work triple-time as a brow highlighter.
Choose a shade of mascara similar to your brows and lightly sweep the brush across the hair to fill in any gaps.
To flawlessly apply mascara without leaving any marks, hold a spoon below your eye.
You may feel a little foolish while doing this, but I promise it's effective.
While using one hand to apply your mascara, hold a spoon to your under-eye region with the other. It'll be helpful in avoiding those little black marks that seem to inevitably show up after application.
Say bye bye to your lash curler with new 24HR Supercurler mascara. Brought to you by Rimmel London.
