Mascara dos and don’ts: Your best tips!

Ask any woman what one cosmetic she can’t live without and chances are she’ll reply–without a hint of hesitation–“Mascara!”. Why? If you’ve ever had to barrel out of the house in the morning without a chance to even look in the mirror, let alone apply makeup, you know the answer. Mascara ads, however, are incredibly misleading because most of those models are wearing false eyelashes—it's not just the mascara! We know that applying mascara can give your eyes definition and depth, but the actual results don't match what the ads portray. Finding the best mascara isn't easy either. All of us have purchased mascaras that flake, smear, or do nothing for our lashes. And then there's the skill you need to successfully apply mascara to make the most of what you already have. What to do? Following the steps below will help you on your way to finally getting the results you've been seeking, or at the very least, pretty darn close!

The DOs

• Do For safety and hygiene purposes, NEVER test mascaras at the cosmetics counter. We've already done the work for you, so all you need to do is check out the Best Mascaras list for our top picks (and the critical details of what makes them great).
• DO stick to black or brown. Every so often, makeup lines come out with trendy colored mascaras, such as blue, purple, or green, but there's a reason those don't stick around: They are not flattering, not sophisticated, and not capable of making the most of your lashes—mascara is about definition, not color. Leave the unnatural mascara colors on the shelf.
• DO apply mascara after eyeshadow and eyeliner. Trying to apply mascara before eyeliner or before eyeshadow will lead to flaking and smearing. Putting mascara on after your other eye makeup helps you to not overdo the mascara to compensate for the shape and effect the eyeliner and eyeshadow provide.
• DO check for smudges after each application. It's tricky to not get mascara on your skin during application. If you end up with a smudge, wait until the mascara dries, and then gently swipe it away with a cotton swab. If necessary, carefully touch up the makeup you might have dinged.
• DO keep an old, clean mascara wand in your makeup bag. This works wonders when you need to remove excess mascara or clumps or need to separate the lashes. Be sure to wash the brush after every few uses to remove built-up mascara.
•  DO For the lower lashes, hold the mascara wand perpendicular to your eye and move it back and forth. Then use the clean mascara wand (Step 5) to remove any excess.
• DO apply mascara in layers. Start with two or three strokes on one eye and then go to the other and do the same, then go back to the other eye. Rotating like that a few times will help you build great lashes, but be careful to not overdo it. Applying too many coats not only can look messy and overly thick, but also increases the likelihood of flaking, chipping, or smearing. If your lashes look clumped or spikey, you've gone too far.

 

The DON'Ts

Don’ts of Applying Mascara (Methods That Create Clumping):

• We’ve all done it – the quick thrusting of the brush in and out of the mascara tube before applying it to our lashes. Pumping the wand like this is, by far, the most common mascara no-no! It’s almost as common as having to open your mouth when applying mascara to your eyelashes (though rest assured, this is not harmful nor does it cause clumping!) What many women don’t realize is that by pumping the wand, you are forcing air in and out of the mascara tube. This causes the mascara in the tube to dry out more quickly than it should, which in the end means having to purchase more mascara than necessary. Instead of pumping, gently insert the wand into the mascara tube, pull it out, and clean the excess mascara off the wand (by dabbing it with a tissue, for example), and then apply it to your lashes. You will get much better results doing it this way versus aggressively pumping it.

• Again, since most clumping is due to applying too much mascara, you want to be careful with how many coats you apply. If you’re heading out for an evening on the town with your girlfriends, you may want to apply more mascara than you would when you’re just going to the office to work, for instance. In situations such as these (nights out), applying more than one coat of mascara can be very sexy and can really brighten those eyes, but be cautious. If you’re going to put on more than one coat of mascara, be sure to do so before the first coat dries! This is crucial! The most common cause of “spider lashes” or mascara clumping is waiting too long in between coat applications. So make sure you are applying all coats at once, and don’t let the first coat dry before adding subsequent coats, or your result will be clumpy, tar-like looking lashes.

• DON'T judge a mascara by its price tag. Expensive mascaras are NOT necessarily better than inexpensive mascaras. Mascaras from the drugstore can be just as good if not BETTER than those you'll find at the department store. this is essential because wasting money isn't pretty, and it certainly won't help you get longer lashes!
• DON'T use waterproof mascaras on a daily basis. Removing waterproof mascara requires a good deal of tugging and wiping around the eye area, and doing that day after day will cause the skin to sag and the lashes to fall out. a good makeup remover like Klorane Soothing Eye Make-up Remover Waterproof (Google Affiliate Ad) will be gentle to the skin and eye area. Of course, there are occasions when waterproof mascara is called for (e.g., emotional events), but think twice about daily use.
• DON'T rely on waterproof mascara to prevent smudging or smearing. A good waterproof mascara stays on when you're crying or swimming, but it comes off easily with an emollient makeup remover. Anything even slightly greasy, like a moisturizer, concealer, foundation, or your skin, will cause waterproof mascara to smear. Try Jane Iredale PureLash™ Mascara-Agate Brown (Google Affiliate Ad)
• DON'T curl your lashes after applying mascara. If you use an eyelash curler, like Elle Beauty Eyelash Curler (Google Affiliate Ad) use it before you apply the mascara. Curling your lashes after you've put on mascara can pull hairs out and lead to unnatural-looking, severely bent lashes that clump.