Mascara can have a mind of its own throughout the day. It ends up on our eyelids, smudged under our eyes, or running into the corners.
Stop that madness by choosing a waterproof mascara formula!
What if your favorite mascara isn’t waterproof?
Good news – there are topcoats available that will make any mascara waterproof so you can have flawless eyes while remaining brand loyal.
Speaking of loyalty, this Blinc Mascara is one of my favorites! When you apply it to lashes, it uses its patented “tube” technology to create little tubes around each lash rather than just coating them. This means it won’t run, smudge, or flake even if you cry, sweat, or rub your eyes! When you want to wash it off, the tubes slide right off your lashes so there’s no need for harsh makeup removers. This mascara gives your lashes length and volume as well as outstanding all day wear!
Sometimes its all in the application and flick of the wrist so there are some favorites I like to use but you gotta know how to use the wand.
Wiggle It
For most of us, swiping on mascara is a strictly one-direction move. But, according to makeup artist Julie Harris, we could all benefit from wiggling our wands (just a little bit).
"I wiggle at the roots," she says. "Then, as I sweep upward to the end of the lash, I blink, so it forces the brush to comb every lash." A more advanced move, Harris says, is to start wiggling at the outer corners, and then brush inward toward the center of the eyes, which lifts and builds fullness. Then, she wiggles the wand again and lifts outward to lengthen. To finish, she holds the wand so that the tip is pointing at the lashes, and brushes each lash individually, so they fan out.
According to Sesnek, the wiggle helps create a "voluminous, full lash with separated ends and a well-defined base." He recommends doing the wiggle once, letting the mascara dry, and then applying a second coat with the same technique.
Zig, Then Zag
We couldn't do a mascara-tips story without talking to the Queen of Lashes herself, Charlotte Tilbury. The go-to makeup artist for celebs like Kate Moss and Gisele Bündchen, Tilbury is such a fanatic about creating the perfect lash look that she used to cocktail five different mascaras together to get the result she wanted.
Fortunately, you don’t need to carry around an arsenal of lengtheners to achieve her signature full, fat lash. After many trials, she created the mascara in her eponymous line to do the work of five with just one tube.
To get the most out of it, here's Tilbury's secret method: "You need to apply mascara in a zigzag motion from root to tip, and pull it outward diagonally, from the outer corner of the eye. This creates a sexy, fluttering Bambi [look] and really flicks out the lashes — great for amplifying a feline eye! For the bottom lashes, hold a tapered brush vertically, to coat each lash individually. Finally, always use three coats of mascara."
Halperin is also a fan of the zigzag: "It gives the lashes a fabulous extra coat of color. Plus, adding extra mascara to the roots will give them a boost of thickness and make your eyes look bigger."
Be Smooth
Trying to get the best of both worlds — voluminous lashes that also look defined — is a tricky endeavor that has defeated many an aspiring lash master. They're either never full enough or you have to deal with the dreaded spider lashes. Makeup artists to the rescue!
"I love a volumizing mascara, but sometimes they can be tricky to navigate without looking like a bad version of Tammy Faye Bakker (bless her makeup-loving soul)," says Mellinger. "My suggestion? Use a clean spoolie brush to bring definition. It's less threatening than an eyelash comb and more effective, because you can spin it around at will."
Mellinger says you can either buy disposable spoolies or, better yet, "Do the environment a solid and reuse an old mascara-tube wand by thoroughly washing it with soap and water." She instructs: "After applying a coat of mascara, use the clean spoolie brush to comb through the lashes to define and separate...Repeat until the desired effect is achieved. I find that combing from both the top and the bottom of the lash helps. Plus, you can spin the brush while combing to remove excess product."
She says this is the closest you can get to false lashes without actually using them. "You get volume and definition, but you don't have to mess with any glue. It's a small extra step, but it saves you time and energy in the long run."
Comb It Out
For a more advanced method, makeup artist Mai Quynh says she's a big believer in using a metal lash comb. "[It] will help you avoid clumpy lashes," she says. "Your lashes will be thicker and longer, but natural-looking. I think it makes your lashes 'fan' out."
Quynh advises using the comb after applying each coat, while it's still wet. "If you wait too long, it may cause flaking or the mascara may dry clumpy." The mascara you use also has a big effect on the success of this trick. "I love Eyeko Black Magic Mascara," she says. "The brush is full, so it coats the lashes without making them too clumpy or adding too much product. Running the lash comb through this mascara is also great, because it doesn't flake."
