Mascara Tips & Tricks You Need To Know

Mascara is one of the hero products we couldn’t live without. It makes us look awake when we’ve spent the night before partying, put-together and polished when we feel anything but, and it can transform an otherwise bland look in seconds.

To celebrate the launch of our new Nourishing Mascara, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to mascara application. 

We can almost hear your eyes rolling beneath your lashes, because everyone knows how to apply mascara, right? It's something a lot of us do almost every morning, but do you ever really think about whether you’re doing it right? It’s time to pause and reassess what you usually do on autopilot. 

Whether you’ve been applying mascara daily since before your first kiss or you’re experimenting for the first time, most people could use a few pointers to improve their technique.

Read on to unleash the power of a good lash day, every day.

Do you even curl, girl?

Create a strong foundation for lift-off by preparing your lashes with an eyelash curler before you whip that mascara wand out. For extra lift, heat the curlers gently with your hairdryer before use – but be sure not to warm them for too long, and test them on the back of your hand before putting anywhere near your face. The heated metal helps the curl last longer and gives you a wide-awake look. Even if it’s 7am on a Monday and you had a big weekend…

Turn Up The Heat

Mascara works best at body temperature, so warm the tube between your hands or in a cup of hot water before applying. Heating the product makes the formula thinner and less likely to clump. Think of it this way: it’s easier to spread warm butter on your toast than it is to spread it when it's still cold!

Divide and Conquer

To really separate those lashes, start by gently pressing your wand into the lash line and slowly work your way out, wiggling the wand slightly to encourage separation. Pressing the wand into the lash roots creates the illusion you’ve laboured over eyeliner application and makes lashes look fuller.

Get Flexible

Depending on the final lash look you’re aiming for, you should vary the way you hold your wand. Holding it horizontally will create thicker lashes, but if you’re trying to achieve a more natural look, hold the wand vertically and wiggle it from root to tips. You might be surprised at the difference!

Bottoms Up

For a more dramatic finish, apply mascara to your bottom lashes too using the tip of the mascara wand. The smaller tip makes precision easier, and you can coat every tiny lash to get a gaze that stops people in their tracks.

Double Up

For a thick lash look, coat both sides of your lashes. First, look down and apply a coat of mascara to the upper side of your top lashes. Then open your eyes and apply in an upwards motion. Thick, full lashes are yours!

You can also dust baby powder or translucent powder over your lashes before applying mascara, or in between coats, to create a more voluminous look. The powder helps the product cling to your lashes.

Tone It Down

A lot of us buy black mascara without a second thought – but brown mascara actually suits some skin tones better than black. If you're fair-skinned and have blonde or red hair and naturally pale lashes, brown mascara will emphasise your lashes in a more natural way.

Twirl It Girl

It’s a bad habit that’s hard to break but pumping your mascara wand into the tube causes bacteria to breed, which leads to all sorts of nasty infections around the delicate eye area. Instead of pumping, twirl the wand inside the tube as you pull it outwards to pick up more product. This also means the mascara will be evenly distributed around the wand. Win-win.

Clean Up

If you’re prone to clumps, use clean tissue to wipe excess product off the mascara wand between applying each layer. This is especially helpful when your mascara is brand new and more fluid!

If you get mascara on your skin, wait for it to dry then use a cotton bud tip soaked in eye makeup remover to get rid of the mark without ruining the rest of your makeup. 

If you find mascara transfers to your under-eye area when you apply it to your bottom lashes, hold a spoon beneath the lash line to create a barrier. No more smudges!

Take It All Off

To avoid panda eyes in the morning, remove every hint of mascara with a cleansing serum. It melts stubborn mascara away, meaning no marks on your fancy pillow case.

We could all use a refresh now and then, and these mascara tips will hone your makeup routine and make a noticeable difference to your lashes. Shake it up!