Wiggle, Wiggle
- Mascara belongs on your lashes, not the brush. When applying, gently wiggle the brush from side to side (instead of up and down) as you work your way from root to tip. The extra movement provides a thicker coat.
Aim High
- For a larger-than-life, wide-eyed look, apply mascara to the top lashes only.
Natural Curl
- For a natural looking curl with an eyelash curler, give a couple good squeezes, once close to the eyelid, and then a second squeeze closer toward the tip.
Thick and Luxurious
- For thick, luxurious lashes, apply two coats of MAC Prep + Prime Lash. For best results, allow it to dry between each coat.
Great Separation
- For great separation with a light touch, try applying mascara with a MAC 204 Lash Brush. It’s a great tool for the job.
Anime Eyes
- To give your eyes a rounder appearance, concentrate mascara in the center of both the top and bottom lashes.
Wide, Wide World
- And to widen the eyes, use more mascara at the outside corners of each lash (the ends closer to your ears, not your nose).
Light as a Feather
- For a soft, feathered look with great separation, use two brushes. After applying mascara with a regular mascara brush, run through your lashes again with a MAC 206 while your mascara is still wet.
Back it Up
- For really thick, rich lashes, try “backing the lashes,” a technique whereby you line each eye from under the top lash using a brush like the MAC 259 square shader brush or a 266 brush dipped in MAC Fluidline.
Layer It
- Experiment with layering formulas until you get the look you’re shooting for. Try Fibre Rich Lash Mascara over Zoom Lash for thick, rich lashes without the “Spider” effect.
In the Navy
- Experiment with color on your lashes. Brighten your eyes with some navy blue mascara, or if you have green eyes, give violet mascara a try.
I’m gonna stay at home and chill tonight. It’s been a long week, and I’m looking forward to just sittin’ on my couch and relaxing. I hope you had a good day today. Did you do anything fun?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
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Ohhh these are great tips! Thanks so much. Do you find curling your eye lashes make a big difference? I haven’t really tried one in recent years. I never even thought of your light as a feather tip. Thank goodness for you, that’s all I’m gonna say.
Glad your allergies are better. Mine got worse today. I felt I was choking on pollen. Put some vicks on my nose and it helped some what. Le sigh.haha
Have a great night!! 🙂
Bridgets last blog post..Little Blonde Mohawk
Hi Bridget,
Yes, a lash curler makes a HUGE diff. I can’t live without mine, seriously. I’ve tried several different brands and the much-hyped Shu Uemura curler is my *favorite*. If you have big, curled lashes, you might not need it, but if you’ve got stick straight lashes like mine you’ll notice an immediate difference in how wide your eyes look.
Yeah, they weren’t too bad today, thank goodness. Yesterday was really horrible; it was probably the worst attack I’ve had in about a year. Have you heard of Breathe Right strips? They work great at night to keep the nasal passages open!
I hope you feel better soon! You have a good night, too. 🙂
I have “small” eyes so I really need mascara to brighten them up and make them seem larger. I picked up mascara from Clarins in a violet color. Not too much color, but baby steps 🙂
I love what I do at work. Honestly, lol.
Joannas last blog post..1
Hi Joanna,
Baby steps are great… taking a small step is better than taking no step at all! How do you like the violet? Do you wear it by itself, or over black mascara?
You are very lucky to love what you do. Not many people can say that about their jobs. 🙂 Since you work at a spa, does that mean you get a discount on the treatments?
Yes all hail Mr Shu.. Rip 🙁 I still heat my eyelash curler with the hairdryer…takes some practice, but it cranks!!! And if you dont have a 204 you can be ghetto and seperate lashes with a safety pin…hmmm after writing this i realize I have some potentially dangerous habits 🙂 Lol oh well don’t go clubbing anymore so gotta have some fun right???
Hey Karen,
I used just the violet. Adventurous, I know lol. I’m not sure if I get discounts yet, since I’m new I’m still in that stage where I don’t want to ask about the perks.
Joannas last blog post..1
Hey Karen
Thanks for your tips. I have always been using Shu Uemura curler too.
Today I went to the mall to get MAC Syrup and Chanel Equinoxe. There was a beauty sale at the departmental store, and sadly Syrup was out of stock. But guess what, I picked up the last Equinoxe! I don’t know if I should feel lucky or unlucky. Hahaha…
Hey Karen,
Wooo hoo thanks for these tips!
Great tips! I love doing extra swipes at the outer lashes for big, fluttery eyes and tipping black mascara’d lashes with green or blue! 🙂
Yesterday was the aikido seminar… I was so incoherent by evening! I feel better now that I’ve slept in! Hope you have a relaxing yet productive Sunday (the ideal Sunday in my book)!
Hi Kimie,
Yeah, I used to heat my curler too, but I no longer have the patience for it. Plus, I started to worry about heat damage to the lash hairs.
I knew girls that did that safety pin trick in high school! I always admired their dexterity. I never tried it because I’m just way too clumsy.
LOL, yeah, I remember when I’d go out clubbing on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Now I’m in bed by 10:30. I still got out once in a while, though, to just get my dance on. I count it as ‘cardio’.
Hi Joanna,
Hmmm, if you ever try the violet on top of black let me know how it turns out. I wonder if it’ll show up brighter.
You know what I like about spas? The smell!
Hi Miss QQ,
Too bad you couldn’t get your hands on MAC Syrup! Hmm, how about trying your new Equinoxe with a few of the natural-looking pink shades in your lipstick stash? Half the fun is experimentation.
Equinoxe is also pretty by itself. I have a girlfriend who I turned onto it who practically has it on her lips 24/7. 🙂
Hi Glosslizard,
I slept in a little too. I went to bed at 11:00 and woke up at 9:00. I couldn’t slept for three more hours, too, LOL.
Today is going to be filled with work, but since it’s cooler out at least I can sit in front of my computer without sweating like crazy!
Have fun doing your family stuff today!
You’re welcome, Lydia. 🙂
Just taking a moment to gush! Found your blog about four months ago and may I just say it has become a Daily Must Read for me!
I love how you mix stuff up – today it is useful tips and tomorrow will something else equally amusing and fabulous.
From one Bay Area makeup nut to another – keep it going girl!
By the way – what is your fave waterproof mascara? Needing one…
Have you ever tried the Mac 205 Mascara Fan Brush? I’ve read raves about it but nobody actually explained how you are supposed to use it.
stregalices last blog post..MAC – Heatherette 2008
Thanks for these tips. I often need a reminder with mascara, it’s my least favorite makeup product 🙁
beautytalks last blog post..Clubbing FOTD
Hi Chris,
Thank you! It’s great to meet you. 🙂
I have the habit of jumping from one mascara to another. Right now my favorite waterproof formula is Shu Uemura’s Precise Volume mascara. It doesn’t really add thickness to the lashes, but gives great length for a very wide-eye look.
Hi Stregalice,
Nope, I haven’t used it. I just looked it up online, and while it looks interesting it seems like it is a lot of extra work for mascara application. Then again, I’m super lazy! Next time I am at the counter I’ll ask about it. I’m curious, too, to know it’s advantages.
Hi Beautytalk,
Wow, really? What don’t you like about it? I can’t live without my mascara!
Girl, I think we’re telepathic. I bought CG LashBlast yesterday and it is AWESOME! I couldn’t stop looking at my lashes all night until I went to sleep. You need to try it!
You’re spot on with Prrr. I couldn’t figure out what was missing from the tube. While Sugar Trance looks so gorgeous on me, this one is just blah. And they’re very similar in color too. Anyways, I’m going back to MAC to exchange it for a Viva Glam V. Which one do you think is better, the lipstick or lipglass?
Oh btw, stupid me finally figured out there’s a Bobbi Brown counter at Dillard’s and it’s about 10 steps away from MAC counter. Ooh la la, welcome myself to more credit card debts!
love those tips! Thanks Karen! and i was currently having a fetish on making my lashes look luschius and everything. hard feat for an asian.
Hi Dao,
I have a tube, but for the life of me I can’t seem to figure it out. I know soooo many girls that love the LB but I dunno… the brush kinda tickles me or something. Yes, I’m a weirdo. 🙂
I am super glad it worked for you, though! I bet your lashes must’ve looked pretty phenomenal.
As for VG V, I like both. I got ’em both in a palette from the last round of MAC Holiday. Did you decide to go with the gloss or the lipstick?
Hi Ping,
Gurrrrrl. I hear you about the lash fetish. You want to know something totally unfair? My husband has the most amazing, beautiful, thick, long lashes. They curl naturally and I swear they almost look fake. And to make matters even more enviable both his upper and lower lashes are like that! It’s totally not fair!
Hi Karen,
Fantastic post! I just discovered the “backing the lashes” technique last week and I’m hooked! (I use a matte black powder and a fine angled brush.) I’m terrible at getting eyeliner right and this looks more natural anyway. I also always use a curler and an eyelash comb whenever I wear mascara, even though that makes it a bit of a juggling act!
I totally agree with the men’s lashes part, my fiance has gorgeous, naturally curled lashes and I’m so jealous!!
Hope you had a nice weekend!
Hi Ellie,
LOL, isn’t that just wrong? Guys with long, pretty lashes don’t know how good they’ve got it. 🙂
Have a wonderful week!
Hi Karen! I just finished going through all your posts on mascara reviews and I’m so glad you did them because I’m in the lookout for a super mascara that lengthen and volumize 1000x with a lifetime staying power. From all those tubes you reviewed I’ve narrowed them down to 7 plus Diorshow Extase and Blackout and YSL Everlong Waterproof (Well, it’s a lot =p).
I’d looovvee to hear your say on which does the lengthening best and which does the volumizing best, or the super one that does both best, and waterproof. Because I got a little bit confused looking at your pictures which made me think ‘this is it!’ but apparently you only gave it a ‘B’, more or less.
I don’t have issue with curl but being Asian, I’m blessed with thin, sparse, short, shabby lashes by default (Asian girl that is. All my boy cousins all have super huge-long-thick-jetblack-curly lashes. ALL 8 OF THEM). And I have been patiently layering 2 to 3 mascaras just to get that fluttery, drag-queen approved lashes. So layering a lash serum, a mascara base, a lengthener, and a volumizer would never be a trouble. I just have to wakeup 30-minutes earlier for the lashes alone hahahaha. Some girls would do for gorgeous lashes!
xoxo
Hi Frckls,
Check out this new one from Panthera: Ultraflesh Panthera Mascara Makes Lashes Roar Like a Jungle Cat! It’s the best overall mascara out there right now, methinks!
Drag-queen approved?? 😉
How does it compare to Diorshow (Blackout/Iconic/Extase) or YSL?
Heck ya! My take on mascara is Drag Queen or Bust! 🙂
I’m not a big fan of Diorshow (it smears on me and I find the brush hard to control), but I love YSL Faux Cils. Panthera has a similar “feathery” look with lots of volume at the base. Ultimately I think it comes down to the brush. Panthera’s brush is a little harder to use and takes a little bit of practice, but in the end I think it’s worth it.
Wow. Alright. I’ll try to obtain one. It’s pretty hard to get one though, since it’s only available in Sephora and unfortunately, there’s no Sephora in my area. The closest one is in Singapore and I have to ask someone to get it for me. I can’t wait to have one!