Remember - Just On the Tips!

On Jezebel.com, they were discussing the Photoshopping and digital imagery of Cover Girl mascara ads starring Taylor Swift.  The ad itself even includes a disclaimer that "lashes have been digitally enhanced."  WTF?  Anyway, one of the Jezebel readers posted a picture of her lashes (at the left) along with the steps she takes to ensure longer lashes.  You might find her input worthwhile.


So, for fancy lashes, I do a couple extra steps. Steps with asterisks aren't necessary for nice lashes, but they add that "my office Christmas party is after work today" va-voom.

*1) Curl lashes. I like the Revlon curler you can get for $5 at Target. I have not found fancier curlers to be better. Lash curling takes a bit of getting used to, but it's not very difficult or scary. But do replace your curler every so often. You'll know it's time when it stops working as well and starts making you lose more eyelashes.

*2) Comb lashes. I like the Sonia Kashuk comb you can also get at Target for $5. Be sure to use a comb with metal, not plastic, teeth. It will work better and last longer. Step 2 is to fix your lashes if the curler tangled them at all, but you should repeat this step any time you have clump trouble. Just make sure to do it before your mascara dries!

*3) Apply primer. I like the Lancome Cils Booster a lot, but cheaper primer is probably fine too. (I don't pay store price, though; I buy it on eBay.) When applying primer, don't comb it all the way through your lashes; that'd get too clumpy. Just focus on the very tips. That's the key to adding length without adding clumpage. I use a toothpick to remove clumps, but if this makes you nervous, a lash comb will handle it (but will take off some length, so this is not the preferred strategy).

4) Apply mascara. Again, brand doesn't matter much; I like the kind with the little fibers in it, but especially if you're wearing primer, it isn't key. Today I'm wearing Maybelline Full 'n' Soft, but I really can't emphasize enough that that's largely irrelevant. The mascara just needs to be fairly fresh (not older than a couple months, TOPS) and have a brush that you like. The Full 'n' Soft has a good brush, but it's a matter of taste. Lash Discovery has a great tiny little brush for catching any missed spots. Like J said, wiggling the brush is good. I also recommend only starting at the bottom once, then applying additional coats just to the tips. This is so key for adding length while avoiding clumps. (Again, I toothpick out any clumps that do occur. Not for the faint of eye-heart, I guess, but I've been doing this for a decade and I haven't blinded myself yet.)

5) Apply more mascara. You might use a lighter formula for touch-up coats so you don't add bulk. The key here is lots and lots of coats but just on the tips. JUST ON THE TIPS. (...Just the tip? Ew.) And the toothpick.

This all sounds very complicated, but really isn't. The only other thing is practice. If you want to get good at mascara, you do want to work on your technique. For me this was a worthwhile use of my time because I have very strong features but smallish eyes, and learning to create killer lashes meant that I could give myself the big doe eyes that I think suit me better. And this is why mascara is so key, I think -- if you have giant eyes, you're fine with one quick slick of mascara, but if you don't have them and you want them, there is truly no other makeup trick that will give you bang for your buck like mascara. There's a myriad of little tricks you can do with shadow and liner that will help a bit, but mascara is where it's at.

Replace your mascara regularly! Apply multiple coats, focusing on the tips, and use a toothpick to remove clumps! Practice practice practice!