Lash Out! A Luscious Lash Lesson

Hi everyone! My name is Kat and I am a licensed Esthetician and principal makeup artist for Hera Beauty, I am also the make up artist for HauteShots Boudoir Photography! I met Shana over 10 years ago when she first came to visit me for an eyebrow waxing...I have loved hearing about all of her projects over the years but I must say her thrifting is what has caught my eye recently. With her most recent title of Hauteshots spokesmodel I have had the pleasure of working with her and getting to play dress up often. I love experimenting with make up and one of my favorite things to play with are lashes! I always get questions about lashes from fasle lashes to the best mascaras, to how to apply mascara and how to remove it!  

Waterproof?  Fibers? Polymers?  Mineral?  The newest formulas all make wonderful claims (Self-curling! Thickening! Conditioning! Lengthening!) due to new ingredients, fancy applicators, and good advertising, and many of them do exactly what they say they will… within reason.  The one thing to remember about any fantastic mascara claims is the one limitation mascara will always have- it’s applied over your own lashes, so if your own lashes are thin and short, there’s only so much a mascara on it’s own can do for you.

Waterproof vs. Washable:
Waterproof mascaras are a necessity for most wedding makeup artists for obvious reasons.  These formulas create a nice, smudge-proof seal that a few tears of joy won’t ruin, unlike regular formulas that run easily with any introduction of liquid.  The downside- these waterproof formulas need to be removed using a makeup remover that can break it down to avoid pulling or breakage of the lashes.  Waterproof mascara can also feel drier and stiffer on the lashes than regular formulas.  Many mascara formulas usually come in both regular and waterproof.

When choosing a formula, whether waterproof or regular, first decide what you want to accomplish- length, thickness, curl, etc.  (Quick tip: I often find that volumizing formulas can be a little heavy. I’ve found that these formulas work fantastic on anyone who has natural curl to their lashes.)   If you’re trying to decide between a drugstore brand versus a department store brand, it really comes down to personal preference.  Many makeup artists, including myself, believe there are formulas for $6 that are just as phenomenal as the formulas that sell for $36.  

6 Tips for a great mascara application

1. If your lashes are straight and need curling, begin your lash routine by taking a lash curler and curling the lashes.  I find that warming the curler with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds warms the metal and helps create a beautiful curl.  Touch the warmed curler on the inside of your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot before using on your eyes.  For the best curl, press the curler together at the base of the lashes for a second, release, and move a few millimeters up and out and squeeze again.  Repeat the press and release process several times until you reach the end of the lashes.  By curling the lashes at the base, middle and top, you will have a pretty, wide-eyed curl instead of a unnatural looking bend.
2. Starting from the base and outside corner of the eye, sweep the mascara slowly from the bottom all the way to the top.  Some makeup artists recommend wiggling the wand slightly as you work your way up.  This technique works to fully coat the lashes, but I’ve also found that some formulas can clump more if used this way.  It just depends on the formula.
3. Continue sweeping the mascara from the base to the top of the lashes from the outer corner to the inner corner.  To really define the inner corner lashes, use the smaller end of the mascara wand to reach the finer hairs.  If your wand doesn’t taper, turn the wand vertical and use just the tip of the wand to reach the fine inner eyelashes.
4. If you want to add a second coat for additional thickness, color, and length, give the mascara 10-30 seconds to dry and reapply.  Some newer polymer formulas that coat or “tube” the lashes (Kiss Me Mascara- Click here for more info!) don’t work in the same way- they recommend reapplying a second coat before the first coat dries.
5. For the bottom lashes, use the smaller, tapered end of the wand in the same way as the inner lashes.  If you tend to smear or get mascara on the skin easily, place and hold a single piece of tissue under the eye while you apply your mascara or use a damp cotton swab to remove any blobs that occur.
6. If the mascara is heavy or damp, it may have straightened out the curl- if this is the case, just go back to step one and re-curl after the mascara is fully dry.

Have fun- be fabulous!

Kat