How To Apply Mascara Properly

Applying mascara can be tricky, and so many women seem to either do it wrong or complicate matters. If you apply mascara too lightly, you can barely see it, but if you apply it the wrong way, your lashes either clump together like one big eyelash or they look too thick and "fake". Since the purpose of mascara is to make you look prettier without looking obvious, neither of those two scenarios is what we want. Here's how to apply mascara like the pros do:

Don't go straight up.

Most women just take the mascara wand and move it straight up. This is the wrong way to apply mascara. Instead, apply the wand to the base of your lashes, and move it from side to side. Now move it upwards, while moving it sideways simultaneously ie use a zig zag motion.

Doing this will make more mascara be applied towards the base of your lashes. Our eyelashes are naturally thicker at the base and thinner at the top. So applying mascara in this manner will make your lashes look more natural. In addition, the zig zag and sideways motions helps to seperate lashes while you're applying the mascara, thus preventing that "one giant lash" look.

Avoid clumps

Clumps are the bane of any woman who uses mascara. These clumps will ruin a perfectly good look and make you look fake. Remove clumps at the very beginning, by wiping away any obvious clumps on the side of your mascara tube. Use high quality mascara only - I've found that cheaper mascara tends to have more clumps. I don't mean that you have to get designer makeup like Chanel and Dior - my personal favorites are the CoverGirl and Maybelline department store mascaras, and many makeup artists will only use Maybelline.

Be Hygienic

Our eyes are sensitive, so always be careful about things you put on them, including mascara.

Never share your mascara with anyone. Throw your mascara away after three months - three months is the shelf life of an open tube of mascara, so don't try to eke out more uses. And never pump your brush up and down in the tube - this forces in more air, which somehow helps bacteria to grow.

Use a Lash Comb

After applying your mascara, comb through lashes with a lash comb. You can also use a disposable mascara wand (called "spoolies") to do this. This will prevent lashes sticking together, and your eyelashes will look thicker and fuller.