15 Mascara Tips For Perfect Lashes!

How you apply mascara is a fine art, in my opinion, so knowing all the mascara tips and tricks is essential for great lashes and can make using falsies a thing of the past.

From the mascara formula you choose, to the wand and how you use it, there are many mascara hacks that can make a difference as to how your mascara applies and wears.

Here are 15 mascara tips for the most amazing lashes every time, no matter what your lash situation is.

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1 . Clean The Wand & Apply In Thin Layers To Avoid Clumping

Just like applying foundation or nail polish, mascara should be applied in thin, light layers to avoid caking and clumping.

It’s better to start off with less product and add more as needed; add too much and there’s no turning back! Always remove any excess mascara from the wand first and build coverage as needed.

2. Wiggle, Twist And Blink

No, this isn’t the latest dance craze! When applying my mascara, I find the best way to get my lashes fully coated is to wiggle the wand gently right and left from root to tip all the way up my lashes.

I also like to rotate the wand and blink my eye at the same time as I’m applying my mascara to really coat the entire lash properly – this was a life changing tip from the moment I tried it and I recommend it to everyone!

You can see one of my fave beauty YouTubers Andreea Ali doing the blink and wand twist in the queued video below:

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3. Easily Clean Mascara Mishaps With A Clean Spoolie

I am constantly getting mascara along my upper and lower lash line whenever I apply it, so this tip is a lifesaver for me. If you happen to get mascara on your skin, just wait for it to FULLY DRY and then brush a clean spoolie wand over the dried mascara. The dried mascara will flake right off without you having to dip into your eye makeup remover.

4. Always Curl Your Lashes First

Yes, this seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be amazed at how many people don’t curl their lashes before applying their mascara! Curled lashes help open up the eye and make your lashes look longer, so this is an essential tip that you should never skip.

Be sure to invest in a good eyelash curler that fits the size of your eye and curl your lashes from the roots first and then gradually up to the tips. You’ll need to keep your curler clamped for a few seconds at each stage, but the lift your lashes get is worth the trouble!

5. Apply Some Heat

If you have hard to curl lashes like me, consider warming up your eyelash curler with your hair dryer or warm water first – but don’t get it too hot. The heat from the curler will intensify the curl and will also help hold the curl longer once the lashes cool down and fully set.

You can also try using a heated eyelash curler – I tried one from Amazon and my lashes stayed curled to the heavens all day!

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I’m not a fan of blue shadows on my eyes but I took the plunge and used the stunning shade “Varadero” from the @alamarcosmetics Reina del Caribe palette and really liked it! #edited

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6. Toss Your Old Mascara

Once opened, mascaras usually don’t last more than 3 months. Be sure to toss your old mascaras, as they will start to dry out and won’t perform as well. Old mascara tubes can also be a breeding ground for bacteria that can infect your eyes – nasty!

7. Don’t Pump The Wand

Pumping your wand in and out of the mascara bottle repeatedly is a mascara no-no! Wand pumping forces air into the tube, which can dry out your mascara faster. If you need more mascara, dipping into the tube once is usually more than enough. If the mascara is almost finished, you can push the wand onto the sides of the tube to get the rest out.

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8. Use More Than One Mascara

Depending on the look you’re going for with your lashes, you might want to use more than one mascara. For example, if you are looking for length and volume, you might have better results using a volumizing mascara first and then a separate lengthening mascara as your second layer, or vice versa – try it out!

Another example? Some mascaras are great for upper lashes but can be too heavy or hard to apply on the lower lashes; using a separate mascara for the upper and lower lash line is a simple solution and can give you better results with less mess.

9. Use A Lash Primer First

If you’re looking to add some va-va-va-voom to your lashes, try applying a lash primer to your lashes first.

Lash primers are a great way to prep your lashes for extra volume and length and act as a great base to make your mascara shine. Some lash primers are even formulated with volumizing or lengthening fibres that actually stick to your lashes to help beef up barely-there hairs.

Again, lash primers are applied before your mascara and should be left to fully dry before mascara is applied on top. A great drugstore lash primer that I enjoy is the L’Oreal Voluminous Base lash primer, but I’ve heard the Marc Jacobs Velvet Primer is amazing, if you don’t mind spending a bit more.

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10. Apply Mascara To The Tips First

I know every beauty guru will tell you to apply your mascara starting at your roots, but I’ve found applying a light coat of mascara to my tips first and then applying it at the roots leads to less clumping and mess. It’s much easier to brush out excess mascara from the tips as opposed to the roots and this method also helps build up lash length by applying more product on the ends.

11. Keep A Clean Spoolie On Hand To Comb/Declump

Besides helping to remove mascara mistakes, a clean spoolie or mascara brush is a great way to remove excess product from your lashes and improve lash definition – just be sure to use it when the mascara is still wet to avoid a flaky mess.

If you have lashes like mine that get all tangled during the night, you can also use your spoolie to pre-brush them before applying your mascara.

12. Coat The Back Of Your Lashes

Most of us apply mascara brushing upwards up to our brows from underneath the lash line.

However, if you apply mascara to the backs of your lashes (by placing the mascara wand along your upper lash line and brushing down towards your cheek) is a great way to get more volume and/or length by ensuring your lashes are fully coated with product.

13. Keep Lashes Healthy By Using A Good Eye Makeup Remover

If you’re applying lash primer and/or a few coats of mascara, you want to be sure you have the right products to get all that stuff off at the end of the day. While it might take a bit of testing, it’s important to find an eye makeup remover that easily dissolves your mascara with very little rubbing. Excess rubbing can damage or pull out your eyelashes and can also lead to the development of fine lines around the eye area.

For liquid eye makeup removers, soak a cotton pad with the liquid and hold the soaked pad over your lashes for a few seconds to let the remover work its magic and break down the mascara before rubbing it off. Similarly, if you are using an oil-based remover (which I find much gentler), coat the lashes in the oil remover and then gently massage the lashes to remove the mascara.

I love using the Almay Gentle Eye Makeup Remover Pads to remove my mascara; these pads come pre-soaked in an oil that easily breaks down all my eye makeup quickly. A bit of gentle massaging of my lashes afterwards and a second cleanse removes any leftover product and ensures I never wake up with smudged raccoon eyes. The Body Shop’s Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter is another great option that cuts through mascara fast!

14. Hold The Curl

What am I talking about?? If you have stubborn lashes that don’t hold a curl well, when your lashes are halfway dry, pull the wand up through your lashes and pull the lashes backwards towards your eyelid as the mascara finishes drying.

This will help your lashes dry upwards and help them hold their curl longer.

15. Look Downwards During Application

If you often get mascara on your lash line, this tip is for you! When applying your mascara, instead of looking straight ahead into the mirror, look into a mirror downwards. By looking down, you are able to see your entire lashes from root to tip and your eyelid also instantly closes more.

At this angle, when you push the wand through your lashes, you are less likely to smudge mascara along your lash line, can more easily coat your entire lashes and can hold your lashes back to dry as described in tip #14 above!