Several weeks ago I was at Ulta with a couple gal pals. I don't know if you've ever been to an Ulta store, but I would liken it to walking into a cosmetic Willy Wonka chocolate factory. My mouth starts salivating the minute I cross the threshold. Anyway, one of the gals I was with...let's say her name is uhmmm...Gwendy...(wink wink)...anyway, 'Gwendy' was looking at the false eyelashes and telling me that she was considering getting some because her natural lashes were getting thinner. I didn't think much more about it until a couple weeks later when I saw her and asked how the false eyelashes were working out. She said, "Oh that. Why don't they put mascara in see through tubes so that you can see when you're out of mascara?" (huh?) Then she proceeded to tell me that she broke open a new tube of mascara and realized her lashes weren't actually getting thinner--it was her mascara...it was used up.
I love Gwendy. She's a natural brunette, but I think her roots have always wanted to be blond.
All that to finally get to this...it occurred to me that maybe alot of people don't know the basics about mascara. In case you think I have no credentials, I'll have you know that I used to be a Lauder Daughter, aka Estee Lauder beauty consultant, aka cosmetic sales schlepper for many years. Which basically means I know a smidge more then the average person...but not much.
Mascara 101
1)The average life cycle of mascara should be 3 months. After 3 months, even if the tube isn't dry, it's a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria...just get rid of it and open a new tube.
2)Don't pump the wand in and out. All this does is put air and bacteria into the tube. Just lightly rub the wand against the insides of the tube if you feel there isn't enough mascara on the brush.
3)When applying mascara, start at the root of the lashes and then pull the wand up and through, wiggling the wand as you go. (the wiggling part helps to separate the lashes) Another trick is to take an old mascara wand (cleaned of course) and run it through your lashes immediately after applying a coat of mascara.
4)If you apply more than one coat of mascara, you need to apply them while the mascara is still wet. Don't wait for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat, otherwise you'll have a clumped up mess.
5)Some makeup artists recommend mascara only on the top lashes and not the bottom. I do both, but it's really a matter of preference.
Some cosmetic aficionados would probably disagree with me, but I've never seen a significant difference between expensive mascaras and the basic drugstore variety. Among expensive brands, Lancome probably has the highest consumer loyalty and satisfaction. That being said, Lancome has been owned by L'Oreal since 1984. I'm not stating that this is true, but it makes sense to me that except for packaging, there might be some crossovers in formula and product? I'm not sayin...I'm just sayin...
Anyway, as far as mascara goes, here are my current favorite brands...in order of preference.
Lash Discovery by Maybelline. Really thin mini brush that gets all those hard to reach lashes. It also lengthens and doesn't clump. Great for contact lens wearers like me.
Covergirl Lash Blast. More of a bold, high volume mascara. Big fat brush and resists smudges. I like this for evening and times when I want my lashes really thick and long.
L'Oreal Voluminous. This is a classic, velvety mascara. It's been in production for 20 years, so it must be doing something right. I love this mascara and have bought it off and on for years.
Here's a great article on mascara that covers just about everything. I highly recommend reading it...I actually learned a couple new tips from it.
I'd love to hear your cosmetic tips or tricks! Miss Bea
I love Gwendy. She's a natural brunette, but I think her roots have always wanted to be blond.
All that to finally get to this...it occurred to me that maybe alot of people don't know the basics about mascara. In case you think I have no credentials, I'll have you know that I used to be a Lauder Daughter, aka Estee Lauder beauty consultant, aka cosmetic sales schlepper for many years. Which basically means I know a smidge more then the average person...but not much.
1)The average life cycle of mascara should be 3 months. After 3 months, even if the tube isn't dry, it's a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria...just get rid of it and open a new tube.
2)Don't pump the wand in and out. All this does is put air and bacteria into the tube. Just lightly rub the wand against the insides of the tube if you feel there isn't enough mascara on the brush.
3)When applying mascara, start at the root of the lashes and then pull the wand up and through, wiggling the wand as you go. (the wiggling part helps to separate the lashes) Another trick is to take an old mascara wand (cleaned of course) and run it through your lashes immediately after applying a coat of mascara.
4)If you apply more than one coat of mascara, you need to apply them while the mascara is still wet. Don't wait for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat, otherwise you'll have a clumped up mess.
5)Some makeup artists recommend mascara only on the top lashes and not the bottom. I do both, but it's really a matter of preference.
Some cosmetic aficionados would probably disagree with me, but I've never seen a significant difference between expensive mascaras and the basic drugstore variety. Among expensive brands, Lancome probably has the highest consumer loyalty and satisfaction. That being said, Lancome has been owned by L'Oreal since 1984. I'm not stating that this is true, but it makes sense to me that except for packaging, there might be some crossovers in formula and product? I'm not sayin...I'm just sayin...
Anyway, as far as mascara goes, here are my current favorite brands...in order of preference.
Covergirl Lash Blast. More of a bold, high volume mascara. Big fat brush and resists smudges. I like this for evening and times when I want my lashes really thick and long.
L'Oreal Voluminous. This is a classic, velvety mascara. It's been in production for 20 years, so it must be doing something right. I love this mascara and have bought it off and on for years.
Here's a great article on mascara that covers just about everything. I highly recommend reading it...I actually learned a couple new tips from it.
I'd love to hear your cosmetic tips or tricks! Miss Bea
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