But that’s not to say that from time to time our trusty mascaras don’t have the ability to crush our lash dreams in just one swipe.
Whether you champion curl or length, even distribution or volume, there’s a mascara formula out there for every occasion, and once you’ve found your perfect match, it’s usually a life-long union.
Bad lash days are a legit thing, and it turns out the way that your applying your mascara has the ability to make or break your lash look.
In a bid to reduce the number of bad lash days across the land and ensure you’re making your mascara work as hard as it can, we caught up with makeup artist and Givenchy UK Ambassador, Neil Young, to reveal the most commonly made mascara mistakes…
1. You’re leaving mascara until last
We’re definitely guilty of this one. In turns out that leaving mascara application until last means you’re not applying it as thoroughly as you should be for optimal lift.
Neil explains: “I find a lot of people don’t hit the root of the lash. Before you apply any eye makeup, put a coat of mascara on and get right at the root. If you do touch your skin with the wand, you can just clean it off before you’ve done any makeup. ”
Genius.
2. You’re only applying to one side
Blondies, listen up. If you find that your lashes are lacking impact, it’s important to ensure you’re coating both the front and back of your upper lashes.
“Always mascara the back of the lashes first, from the root to the tip, so when you look down you’re not blonde at the back of your lashes,” says Neil.
And it turns out applying this technique can be helpful to those with darker lashes too, especially if you want to avoid clumping. Neil advises: ”Applying downwards first helps to separate them and then you should start brushing up with the wand. ”
3. You’re not coating every lash
Each lash is made equal (kind of), and it’s important to pay attention to every single one if you want to achieve maximum effect. The best way to make sure no lash goes uncoated? Use Neil’s ‘clock’ technique.
“Think of the lashes as the top half of the clock. The middle of the eye where the pupil is is midday with the edges being three o’clock and nine o’clock. Paint the lashes to each hour of the hand,” he explains.
4. You’re not embracing colour
Find coloured eye shadow too daunting? We feel you. In fact, in our opinion, when it comes to eye makeup, a natural look is unbeatable.
However, while taupe and beige shadow tones are universally flattering, if you want your eyes to pop, neutral shadows might prove tricky. But what if we told you black mascara isn’t your only option?
“A lovely way to make your eye colour pop with a neutral eye makeup look is to do a colour on the bottom lashes. Blend a tiny amount of taupe shadow under the lashes so that you don’t see spaces between the lashes and you’ll get a lovely halo of colour. The most flattering colour for any eye is a burgundy red,” says Neil, who recommends Givenchy Volume Disturbia 24-Hour Mascara in Red Disturbia, £23. 50.
5. You’re not opting for waterproof
If it’s a lifted curl that you’re after, it might be worth swapping in a waterproof formula. “If your lashes are straight, always use a waterproof mascara because it dried quicker. Just curl your lashes and apply a waterproof mascara. It really holds them up and they’ll never drop,” says Neil
“You don’t want a mascara that’s too wet of a texture, because it will just pull the lashes back down again. ”
