How to apply mascara

Step 1.

Curl your lashes, using an eye lash curler. If you don’t have one that ok just move to the next step. You can slightly warm it with a hair dryer, on low-medium hold it about 20cm away from the curler for 10sec intervals. Test the heat on your inner wrist by pressing it down. If it feels warm and not hot go ahead and curl your lashes. In the same way that a hair dryer can smooth and shape your hair with heat, the warm curler will bend the shape of your lashes better and the effect will last longer than just using it cold.

Step 2.

Load your mascara wand, most people I see tend to pump their mascara wands in and out of the container quickly, hoping to get more product out. The thing is the more times you pulse in and out you are adding more air to the product, that will decrease its shelf life by drying it out. You want to push the wand in once, then bend towards the side slightly and wiggle around the walls of the container. This is where the product hides. Take the wand out and scrape off any clumps from sides or the tip using the rim of the container.

Step 3.

Hold the wand horizontally to your eye and starting in the middle, or where ever feels the most natural. Wiggle the mascara wand a little at the root of the lash, you want to deposit as much product as you can to the base of the lashes. From here, you want to twist the wand away from your face and brush out to the ends of the lashes. This coats them and separates them, all at the same time.

Remember to tilt your head up or down whichever suits you best and helps you see and reach the roots of your lashes best.

Opening your mouth widely or weirdly, is completely acceptable ;-)

Place the mascara wand at the base of the lashes, as close to the lash bed (root) as you can without poking yourself in the eye! - We have all done it, its not nice and yes you will likely do it again down the road when you are in a hurry. Take your time, use a mirror so you can see and you will minimise mistakes and sore eyes.

Step 4.

To reach the inner and outer corner lashes, you want to turn the wand so that you use only its point. . Ensure it has not large clumps of mascara on it, you don’t want the product getting in your eyes. Working Carefully, get in close to the small finer hairs in the inner corners of the top and bottom lashes

Quick Tip: You can apply 2 - 3 coats of mascara to build up your lashes and get a nice deep black coating on them. Brush between coats with a dry clean mascara wand, or a lash comb to remove any clumps.

Keep in mind that Lower lashes, often are finer hairs and require much less product depending on how you like them to look. You can either leave them bare, add as many coats as the top, or just one light coat. It’s really up to your personal preferences, just remember to brush through them in any case.

Do let me know how you get on with the technique and I would love to hear feedback on how you went. As Always any questions please don’t hesitate to ask, I will do my very best to answer them or point you in the right direction.

With love, From a Dyslexic Makeup Artist 🌱xox

Author: Kate Murphy

Makeup Artist and Hair stylist