Could You Improve On Your Current Mascara Use?

Mascara is one of the foundational products for anyone's makeup routine. It's often one of the first types of makeup young people learn to use. With its ability to lengthen, thicken, and darken eyelashes, mascara works to make eyes look bigger, more defined, and hide under-eye bags.

There are hundreds of mascaras on the market, and it can be difficult to get started when trying to decide which mascara to use. Mascara is available at all price points, from drugstore mascaras that cost just a few dollars to luxury products costing close to $100 or more. Although price can be an indicator of ingredient, formula, and packaging quality in some cases, don't discount more affordable brands. Many cheaper mascaras are just as good, or even better than some expensive brands.

What Can Mascara Do?

In general, all mascaras make eyelashes appear more obvious by darkening and defining them. Mascaras also volumize and lengthen eyelashes. Some mascaras are specially formulated to address one of these concerns. For example, mascaras with "volume" or "volumizing" in the name will generally make lashes appear thicker. On the other hand, mascaras with "lengthening" in the name focus on making lashes appear longer.

When choosing a mascara formula, consider what benefits it will give. People who are particularly concerned with the length of their lashes might prefer a lengthening mascara over a volumizing one. Those who are satisfied with the length of their lashes but still want to make them appear more obvious might prefer a volumizing formula.

Besides volumizing and lengthening mascaras, there are also waterproof, colored, and tubing mascaras. Waterproof mascara is more resistant to smudging and flaking as a result of sweat or other moisture. Mascara also comes in different colors, such as blue, green, and clear. Lastly, tubing mascara helps to avoid smudging by forming a tiny tube around each lash.

Mascara Application Tips

It can be intimidating to learn to apply mascara for the first time. Many people are afraid of hurting themselves. With some practice, however, it becomes easy to apply. In the meantime, here are some tips for learning to apply mascara:

• Wipe the excess mascara off the tip of the wand before you apply. This will help prevent clumping or accidentally getting mascara on your skin.
• Start by blinking onto the mascara wand. Holding the wand directly in front of your pupils, close your eyes onto the wand while moving it up slightly. This will help to coat your lashes from base to tip.
• Wiggle the wand back and forth as you apply. Once you've applied a thin layer, you can create a much thicker layer by keeping your eyes open and running the wand over your lashes with a slight back-and-forth motion.
• Let your mascara dry for 30 seconds to a minute before moving on. Until the mascara dries, it's easy to accidentally get mascara on your eyelids when your lashes brush against them.

Popular Brands and Products

There are a wide variety of different mascaras out there for different people on different budgets. Some of the best include: 

• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, $25 - With its unique hourglass-shaped brush and powerful volumizing abilities, this cult classic has been one of the most popular mascaras out there for years.
• Milk Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara, $24 - This volumizing mascara is infused with hemp-derived seed oil to condition lashes and heart-shaped fibers that provide intense volume.
• Benefit They're Real! Lengthening Mascara, $25 - This lengthening mascara has won awards year after year for its bold, feathery effect, dome-tip wand, and long-wearing formula.
• Glossier Lash Slick, $16 - For a natural, your-lashes-but-better look, Lash Slick provides subtle volume and length while avoiding clumping.
• L'Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise, $9.99 - As one of the most popular drugstore mascaras available, Lash Paradise provides dramatic volume and lift with an intensely black finish.
• ELF Cosmetics Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara, $4 - Despite its low price, this mascara effectively defines and enhances lashes with its smaller, precise wand for a full, lifted look.