Tips for Using Mascara

Thanks to the incredible number of different types and shades of mascara, we have the luxury of making our eyelashes seem longer and drawing attention to perhaps the face's most intriguing feature, the eyes. As the old saying goes, "The eyes are the windows to the soul" and the many choices of eye makeup helps us to make those soulful windows as beautiful as possible. We hope these mascara tips will help you maintain those beautiful eyelashes

If there's only one single makeup product that you ever use, it should be mascara as it helps to brighten the entire face, making the eyes appear brighter and larger. Here are just some of the basic types of mascara that are available today:

- Clear
- Colored
- Color-tinted
- Curling
- Lengthening
- Moisturizing
- Thickening
- Volumizing
- Water-proof

Applying mascara to the lower eyelashes is something that does take a bit of practice as we've all seen the dreaded "spider eyes" look and want to be sure we avoid it at all times. For the best results, carefully touch the edge of the mascara brush to just the tips of the lower lashes making a light, sweeping motion. Also, if you're prone to having dark circles under the eyes, you may want to skip mascara on the bottom lashes altogether as it tends to emphasize the darkness.

Colored mascara is wonderful for special occasions or for emphasizing your natural eye color. A maroon shade will make green or blue eyes appear more vibrant, and mascara in shades of blue helps to make the whites of the eyes seem even whiter.

Before putting your mascara on, try gently curling the lashes first with an eyelash curler, but don't overdo it as the point is to make the lashes more noticeable, but not unnaturally curved. Next, open the eyes wide and use one finger to push the eyebrow upward, making it easier to get the mascara as close to the root of the lashes as possible. Start with the applicator brush at the base of the lashes, making a slight back-and-forth or sawing-type motion before sweeping upward to coat the rest of the eyelashes.

For the thickest and most noticeable lashes, allow the first coat of mascara to dry for 10 to 20 seconds or so before applying another coat. To avoid getting black flecks or spots of mascara on your cheeks, place a tissue under the eye on the top of the cheekbone and then lightly blink your eyes a few times so the excess mascara on the tips of the lashes will be left on the tissue, not your face.

4 Quick Beauty Tips About Mascara

- If you have fair skin and hair, or are over the age of 35 or so, retire the black mascara as this darkest of shades usually looks too harsh, and instead, choose dark brown.

- Never borrow anyone else's mascara as sharing bacteria this way may lead to painful eye infections.

- Wearing too much mascara can actually cause the delicate lashes to either break or completely fall out.

- Keep the old brushes to your mascara, cleaning them out thoroughly of course, and then use as brow shapers, or with a touch of petroleum jelly to define and lengthen your lashes without the color.