Lash Out: Tips to Customize Your Eyelash Look

Mascara is almost everyone’s desert-island beauty must. Have you ever wondered “Am I applying mascara the right way?” You can completely customize your look with mascara; it’s really all about technique and which wand you choose.

Natural, cat-eye, long and lush…the fringe benefits of mascara are endless, and it’s all in the application. But whatever look you choose, never, ever pump the wand aggressively—it doesn’t get more product on the wand and it forces more air into the tube, drying it out faster! And remember: Mascara tends to dry out once it’s opened, so a good rule of thumb is to swap it out for a new one once every three months.

First, curl your eyelashes…
No matter what look you’re going for, always start by curling your lashes. It takes less than 30 seconds, and it makes a huge difference—curling your lashes does the heavy-lifting for your mascara application. The trick is to nestle the eyelash curler as close as possible to the lash line and give it a firm squeeze and then move it to the midway point on your lashes and give it another firm squeeze. This second “bend” really helps lift lashes so they’re ready for the first coat of mascara.

Natural-lashes look:

Weekend brunch date on the calendar? Some days just call for a natural-lashes look. The hallmark of groomed and gorgeous natural lashes is a fluttery and feathery effect. Not sure how to apply mascara without clumping? To start, you want to ensure that there’s not too much product on the brush before you swipe, so wipe any excess on the neck of the tube. Also, use a traditional wire-bristle brush, as these give more natural volume than silicone bristles do. Make sure you paint the top lashes before the bottom ones. (If you do the reverse, too much product will end up on the bottom lashes and they can look overdone.) For an even more natural look, try a soft brown hue like L’Oréal Paris Mascara Voluminous Waterproof Brown Mascara.

Cat-eye-lashes look:

Made famous by Hollywood A-listers, the classic cat-eye emphasizes a smouldering, sexy eye look. An hourglass-shaped wire-bristle wand is like a push-up bra for your eyelashes: It lifts and separates the lashes and there’s no spidery lashes in sight. Try L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara. You can layer on multiple coats, and it will deliver super-sexy, thick and full lashes. When you apply, pull the brush diagonally toward the outer corner of the eye using a zigzag motion to coax lashes up and away.

False-lashes look:

Bring on the drama! When you want the look of false lashes without all the fuss of glue and clumsy strip lashes, try a nylon-fibre mascara like L’Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Mascara. The formula has tiny lightweight nylon fibres to add length and rayon fibres to build lashes for maximum impact and zero flaking.

Curled-lashes look:

If your lashes are stick straight, they may need some additional coaching to curl with a curved mascara wand like the one in L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Mascara Curved Brush Mascara. You get curl without clumps because the brush hugs the lashes and sculpts them to new heights.

Long-and-lush-lashes look:

There’s no such thing as lashes appearing too long! To stretch stubby lashes to maximum length, brush the top lashes down and then up, and then continue to wiggle the wand from the roots of the lashes to the tips until you’ve got XXL lashes. Wands with silicone bristles help to stretch and lengthen each individual lash for a clean, gorgeous look with zero clumping.