Let’s talk lashes…
There is this unicorn drugstore mascara. It has thousands and thousand of stellar reviews. Countless people recommend it. So, I bought it with high hopes and unfortunately disliked it. Like with most products, I’ll come back to try and try again. Nope and nope.
THEN, I tried this product with a different application technique… SHOWSTOPPER LASHES.
Immediately, people started asking if I got lash extensions. So many of you have messaged me, asking for details. My sister came over yesterday without mascara and said “I’ve got to try yours.”
Of course, I’m going to dish on every detail so we can all have a strong lash game.
FYI – this is not sponsored by the brands below… I mean, I wish it was but just so you know 🙂
THE PRODUCTS (best affordable drugstore mascara!)
L’ORÉAL VOLUMINOUS LASH PARADISE PRIMER (here)
If you’re not yet using a lash primer, prepare to be blown away. The mascara below is great on it’s own but combined with this primer, it’s next level. In my opinion – it’s worth the extra step.
L’ORÉAL VOLUMINOUS LASH PARADISE MASCARA (here)
This is the best affordable drugstore mascara out there right now. I wear the shade blackest black, which is the darkest shade; I love it because I think it pops the most. This mascara provides the insane volume and length for overall fullness that looks like false lashes.
MONEY SAVING TIP: if you need to purchase the above products, get 1 primer HERE + a 2 pack of mascara HERE (instead of $10.99/tube, you get it for $8.32 or even just a 1 pack from here is $8.39 + free shipping)
NEUTROGENA HEALTH VOLUME MASCARA (here)
If you’ve been with me for awhile, you know this was my ride or die for literally the past decade. I still keep it on rotation and love it for my bottom lashes where I prefer a more subtle, natural look.
EYE MAKE UP REMOVER (here)
Add this to your cart as well. One of the reasons this mascara is the best is because it stays all day, which makes it slightly more difficult to remove at night. I purchased this per the recommendation of a lash professional.
HOW TO APPLY MASCARA FOR VOLUME + MY TIPS
TYPICAL APPLICATION: swipe on primer, shortly after swipe on mascara =the eyelashes looks wet, it applies too thick that you almost loose the individual lash look and it looks like a blanket of mascara
MY APPLICATION: just a few simple tweaks gives super voluminous lashes that look like falsies
START WITH FRESH LASHES
The women I saw for lashes stressed the importance of beginning your eye make up with extremely clean lashes, so I began removing each evening with micellar water.
BEGIN WITH YOUR PRIMER BASE
I use this eyelash primer to prep my lashes. It sets the foundation for mascara and gives an extra oomph for length and volume. You could skip this step but I think it’s a must.
TIP – don’t use to much. swipe on a coat, making sure to comb through the lashes so there aren’t any clumps. I don’t apply multiple coats but I do about 2-3 brushstrokes per eye in order to apply it to the sides and middle.
WAIT…. A BIT LONGER THAN USUAL
I think one of the biggest mistakes I made starting out was applying the primer and mascara too close together. I usually wait 15 seconds between most primers and mascaras. Not with this.
I wait 30-60 seconds. You can’t wait too long because the primer will dry and the mascara will be hard to apply but if you apply too soon, and it all mushes together and looks wet and clumpy.
TIP – try this look out first on a weekend morning or day when you don’t have a hugely important place to go and play with different timing to see what works best for you
OPEN THE MASCARA + WIPE OFF EXCESS
When you first get the mascara, there is so much product on the wand. When I went to apply, too much product applied and it was hard to control. Then, I tried this game changing step… scrape off just a bit of the mascara onto the top of the mascara tube.
TIP – I scrape one stroke, slightly rotate the wand, scrape again, rotate and scrape for a final third time. Also, as you use the mascara more and more, I’ve started doing this step less and less
WIGGLE ON THE MASCARA
I start my mascara at the base of my lashes and I wiggle it in (not wiggle while brushing, first just wiggle it deep into the lashes) Then, wiggle as your brush. This allows me to apply + comb through the lash as opposed to smearing it on.
TIP – I do 1 coat but about 2-3 brushstrokes: middle, outer and inner (I don’t get more mascara on the wand in between each stroke)
APPLY TO THE TOP OF YOUR LASHES
Another game changing step right here! Look down, and apply 1 coat of mascara to the top of your lashes. Trust me on this one.
TIP – as your brush, rotate the wand as if you’re curving it alone with the natural curl of your lash
BRUSH THROUGH
By now, there isn’t much product left on the wand, so I do another 2ish brushstrokes to the same eyelash. This step is more so combing through the lashes and pushing them back up.
NOTE – this sounds like a lot but the entire mascara process I just describes takes about 12 seconds when you’re doing it yourself and not reading detailed steps and tips
REPEAT ON THE OTHER EYE
Now, repeat the same process on the opposite eye.
TIP – I put my mascara wand back in the tube, move it up and down a few times, scrape and start fresh how I did the first eye
2ND COAT
I’ll follow the same process where I scrape off a bit of mascara and I’ll do a 2nd coat on each eye.
TIP – I actually seem to do this step to brush out any areas that need more of a fanned out look and I love to work closer to the tips with mini strokes
BOTTOM LASHES
I already have this mascara in my drawer so I’m using it for bottom lashes because it’s just so natural. You can use the one we’ve been using all along just be sure to really scrape off product first.
NOTE ON SCRAPING
When I first bought this product, I needed to do the most scraping. As you use the product more, there is less to scrape off because 1) there is less product in the tube and 2) I feel like it slightly dries out in the tube (in a good way).
There you have it… one of the most highly requested topics I’ve received this entire year. As always, I am happy to spill on products, hacks and tips that help me. I can’t wait to see what you think.
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