The 6 Biggest Mascara Mistakes: Solved

It’s so annoying when you’ve put on the most fabulous eye makeup and then it all falls apart as you apply the mascara…blobs, clumps, smudges….grrr! You just don’t want to have to take it all off and start again! Thankfully, I’ve got a few failsafe tips right here to help you achieve flutter-tastic eyelashes, PLUS you’ll never need to worry about a mascara disaster again.

1. Your lashes aren’t ready for mascara

First things first, prep your eyelashes by making sure they are clean and separate them using a lash comb or an old, clean toothbrush.

Use eyelash curlers to enhance your lashes, this will really open up your eyes and show off your lashes. Meaning that your mascara looks even more beautiful! For my full tutorial on how to use lash curlers click here.

2. You haven’t taken your eye shape into account

Different eye shapes require different mascara techniques and solutions. Remember, every eye shape can be enhanced by using an eyelash curler first to really open up the eye, but you may need to apply the mascara differently depending on their shape. Here are a few pointers to get the best for you:

For eyes that appear far apart:

Curl your lashes. Apply more mascara to the lashes on the inner corner to the middle of the eyelid. This will help eyes look closer together.

For eyes that appear close together:

Curl your lashes. Apply more mascara from the centre of the eyelid to the outside corner. This will help eyes look further apart.

For eyes that appear small:

Curl your lashes. Apply one coat over all the lashes, then brush a second coat into just the centre lashes of each eye. This will make eyes appear bigger and rounder.

For eyes that appear hooded:

Curl your lashes. The key is to make the lashes long, but not look too thick. Use a lengthening mascara over all the lashes, apply several more coats at the outer corners to elongate the eye up-wards. Click here to discover the mascara I swear by for hooded eyes.

3. Your mascara dries out too quickly

Try your best not to pump the wand in and out of the tube, this will push air in and dry the mascara out faster. Be gentle and give the bottle a twist as you remove the wand instead – to extend it’s life. If the mascara you own is drying up much too quick add a drop of saline (the liquid used to clean contact lenses) into the tube for an instant boost!

Sometimes old mascara just needs binning! If you regularly use the same mascara try to replace it every 6 months (if it lasts that long), but if it starts to get dry and clumpy on the brush or smell odd, it may need to go in the bin sooner.

4. You’re not getting magic from the wand

Sometimes mascara just doesn’t reach every single baby lash (and by coating every single lash your lashes will look even more pretty!), so, my favourite tip is to hold a clean tissue round the brush and gently bend the brush to an angle resembling a hockey stick.

The angled brush will give you much better control and you’ll be able to see more of what you’re doing in the mirror! To get an even distribution on lashes, remove any excess mascara from the brush before application either with an old, clean wand or toothbrush.

5. You tackle the top lashes first

Begin with the top eyelashes, you need to look down to apply this, which avoids any mascara smudging from the top. Simple yet clever, eh!

If you are prone to getting product on your cheeks, use a piece of tissue or card to protect from smudges and tilt head forwards whilst brushing on from the base, wiggling the brush gently to distribute the mascara towards the ends. At the base of your top lashes, place your brush and give the brush a gentle wiggle back and forth, then gently zig-zag to the ends; this will cover all the tinier lashes too. Once you have applied the mascara to your desired effect, allow to dry, but if there are any clumps, use a lash brush or old, clean toothbrush to separate.

6. You struggle to remove mascara quickly

It’s important to remove your mascara after every wear, not only to prevent your bedding getting stained, but also to keep the lashes and sensitive eye area in tip top condition. Mascara can be tricky to get off, so you may wish to select a product specifically for removing eye makeup. My personal choice is Jojoba oil, it is an inexpensive and one of the most effective ways to gently remove eye makeup. It doesn’t sting the eyes and it nourishes and helps soften the look of fine lines around the eye too with continued use.

Simply gently massage a drop of Jojoba oil into the eye makeup then use a warm, damp cotton-wool pad to gently wipe away. A small drop is also a lovely night treatment that conditions the sensitive eye area and nourishes the lashes. Best of all Jojoba oil is great on fine lines and wrinkles. Read about this youth-boosting wonder oil by clicking here.