6 Mascara mistakes we all make

Published on by clairemurraymakeup

We all strive to find the best mascara because let’s face it, it’s hard to find one that provides that perfect length, volume and staying power. But if your lashes aren’t living up to your dream, part of the problem might lie in how you apply it. Change these common mascara mistakes to achieve long, luscious lashes – without using extensions or falsies.

Not Curling Your Lashes
Mascara will give you lift, but to get that extension and open eye effect you see on the red carpet, you need to use a lash curler. It doesn’t matter if you use a manual lash curler or one of the new heated ones but make sure to curl before applying mascara. Curling after when the lashes are hard can cause breakage.

My Current Favourite Eyelash Curlers:

  1. The Vintage Cosmetics Company Eyelash Curlers – Rose Gold – £7.00 – Look Fantastic
  2. Charlotte Tilbury Life-Changing Lashes Curler – £18 – Feel Unique
  3. Tweezerman ProCurl Lash Curler – £20.95 – Look Fantastic
  4. ELF Eyelash Curler – £3.00 – Elfcosmetics
  5. NYX Professional Makeup Eye Lash Curler – £5.50 – Boots

Applying Too Many Coats
The more coats you apply, the less likely your mascara will dry during application, causing clumping and that unnatural spidery look. If a single swipe of mascara isn’t giving you the volume boost you need, wait until it is completely dry then add a second layer. If this still isn’t giving you your desired effect, it may be time to consider switching to a thicker formula.

Pumping the Wand
When you pump the wand in and out of the tube to get more product, you’re actually adding air to the tube. This dries out the mascara and causes it to clump when being applied to the lashes and even clump or flake off.   Instead, when you want more product for a second coat, dip the wand in once and swirl around. Still not enough mascara? You’ve probably run out and it’s now time to invest in a new one.

Using Expired Products
I don’t often preach about throwing away good useable makeup however after three months, you should part ways with your mascara. At this point, bacteria starts to grow on the wand and inside the tube, which can lead to red, itchy eyes and even infections. With a product that goes so close to the eye, you want to be extra careful. Most women wear mascara every day so by 3 months were ready for a new one anyway! Even if you’ve only used the mascara a few times, you should seriously consider the three-month rule.

For more information on how to tell if your makeup has expired, read my blog post HERE

Coating Just the Tips of Your Lashes
To get lashes to their full length potential, you can’t just swipe mascara on the ends. You need to apply the wand to the roots of your lashes and wiggle the mascara wand as you lift up and outwards to give lashes that extra lift. Remember to also coat the top of your lashes as the tops are also seen when you blink your eyes!

Smudging on the Lids
We’ve all done this one and not noticed until we’ve arrived at work or dinner! When in a rush, we often apply mascara too fast or too hard, brushing past the lashes and onto our eye lids. Mascara only takes a few seconds to apply so take your time! Better to have lovely lashes than a black smudge on your lid!!! And if you still have a slip-up, DON’T PANIC! Wait until the mascara has completely dried. Yes, I said leave the mascara on your eyelid and wait until it has dried. Grab a dry q tip and swipe it off gently. The mascara will crumble away – no need to redo your entire eye makeup again.

If you are really bad at applying mascara and smudging everywhere, my tip is to have a selection of business cards and hold them on your lid. You will be able to see your lashes better against the white background and the card will act as a barrier if you make any slip ups!


My Top 5 Current Favourite Mascaras:

  1. L’Oreal Paradise Volumising Mascara – £11.99 – Superdrug
  2. Two Faced Better Than Sex Mascara – £19 – Cult Beauty
  3. Benefit Roller Lash Mascara – £22.00 – Look Fantastic
  4. Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara – £7.99 – Superdrug
  5. MAC Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash Mascara – £20 – MAC Cosmetics

As with all my blog posts this is my opinion and is not sponsored or paid by any brand and none of the links are affiliates.

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Thank you for reading 💋

Claire xx

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