Anyone else out there love makeup? The colors, the brushes, the sponges – I could go on and on. It’s so fun looking at and putting on makeup. One of my biggest makeup obsessions is mascara. I absolutely LOVE full eyelashes with beautiful layer(s) of mascara on them. I think it makes a woman’s eye pop and makes them look incredibly beautiful. With this love of mascara and eyelashes, comes one of my biggest pet peeves: mascara that looks lumpy, dry, or flaky. When I see a woman with mascara like this it makes me cringe. Unfortunately this happens more often than not and most of the time it’s because of the way we are putting on our mascara. Believe it or not, most of you are probably making some big mistakes when it comes to using and applying mascara. If you’ve noticed that your mascara is a bit clumpy, dry, or flakey, take a look at some of these common mistakes most women make so you can correct the problem and start having beautiful lashes today.
1. You’re Pumping The Wand
I don’t know about you, but when I first learned how to put on mascara, I was taught that you should pump the wand in the bottle. I was told it would mix up the mascara and get more on the wand. Sound familiar? Well, this actually couldn’t be farther from the truth. Pumping the wand only pumps air into the product, making it dry out faster. This will, in turn, cause clumps and flakes on your lashes as you use your mascara. None of these are a good combination, so please, do not pump your mascara wand anymore!
2. You’re Not Wiggling The Wand
One of the biggest mistakes women make when putting on their mascara is pulling it straight up on their lashes. Doing it this way does not properly coat them. If you want full volume and length, you need to wiggle the wand horizontally back and forth through your lashes as you pull it up. It will guarantee even distribution of the mascara over your lashes and you’ll be less likely to get clumps.
3. You’re Keeping It For Too Long
Did you know that mascara actually expires? Not only does old mascara dry out leaving you with clumps and flakes, but when it gets too old it gets nasty bacteria in it that will cause eye infections. Three months is usually a good guideline when it comes to knowing if you’re mascara is too old, but if that’s just way too soon for you, you can push it out to six months. After that you’re just running the risk of getting an infection. Even if you’ve only used the mascara a few times, never keep it over six months. If you have a hard time remembering when you bought the mascara, write the date you bought it in permanent marker on the side or on the bottom so you’ll always know.
4. You’re Not Wiping Off The Wand
Did you know that when you pull the wand out of the tube, there’s actually more product that you really need? If you apply all that mascara on your lashes you’re bound to get lots of lumps because there will just be too much product and your lashes will stick together. Before applying it, you should wipe the excess product onto the top of the tube. This will ensure that you have the right amount of mascara to apply on your lashes and since you’re not using so much product on each application, the bottle should last you longer, as well.
5. You Clean Up Mistakes Right Away
Let’s be honest, we all make mistakes every once in a while when applying mascara. It’s just bound to happen. However, do not clean up the mistake the second you make it. Doing this will only smear the mascara and make a bigger mess to clean up. Instead, wait for it to dry (which really does not take very long), then use your nail to lightly scratch it off. If it doesn’t flake off by doing this, you can apply a small amount of makeup remover or vaseline to a Q-tip and wipe it off. Either way, doing this once it’s dry will make it so much easier to get off than doing it when it’s wet.
6. You’re Putting On Too Many Coats
Are you one of those people that puts at least 3, 4, or even 5 coats of mascara on your lashes? If so, STOP! You do not need that much mascara! Most mascaras are only meant to be layered by a maximum of two times. The more coats you apply, the more likely you will get clumps and you’ll start to get that spider look. Trust me, you only need one or two coats. Your lashes will look more beautiful with less mascara.
7. You Apply Mascara On Your Top Lashes First
Okay, I’ll admit I actually was making this same mistake up until a few months ago, but I’m so glad I learned my lesson. Have you ever noticed that when yoo apply mascara to your top lashes first, that when you move to the bottom lashes you have to look up to coat them and then you get mascara all over your top eyelid because the top lashes are still wet? Instead, apply mascara to your lower lashes first, then the top. This will ensure that the wet mascara won’t smudge on your eyelids.
8. You’re Not Separating Your Lashes
Okay, let’s just be honest, sometimes no matter what you do and how careful you are when applying mascara, you still get a few clumps where the lashes are sticking together. Sometimes, this just happens. If this does happen to you, use a makeup comb to work through your lashes after each application so they don’t stick together. This will brush through those clumps and separate them out before applying the next coat and after applying your last coat.