Mascara is one of those makeup steps that are underestimated, BUT it can make a BIG difference in your look, AND it’s also easy to mess up.
If you’re not careful, your mascara can end up all over your face – and no one wants that!
In this post, I’m going to teach you how to apply mascara like a pro with the best hacks to make your lashes look extremely longer with more volume but NATURAL! even if you have thin lashes or hooded eyes, this tutorial is for you.
You’ll learn two different techniques: the natural method and the without-clumps False lashes Style method (without falsies haha).
So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced makeup lover, these tips will help you achieve beautiful, clump-free lashes every time.
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How do you apply mascara to make them look longer?
If you, like me, have almost non-existent thin small tiny little eyelashes. You are not alone!
I have good news for you, and there are ways to make them look longer without falsies or extensions.
First things first: The tools. For this tutorial, I will be using the L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara. It’s my current favorite, and it gives me a lot of length and volume without making my lashes look like spider legs.
I also always use a lash curler. It makes such a difference!
If you don’t have one, please go get one. You can find them at any drugstore or online store. Just make sure to get one that has soft silicone pads so you don’t rip out your lashes (like me).
NOTE: Selecting the right lash curler is super important. A GOOD lash curler can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
I was using a cheap eyelashes curler (I can’t remember the brand) and it literally destroid my lashes over time. I changed to this eyelash curler from Sheglam and problem solved!
I have a love/hate relationship with Sheglam.
I have a complete article about Sheglam makeup and my thoughts reviewing their most popular products if you want to check it out and the come back to this article.
How to curl eyelashes that are straight
First things first, make sure your curler is completely clean and dry!
If you have used your curler with any residual mascara on your lashes, it might be possible that your curler get some of this residual mascara on it and we want to make sure it’s completely nice and clean before using it again.
That’s one of the reasons I still buy makeup remover wipes, I don’t like to use it for the face too much, and I instead use them to recover makeup from my products or to remove small makeup mistakes.
Making sure your eyelash curler is perfectly clean and dry will also prevent your eyelashes to get rip off!
Well, now let’s talk about eyelash curling techniques.
If you have straight lashes, curling them will make a big difference in how your eye makeup looks.
There are two popular methods I use to curl my lashes and I’ll show the differences between each below.
Method #1
Start at the base of your lashes and squeeze the curler for about 5 seconds.
Then, move the curler up to the middle of your lashes and squeeze for another 5 seconds. Finally, move to the tips of your lashes and squeeze again for another 5 seconds.
This method gives you a more “natural” curve to your lashes. But my favorite way to curl eyelashes for maximum length and volume is the next.
Method #2
Open your curler and place your lashes in between, as close to the base of the lashes as possible. Gently squeeze the curler shut for about five seconds.
with this method, we are not going to move the curler to the middle of the lashes or to the tips, we are going to release the curler and repeat the step again until we have a perfect curl.
At first this technique can look like your are forming an “L” with your lashes (don’t panic) it’s exactly what we want!
The curl tend to get down, so we want to “exaggerate” on it but trust me, it will look good at the end!
How to keep my lashes curled
If you have been struggling with getting your lashes curled longer, it might be because you are not using the right mascara.
If you have very straight eyelashes, OR your curling doesn’t last, try changing your mascara for a waterproof mascara.
Waterproof mascaras are stronger and work perfectly! The regular mascaras or “water resistant” (different from the waterproof ones) tend to down the curling. Which is good only if you want a more natural look.
But for maximum length and volume, Waterproof mascara is a MUST.
Another pro tip is to apply mascara immediately after you finish your curling. This will help set the curl and your lashes will look fabulous!
How to apply mascara for length?
If what you are looking is length, I have the perfect technique for you!
This is my favorite way to apply mascara because it really helps to lengthen your lashes without making them look spidery.
But first, let’s talk about the different mascara brushes.
You can find either a thin mascara wand, medium or very bulky mascara wand from different types of mascaras.
I made this table to you to find the differences and when/where to use each.
| Mascara type | Use | Example |
| Thin mascara tip | Perfect to separate your lashes, small eyes, hooded eyes, and bottom lashes. The tip reaches from root to tip for a bigger volume. | BADgal Bang Mascara from Benefit |
| Medium mascara tip | Easier application since the tip tends to grab more product; it maximizes volume. Not ideal for bottom lashes | Voluminous Lash paradise Waterproof Mascara |
| Hour glass shaped big tip | This type of tip allows you to separate + coat + curl your lashes at the same time, but because it is bigger than others, it is difficult to reach the inner corner lashes and bottom lashes. | Better than sex waterproof mascara |
If you can get one or two different types of mascaras great! But if you are only looking to have one, get a waterproof / medium tip one.
Now that we know the use of each type of mascara tip, let’s start.
STEP 1.
First, take your mascara brush and place it at the base of your lashes. Then, wiggle the brush back and forth while moving it up your lashes.
This allows you to cover every side of each single eyelash to get the product and look more voluminize.
Start from the base but do not over apply on it, rapidly take your mascara to the tips.
Overapplying product to the base of your lashes will make them look dark on the base making the illusion of a “fake eyeliner” that reduces our length visually, and we don’t want that.
STEP 2.
Apply a second coat, but this time, focus only on the tips to make them look longer.
Avoid touching the base of your lashes.
STEP 3.
Now, gently apply one coat to your bottom lashes.
Pro tips:
- Some people apply 2-3 or more coats of mascara. I don’t personally like that, I recommend that once your mascara is dry, do not apply more coats to prevent the horrible chunky spider legs.
- Use a medium brush for maximum volume and length in your lashes AND a small/thin mascara brush for your bottom lashes. Thin brushes makes bottom lashes application so much easier
- Use a CLEAN mascara wand, to brush your lashes to separate them and remove any clumbs if this was the case. This will make your eyelashes look fuller and cleaner.
Mascara application can chan your eye shape!
Elongated eyes
If you have round eyes, or you simply want to make your eyes look less rounder and more elongated, try applying your mascara focusing only on the outer corner lashes and in a slightly angle towards the side.
Avoid wearing mascara on the very inner corner lashes
Cute, rounder eyes
If you want to get a cute look, make your eyelashes look fuller by applying your mascara on ALL your eyelashes, in a vertical angle. This will make your eye look more rounder.
How many coats of mascara should I apply?
It all depends on the type of look you want. If you like a more natural look, 1-2 coats are just fine.
For a more dramatic and voluminous look, you can go for 3 coats but no more than that or your lashes will start to look spidery.
NOTE: I’m talking about coats while your mascara is still wet. Avoid adding more coats once your mascara is dry.
How to apply mascara and eyeliner?
To apply mascara and eyeliner, start by applying the eyeliner first. This will prevent getting mascara on your way while you apply eyeliner. Eyelashes is the very last step in eye makeup.
When applying eyeliner, use short, quick strokes to apply the liner as close to the lash line as possible. Try wearing a thin eyeliner when you want your eyelashes to look long and fuller. This will help create a more natural look.
(If you want a more dramatic look, you can use a thicker liner but I’d recommend wearing false eyelashes instead of only mascara.)
Once the eyeliner is applied, go ahead and apply your mascara. Start at the base of your lashes and wiggle the brush back and forth while moving it up your lashes. This will help coat each lash evenly.
If you smudge your mascara by accident, remember that you can always fix it. Just wait until mascara dries, take a small clean brush 1 or 2 drops of makeup remover and then remove it.
How to apply mascara on the bottom lashes?
We already touch bottom eyelashes application on this post, but let me tell you something.
Bottom lashes are as important as upper lashes! They can change or complete your whole look.
Pick one of these looks for your bottom lashes:
- You can either leave them bare (no mascara at all)
- Apply a thin coat of mascara to make them pair with your natural mascara application on your upper lashes
- Apply your mascara and use tweezers to join two lashes together and make a doll-like eye look
- And of course you can opt for a more dramatic look, and wear color mascara on your bottom lashes.
Do you put mascara on first or eyelashes?
You should put mascara on your eyelashes AFTER you have applied your false eyelashes.
That way, the false lashes will blend in with your natural lashes. The problem with this is that you won’t want getting mascara on your false lashes if you plan to use them.
Try this oly if you don’t want to wear your false eyelashes again. You theoretically can clean your false eyelashes and try to remove your mascara.
but I personally do not recommend that I prefer to either keep my false eyelashes away from mascara or do not use my lashes again.
The best way to wear mascara and false eyelashes is by first curl your natural lashes, then apply a thin coat of mascara to set your curl, after that, apply your false eyelashes and do not reapply mascara.
How to apply mascara on someone else?
We have covered enough about getting a flawless mascara application on your lashes, but what about applying mascara on someone else?
It’s a totally different thing.
First, you need to make sure you are not sharing the same mascara brush. Disposable mascara wands are ESSENTIAL to keep everything perfectly hygenical between clients.
Start with a very small amount of product on the wand. You can always add more if necessary but it’s hard to take away excess mascara once it’s on the lashes + it helps to prevent mascara smearing.
Gently hold the upper eyelid (we don’t want to mess up with the eyeshadows the person has) and brush the wand through the lashes, from root to tip. Wiggle the wand as you go to help coat.
Like I touch earlier in this article, do not overapply on the base of the lashes and instead try to focus on the tips to make them look longer.
Apply only one or two coats and let it dry, once it is dry do not reapply!
What mascara gives you the longest lashes?
There are a few mascaras on the market that claim to give you long lashes.
Our top 5 favorites include:
1. L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
2. Maybelline New York Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara
3. Covergirl Clump CrusherExtensions LashBlast Mascara
4. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
5. Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara
If you want an extra boost to get maximum length, try a mascara with microfibers. These tiny fibers will adhere to your lashes and give the appearance of longer, thicker lashes.
The one that we recommend is this super affordable one.
Final thoughts on How to apply mascara like a pro
Mascara application is an essential makeup step we need to pay attention to it, but it can be tricky to get the perfect look without ended up with “spider legs” or “clumbs”.
With these simple hacks, you can now apply mascara like a pro for maximum volume and length!
We’ve covered everything from how to choose the right mascara for your lashes to how to apply it correctly for maximum length and volume.
So what are you waiting for? Start practicing today and see the difference it makes!
We hope you enjoyed this guide on how to apply mascara perfectly! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below and I’ll be happy to answer 🙂
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