Finding Your Perfect Mascara

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Donna Macdonald, GoLocalWorcester Beauty Expert

Mascara often gets the brush-off when it comes to cosmetic purchasing,and yet it's one of your best and boldest statements every day.

Have you noticed that your husbands, boyfriends, brothers, and guy-friends have better eye fringe then you? Mascara is the most deserted island-worthy cosmetic we’ve got, yet choosing the right one, dealing with gridiron smudges, and knowing when to toss, creates way too much angst. Read on for tips on this all important beauty aid AND this editor’s choice for what may be mascara’s Holy Grail (at least for the moment).

No oils

Do mascara right and you’ve got big doe eyes. Do it wrong, and it’s as rude as the office copier toner. Today’s formulations have come a long way in preventing smudges which are now caused more from the oils in your concealer and foundation then actual mascara-melting. Choosing oil-free face products will keep the raccoon look at bay.

Bottoms up

So now that you know what really causes smudging, don’t forget those baby lashes on the bottom. A quick swipe and peepers focus in and eye color pops. Try it.

One at a time

Most of the new mascaras work with only one coat. Do just one eye at a time and then move on to the other side to prevent mascara from drying in between. Re-coating after drying causes those dreaded clumps, Twiggy spikes, and late-day flaking.

Brush up

Experiment with new brush shapes. We love the pyramid brush with the small tip for those bent side lashes that make you wonder if you slept on your eyeball. The thick part of the brush is for long covering front strokes.

Black is the new black

Color and glitter are great for special occasions, and only extremely fair skinned women should wear brown. Black gives the most definition with the least amount of product.

Know when to toss

If the mascara is starting to dry out, give it up. No sense in holding onto a tube that’s going to ultimately make your lashes brittle and possibly break. And no matter what, toss it after three months. Eye infections are so not chic!

Here’s our curated list of choices:

Tried and true

Maybelline Great Lash is in every makeup artists’ bag o’ tricks. Creamy, deepest black, and ever faithful. (Rite-Aid)

Hip new tube on double duty

Jane Iredale Longest Lash Thickening & Lengthening Mascara multitasks as a lash conditioner in a non-wand tube. Fat eye fringe AND a beauty aid.

Edgy chicness

Yves Saint Laurent Shocking Mascara will shock your lashes into behaving. Hot, hip, showy lashes. (Nordstrom)

Editor’s pick

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara creates instant intensity and the creamy formula gives up glossy full lashes. We love it and so will you. (Sephora)

Sum: Mascara is often taken for granted but it still requires careful selection and some good user tips. After all, why should our guys have all the fun?

Donna Macdonald is a freelance writer who enjoys covering topics of interest to women, especially fragrance, style, beauty. She has also written marketing material for a women's book that hit the New York Times Bestseller list and netted her an up close and personal discussion on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Donna currently writes her own personal blog, alovelyinconsequence.blogspot.com where she also writes about issues close to a woman's heart. Donna believes that when a woman finds beauty in the world, she will find beauty in herself.

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