Lashes 101

Women would rather fight than switch from their favorite mascara. But there's more to beautiful lash design than the formula -- let me show you some master strokes.
--Peter Lamas

Long, sweeping lashes have been a sign of glamour and femininity since Eve. Using your preferred mascara, here's a quick tip sheet to help you make the mega-lashes of your dreams in micro-seconds, with the finesse of a pro.

Prepare Your Lashes Before You Begin:

Make sure your lashes are clean of old mascara and completely dry before you start.

Curl your lashes: A metal or plastic lash curler is the professional's choice. To use a lash curler, the trick is to catch all the lashes without pinching your lid. Here's how:

Open the scissor handle ends and press the open 'mouth' of the curler gently against the upper lid, then close the handles to catch the lashes and curl them upward.
Hold curler closed against lashes for at least 5 seconds to set curl.
Open the scissor ends gently to release the curler.
Repeat the same steps with your other eye.

Hot Tip: If your lashes look bent instead of curled, move the curler halfway up the length of the lashes. Then squeeze and hold for another 5 seconds.

Apply Lash Color: Enhance the curl you've just achieved by applying mascara right after curling.

Remove brush from its vial and lightly stroke the excess off on a tissue.
(there's still plenty of colour on the brush for lash making).

(1) Let's work with the upper lashes first: Look down at a slight angle, into a mirror. Stroke brush from the roots to the ends of lashes, with a twirl, following the way lashes curl, up and out. Next, apply mascara on the underside of the upper lashes, brushing upward from roots to tips. Repeat until every lash is evenly coated.

(2) Now, for the bottom lashes: Hold mirror slightly above your face. Then, hold the brush in an upright vertical position and stroke the brush from side to side, like a windshield wiper, moving from the tiny, inner corner lashes to the outer lashes.
Next, stroke the brush downward to smooth and coat each lash evenly with color, from the roots to the ends.

For more definition, repeat application on upper and lower lashes while lashes are still wet to avoid clumps.

Clean up any smudges with a q-tip dampened with eye makeup remover.

Trouble-shooting: If you still get clumps...comb! Reach for a clean, dry eyelash/eyebrow comb and separate and dissolve clumps while lashes are still wet.

Mascara 101 Tips!

Tip! Most mascaras are waterproof or water-resistant these days. But for rainy days sunning or swimming, try a clear, waterproofing top coat.

Tip! Create more length by sweeping color, starting at the roots to ends, in a long, smooth upward motion so colour is even to the very tips. Try a lengthening formula.

Tip! Skinny Minnies. Look for gel-based formulas and full, bristly wands to coat lashes all around.

Tip! Curl Again? For more curl or to refresh curl later in the day, stroke the brush to the tips of lashes and hold there for 3-5 seconds, at an upward angle.

Tip! What's My Best Colour? A basic black-brown or dark brown looks best on most women, blondes, redheads, or brunettes. Black looks best on very dark brunettes. Plum or navy blue is also flattering on naturally dark lashes (If your lashes are light, use navy or plum as your second coat over your basic black-brown).

Tip! What about Clear Mascara? For an ultra-natural look - Clear can be used on naturally dark lashes to enhance separation and curl and add gloss - without extra colour.

Tip! What about Lash Conditioners? Stroke on clean, dry lashes at bedtime to encourage growth and silkiness.

Tip! What promotes lash growth? Gentle handling and removing makeup every night. Use eye makeup remover with cotton balls before you wash your face to remove mascara and other eye makeup before you sleep. Gently wipe, don't scrub. In addition to being unsightly, clumps and thick coats of color can weigh fragile lashes down and encourage early breakage.

Tip! False lashes. Even if the 60's are back, have a makeup pro teach you how to put fakes on - after the pro has trimmed them to match your eyes perfectly. Professionals, by the way, usually apply fakes lash by lash, not in strips.

Tip! The two Musts-to-Avoid: Don't apply mascara when you're riding in a moving car -- to avoid eye injuries. Don't swap mascara with some one else -- to avoid eye infections.

Tip! Toss unused mascara after 3 months to avoid bacteria buildup.

Tip! Close vial tightly after use. Don't churn mascara around in the vial with the brush. It lets in more air, which dries out the formula.

About Peter Lamas