Mascara - What's your type?

Long, dramatic and perfectly defined eyelashes – isn’t that every woman’s dream? The great news is that it doesn't take much to style your eyelashes perfectly! A high-quality mascara and the right technique are all you need to turn tired morning eyes into real head-turners. Gone are the days when mascara was only available in black with a standard straight wand. Mascaras are now available in all shapes and colours and these super beauty tools can turn even the finest eyelashes into real eye-catchers. But which mascara is the right one for you? And what’s the right way to apply it?

Yes, there is a right way to apply mascara – you need a brush that’s the perfect shape for your lashes, the right texture and a trained hand. First of all, your eyelashes should be clean and oil-free before putting mascara on. You should therefore be careful when applying moisturizer or other skin or eye care products to avoid the area directly around your eyelids and make sure that everything has been well absorbed before you start to apply mascara to your eyelashes.

It’s best to start off with a thin layer of mascara and then, after the first layer has dried, apply another one. Always wipe off excess mascara from the brush onto a cosmetic tissue and not on the inside rim of the mascara bottle. If you do this, the residue will dry into crumbs, which will then end up on your lashes the next time you apply mascara – not very helpful for a perfect finish. Some women like to start applying mascara to their lashes in the middle of the upper lash line, others prefer to begin with the outer lashes. It doesn't really matter where you start. The important thing, especially for great density and volume, is to use little zigzag movements to coat your eyelashes, working your way from the base, close to your skin, up through the middle of the eyelashes, to the tips.

To give your lashes more length, carefully stroke the mascara wand from the roots of the lashes to the tips with a gentle pulling motion. Don’t forget to apply mascara to the fine hairs on the inside corner of the eye. Only use a small amount of mascara and, while applying, turn your eyes away from the end of the bristles and look in the opposite direction. This will keep your eyelid taut and prevent any smudging.

If you have large eyes, you can also treat your lower lashes to a helping of mascara. Coat the wand with a very small amount of mascara and apply to the underside of the lower lash line with a lifting movement. Here, too, you should use a slight jiggling motion. Gentle zigzag movements are good when applying mascara because they help you reach even the finest hairs and completely coat the lashes with mascara.

If your eyes are small, it’s better not to emphasize the lower lash line at all or only very slightly, as this tends to make eyes look even smaller. Finally, briefly allow your eyelashes to dry, and if you want more volume, repeat the process.

Got the technique down to a T? For best results, you should now check whether your brush is the right one for your eyelash type.

Women with short and fine lashes often want the whole package: length, density, volume AND curl. If your eyelashes are rather fine, every little hair counts if you’re aiming for eyes with that wow effect. Thick brushes with a large surface that absorb a lot of mascara can quickly lead to those dreaded panda eyes with black, thick rims around your eyes. An absolute no-go, which should be avoided at all costs! Especially women with short and fine eyelashes tend to apply two or three layers of mascara for XXL volume. This can make your eyelashes stick together, creating an effect called spider legs, which are only OK – if ever! – at Halloween. It’s not a problem to apply multiple layers. But if you want to avoid that spider leg look, you should allow each individual coat of mascara to dry well before applying the next one. If you want a volume boost for your short fine lashes it is better to use curved brushes with many small and tightly-spaced bristles. For short lashes, these are much better at reaching even the smallest hairs than brushes with straight bristles. For added length, a brush shaped like a comb with short bristles on only one side is ideal. This type of brush will coat your lashes with mascara right up to the tips and make them visibly longer.

Another way to give your eyelashes natural added length is our eyelash growth serum Superlative Lash. Combine it with the right mascara and you’ll see stunning results. 

Your eyelashes are short but thick? Actually, all they need is a sweeping finish and you wouldn’t say no to a little more length either? Peanut-shaped brushes are the best pick for added length. These help to separate the eyelashes, thus ensuring that they don’t overlap or stick together. On top of that, they’re also great for making sure that each lash is mascaraed from root to tip. Neatly separated and with an even coating of mascara, lashes immediately look longer and more defined.

You’re not only looking for extra length, but also that special curl? Mascara wands with an S-shaped tip are ideal. Not only do they help you reach every hair (such as the fine lashes closest to your eye), but they also give your lashes a slight curl at the same time. Curved, half-moon shaped brushes are also perfect for giving your eyelashes a bit of a lift while applying mascara. If that’s still not enough curl for you, you can also use an eyelash curler beforehand. Under no circumstances should this be done after you have applied mascara! Regularly using an eyelash curler after applying mascara will almost certainly lead to your lashes breaking and even falling out after some time.

You should also refrain from squeezing your eyelashes with the eyelash curlers every day. A good eyelash curler has a high-quality silicone pad, a shape adapted to the eye and is made of high-quality metal, which won’t cause problems for women who suffer from allergies. Not every eyelash curler is suitable for every eye shape, so you should definitely take the size of your eye socket into consideration when buying. It is best to warm the eyelash curler in your closed palm for a few seconds before use. Then carefully place it as closely as possible to the edge of your lashes and bend the lashes into shape. Hold for a few seconds and repeat if necessary.

Your eyelashes are long and thick and have a slight natural curl? Lucky you! To give your eyelashes a little extra definition, mascara brushes with elliptical wands are ideal. These brushes also prevent those nasty spider legs, which often occur in the middle of the lash line when you apply several coats of mascara. You can also use a cone-shaped wand to fan your lashes out more and give you a more wide-awake, sparkly-eyed look. It coats each hair with mascara and gives the eyelashes at the outer corner of the eye even more volume. Your eyes will look larger and you’ll achieve that bright-eyed look you’re aiming for.

So you’re using the right technique – applying mascara to your eyelashes in little zigzag movements (of course you start close to the root of your eyelashes, then sweep up towards the tip), you carefully coat the fine hairs at the inner corner of the eye with mascara, then you mascara your lower lashes by first placing the wand parallel to the eyelashes and then slowly sliding it down the hairs and... somehow you still keep on smudging? The mascara ends up on your eyelashes as it should, but also in a lot of other places? If this happens to you again and again, you should ask yourself the following questions: Does the mascara you’re using have the right shape wand? Is it right for your eye shape, are you really catching every lash or does your morning make-up ritual often go wrong? Is the texture suitable for the look you’re aiming for or does it clump and is it hard to get the proper “dosage”? Do your eyes start to water and all that blinking and wiping away of tears is making putting on mascara a real pain?

If your eyes start watering when you apply mascara, you should stop using it immediately. You may be allergic to one or more of its ingredients. The right wand is important, because ideally it should be the perfect fit for your eye shape and turn fine hairs into super eyelashes with XXL volume. And another important facture is the texture – a mascara with a high-quality texture that doesn't become crumbly, is easy to apply and lasts all day long will turn your morning mascara mess into a smudge-free experience in no time at all.

You can avoid crumb chaos by slowly twisting the brush head in the mascara container and not "pumping” it when you want to dunk the wand into the bottle to coat it with mascara. This will prevent air from entering the container and keep the mascara fresh and soft for longer. You're already following all this advice, but those pesky smudges still keep on happening? Then all you can do is practice, practice, practice. With a particularly narrow mascara wand, even beginners will see great results. Cotton swabs soaked with cleansing lotion help you quickly and easily whisk away any unwanted mascara mess.

Can't get enough eyelash volume? Then try a "primer", also called "mascara base" or "foundation". Primers used to be something mainly used on the face before applying make-up. A primer is applied as a base coat before foundation to conceal redness or blemishes, but also to make the subsequent make-up more long-lasting. This principle also works very well for lush lashes. The primer is the first step for XXL lashes. The mostly transparent or white, gel-like or mascara-like texture coats the eyelashes with a thin film and not only gives them fullness, density and length, but also helps the mascara applied afterwards to last much longer.

Many primers also contain conditioning active ingredients that protect the sensitive eyelashes from drying out. Using a primer will not only give your everyday look a little more impact, you can also create a real catwalk look for special occasions. The "layer principle" for eyelashes is not new: As early as the 60s, a whole bag of tricks was being used to create “Twiggy style” eyelashes, named after the it girl of the time, style icon and supermodel Lesley "Twiggy" Hornby. For that genuine Twiggy signature look, artificial eyelashes were also attached to the lower lash line, mascara was applied, and sometimes even thick black lines painted on top to make them even longer. Twiggy herself sometimes wore up to three layers of artificial eyelashes on top of each other. For a slightly toned down it girl look more suitable for every day, baby powder was used, a trick that still works today: First, the eyelashes were mascaraed and then a layer of baby powder was applied. After drying, the eyelashes were mascaraed again. This could be repeated as often as necessary for that striking sixties look with its typical doll eyes and pastel lips.

If baby powder and mascara crumbs don’t sound so appealing today, it's better to use modern lash primers. These new beauty helpers are so easy to use that you can hardly do anything wrong. The only important thing is to always leave a little time to let the foundation dry completely before applying mascara.

The first mascara available on the market consisted of Vaseline and coal. The colour? Black of course! Classic black not only gives eyes that certain something, but also makes eyelashes look thicker and longer. For a softer look and a more natural result, many women swear by brown mascara. Transparent mascara is another alternative if you want to give your eyelashes structure without adding colour. If you are going for colour, you now have a wide range to choose from: Although dark blue eyelashes were last really popular in the 80s, they can also provide a welcome change to everyday black today. However, if you're not heading to an 80s theme party, the rest of your make-up should then be understated. Violet, dark grey and dark green have also been seen on catwalks in recent years. For normal everyday life, add a splash of coloured mascara to the tips of your lashes for an eye-catching highlight. First apply black or brown mascara to your eyelashes as usual and follow up by applying the coloured mascara to the tips only.

We can’t say it often enough: cleansing your face thoroughly in the evening is part and parcel of your daily make-up routine. Even if it’s a pain after a long day at work or a hard night’s partying, before you go to bed you need to remove all traces of make-up and dirt from your face. Your skin needs to be squeaky clean before you hit the sack in order to be able to breathe overnight and regenerate. If you let it slide on a regularly basis, it can not only lead to skin impurities and pimples, but in the worst case even to your eyelashes breaking and falling out. You should also always be very gentle when cleansing the area around your eyes and avoid rubbing too hard. For smooth, shiny and healthy lashes, you should regularly give your lashes an extra dose of care.

Read more in our blog post “Eyelash care“.

You only need a couple of drops to see great results fast. You can now also find special conditioning mascaras based on castor oil which are particularly easy to apply. This is a great way to prevent eyelashes from breaking and to provide them with the nourishment they urgently need if you use mascara daily.