How to Apply Mascara

Here we share 5 tricks and tips on how to apply mascara correctly. If you suffer from thick, clumpy, spider-like lashes, you may be applying mascara incorrectly.

• Tip #1: How to properly apply mascara. Ace your mascara application with a three-step process:

  Step 1: Wiggle the wand left to right at the base of lashes. It's the mascara placed near the roots -- not the tips -- that gives the illusion of length.

  Step 2: Pull the wand up and through lashes, wiggling as you go. The wiggling part is key: Wiggling separates lashes.

  Step 3: In this final step (which I always skip), close the eye and place the mascara wand on top of lashes at the base and pull through to remove any clumps.

• Tip #2: Keep lashes from clumping. For some, lash combs are simply too fussy. But for some makeup artists, they're a great invention and keep lashes glob-free and perfectly separated.

  So how to use? Apply mascara at the lash base. Then wiggle the lash comb through to the tips of your lashes.

  Not into the lash comb? Get rid of clumbs without them by removing excess mascara from the wand. Wipe wand on tissue, this eliminates blobs BEFORE you start.

• Tip #3: Try a spoolie (a disposable mascara wand). Sweep a clean, fresh mascara wand through lashes when they're wet. You can buy a pack at Ricky's ($5 for 15) at rickysnyc.com or look for them in any store that carries specialty beauty products.

  You can also recycle old mascara wands. When you finish a mascara, clean the wand in a capful of eye makeup remover, then wash with soap and dry. Keep it clean by washing it whenever you wash your makeup tools.

• Tip #4: Mix mascaras. A trick makeup artists use to make lashes pop is apply one coat of lengthening mascara, followed by one coat of thickening mascara. Remove excess product with a clean spoolie wand (see tip #3 above).

• Tip #5: Don't shy away from colored mascara. Basic mascara rules are simple: Black works for everyone but can be harsh on light-skinned blondes. Blondes should opt for brown/black by day and reserve black for night.

  Blue mascara brightens blue eyes while purple mascara makes brown eyes pop. The most popular mascara sold in the US is Maybelline Great Lash mascara (pictured here), a great buy at under $6. The company estimates one tube is sold every 1.6 seconds in the U.S.