Magic Wand!

In the world of makeup artistry as well as in the “real” world, there is an ongoing quest for the perfect mascara!

You can shadow, line, shape, highlight and contour those gorgeous eyes of yours, but until that final swipe of the magic wand from that little tube of glamorous elixir, your look is considered “unfinished” – and that’s a fact!

There are tons of mascaras available to the consumer with formulations that claim to lengthen, curl, extend, and thicken and others that won’t smear, flake, smudge or clump! As a bonus, cosmetic companies also provide us with a variety of “magic wands” to choose from (so many that even Harry Potter would be confused). They come in all shapes, widths and lengths. Curled, fat, hourglass, stubby or thin, these wands will grip, coat, plump, adhere and add volume to your lashes!

Now, with so many choices, which formula and wand is right for you? It is a very personal choice based on personal results, but here is a little information from the Pro to help guide you on your search.

Thickening Mascara – a thick formula designed to make lashes appear fuller. If you feel your lashes are thin or you have sparse lashes then you may find this type of formulation beneficial. These mascaras usually come with a fatter, longer, straight wand.

Lengthening Mascara - thinner formula that will help make lashes longer, but in a way that looks more natural. These mascaras usually come with a thinner, standard width and length wand.

Curling Mascara - lightweight formula that is fused with a technology that curls lashes eliminating the need of an eyelash curler. This mascara usually comes with a curled wand.

Waterproof Mascara - formulated with a technology that will resist water and is great for those who tend to have oily eye areas, find themselves in climates that are extremely humid or for a special occasion, however you will need a special type of eye makeup remover. These mascaras come with a variety of wands depending on the cosmetic company’s claim.

My personal choice is Dior Show Mascara Blackout. It is a lengthening formula with a big, fat, long wand, which gives me amazing results with just one coat of mascara. Dior’s campaign promises “show girl” lashes and/or “the look of false lashes” and for me, this claim rings true. At $24.00 retail, this mascara isn’t cheap, but because of the results on both my clientele and myself I have brand loyalty.



I am also a huge fan of Lancôme’s Definicils-High Definition Mascara. This product gave my lashes great shape and separation with one coat. It has a slimmer, longer brush than Dior Show and it is my back up mascara! Plus Lancôme makes this formulation in Navy, brown or deep brown colors.



Unfortunately, our country is in a recession and I felt it necessary to be a budget-conscious professional so I started to test other mascaras (around 40 or so) and have discovered that there are two drug store brands out there that are on the cheap, but are very chic!

Covergirl’s Lash Blast Mascara - gave my lashes instant volume and fullness as well as length. A great bang for your buck, it comes in an original or waterproof formula with a big, fat, wand!



Max Factor’s 2000 Calorie Mascara - lives up to it’s name and gave my lashes length and separation. This mascara comes with a straight, fat wand or a curved wand depending on your personal preference. Choose the straight wand if you are focusing on lengthy lashes.



TRIX OF THE TRADE:

Mascara should last up to 6 months as a rule however, if your mascara smells funny, chuck it! Eye area is very sensitive to bacteria and old mascara can cause major irritation! Don’t pump that wand ever! Pumping your mascara wand into the tube adds air into the container and will make your mascara dry out faster.

TIME FOR A LITTLE Q & A:

Katie P. wants to know:
I’d love to read your opinion on cake mascara vs. tube mascara.

Pro says:
Great question Katie! I use cake mascara by Le Femme (sold at Cinema Secrets in Burbank, California) when I apply false lashes. I dampen a fan brush with a little bit of Evian Water and sweep the brush back and forth across the mascara. Dab the brush on the back of my hand to remove the excess and apply. The reason cake works best is because the formula and brush doesn’t “pull” the false lashes off of the rim of the lash line and makes adhering the false lash to the real lash easier. It is great to use cake mascara for everyday and the formula is the same as lengthening mascara, but most find it intimidating based on the application. We are programmed to use the wand/tube combination!

Andrea T. wants to know:
Can you recommend mascara for contact lens wearers?

Pro says:
Another fantastic question! While I don’t wear contact lenses, I know plenty of people who do and even a mere flake of mascara is enough to ruin a contact lens and cause the eyes to turn red and irritated! Check out mascaras from the following cosmetic lines: Almay, Covergirl, Lancôme or Clinique (they all claim to be safe for contact lenses). Stay away from lash lengthening mascaras because they tend to have tiny fibers that can get into the eyes.