When it comes to drawing attention to your eyes, there is nothing like properly applied mascara to help darken, define and separate your lashes. When I was working behind the scenes at a dinner theater in New York, mascara was one of the things that helped the actress’s facial features stand out under the bright stage lights. It was always applied the same way. Here’s how it was done:
Preparing the Eyelashes
Start by combing your eyelashes with an eyelash brush. A good quality eyelash brush will cost you around $12. Based on my experience, this will help to separate your lashes. Continue by curling your eye lashes with an eyelash curler. You may expect to pay approximately $19 for one.
Next, coat your eyelashes with an eyelash primer. Eyelash primers go on clear and give the mascara something extra to hold onto. Personally, I like using Clinique’s Lash Building Primer. It is a bit pricey though. A tube of the primer will set your budget back by about $14. It is what they used at the dinner theater and it really worked well.
Add Thickening Mascara
After the primer is on, apply a thickening mascara to the base of your eyelashes using a rolling motion. Rotate the brush one to three revolutions at the base of your eyelashes before pulling it towards the ends. This will help to make your eyelashes look full.
Add Lengthening Mascara
Continue by applying a lengthening mascara. You’ll want to place the lengthening mascara’s wand just above your roots and start rotating it. Rotate the wand as you pull it to towards the outer edge of your eyelashes. This will give your eyelashes the appearance of length.
Next, lightly warm your eyelash curler with your blow dryer. Once it is warm, curl your eyelashes one more time. During my time at the dinner theater, I learned that the warmth generated from the blow dryer will help to set the curl.
Coat Lower Lashes
Proceed by adding thickening mascara to your lower eyelashes. I learned that placing a cotton swab under your lower lashes while you apply the mascara will help to lift and separate the lashes as well as cut down on the amount of mascara that ends up onto your skin. If any mascara does get onto your skin, use another cotton swab to remove it as gently as possible.
Apply Setting Powder
Once you are done applying the mascara, I’d suggest closing your eyes and lightly dusting your face with a translucent setting powder. In my experience, the setting powder will help to keep the mascara from smearing. A small container of setting powder will typically cost you $9.
Killeen Gonzalez took a stage makeup class in college and worked behind the scenes at a dinner theater in New York. In addition, her parents were licensed cosmetologists and owned their own full service beauty salon.
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