The next beauty/ makeup product in our Makeup101 series is mascara.
For those who are new to this field, mascara is supposed to enhance your eyelashes. It may lengthen, darken, thicken or define your eyelashes, or do everything together. 

Just like every other makeup, mascaras come in a variety of formulas and packaging, each for a particular purpose. So as long as you know what formula and wand you need for your specific needs, you can never go wrong.

The Different Formulas

Fiber Mascaras

These come with a white primer that adhere tiny lengthening fibers to your eyelashes, so you can apply the black coat on top, giving you long healthy looking lashes. These are best for people with sparse and short lashes.

Curling Mascaras

These have a wand specifically made to curl your lashes upwards and their formula is made to keep them that way. These are best for straight lashes.

Waterproof Mascaras

As the name suggests, these have a waterproof formula, designed to resist against water and long-wear. These will be your go-to for pool parties as well as weddings and farewells you know you’re going to cry at! Better safe than panda-eyed, right?

Volumizing Mascaras

These have a thicker, waxier formula, often with silicone polymers to give a bulky look to your lashes, giving them just the right volume.

The Different Wands

Classic Wand

This one is possibly the oldest form of a mascara wand you will see. It has a thick, straight wand and thick, straight bristles. These wands give you the good old classic, volumized, thick lashes. 

Tapered Comb

This wand has bristles that narrow down at one end. They have a tapered top to reach the small lashes in the inner corners of your eyes while the broader end will concentrate the formula on the outer lashes. You will end up with dramatic, cat eye lashes, one of my personal favorites!

Curved Comb

These are the curling wands we talked about earlier. They help curve the lashes upwards, giving them a beautiful lift. Start at the roots and wiggle upwards along the lashes. Concentrating too much mascara at the ends will weigh the lashes down, losing their curl.

Micro Wand

For a beautiful clean, defined look, micro wands are beautifully designed. Having extremely thin wands, they allow you to layer mascara without making them clumpy. They are also the best for your lower lashes, allowing precise application without leaving marks and smudges on your lower lash-line.

Ball Tip Wand

These have a tiny bristled ball on the top for the purpose of separating and coating the lashes to give a volumized look. They also make it easier to reach the tiny lashes. Some wands also have just a ball or multiple balls on their wand, all for a similar purpose: volume.    

How to Apply

Pull your wand out. Never push and pull the wand multiple times. This will push air into your tube and dry your mascara out quicker. The product on your wand when you first pull it out is enough for a good coat.
Place the wand at the roots of your lashes and wiggle it out towards the ends. When applying to the top lashes look down and apply to avoid smudges on your eyelids. When applying to the lower lashes look up and then apply. 

How to Remove Mascara

Use a gentle makeup remover for removing anything on and around your eyes since it is a sensitive area. Close your eyes and place the makeup removing wipe or cotton pad on your lashes. Hold for 10-15 seconds and gently swipe. If there is still product left, do it again. Be very gentle. You don’t want to break the lashes by pulling too hard.

In cases of waterproof mascara, specific removers are available in the market, but if you don’t want to spend extra bucks on a separate product, use any lotion. It does the trick pretty well.

So this is pretty much everything you need to know about mascaras. If you have any further questions, do comment below and we will try and answer your queries. Peace and love, girlies.