The old rules are gone when it comes to mascara. The formulas are so advanced these days that the tips I’d have given you a short while ago aren’t necessary any more. There’s no need to wipe off excess product with a tissue, as the wand should grab the right amount.
There’s no need to zigzag the wand through lashes or run a clean wand through. Best of all, the new mascaras don’t offer one benefit, such as lengthening or volumising or curling or lifting or defining – they do almost everything all at once to amplify your lashes.
I have made my picks from the current crop. I wore each for a day and was impressed by them all. What I really like is that the formulas don’t dry quite so fast, meaning you get more time to perfect your application with the wand and only really need one coat for dramatic lashes.
So if you’re using a dried-up old mascara, toss it out, invest in one of these and say goodbye to clumpy, smudgy lashes!
**Mascara wisdom
**
**The best technique for application
**This can take up to five minutes. First, apply all of your other eye makeup. Then, starting at the roots, coat the lashes and lift and separate them with the wand. Be sure to apply the mascara from the inside corners to the outside edges, and concentrate on extending the outer lashes upwards and outwards.
Once you’re happy with the result and the top lashes are dry, move onto lightly coating the bottom lashes to finish. If you tend to smudge when doing this, have a cotton bud soaked in eye makeup remover ready to clean up. Or slip a small piece of paper beneath your lower lashes before applying.
**If you get smudging
**There are a couple of possible causes of this. One is that you’ve rushed your application and not given the mascara time to dry. Or you could have oily skin around your eyes, so try waterproof or water-resistant mascara. It’s wise not to use oily eye creams before applying makeup. Another tip is to dust the area under your eyes with pressed powder before applying mascara.
**If you have extensions
**You don’t need to use mascara if you have eyelash extensions.
**Coloured mascara
**This has attempted a comeback but is probably best left to young girls. Use black unless you have very fair or fine lashes, in which case brown is more subtle.
Dried-out mascara
Your product can dry out and become unusable if you leave the cap off or pump the wand in the tube. You should use it up within three months of opening.
**Boost mascara’s impact
**Before you apply mascara, put on a coat of eyeliner along the upper lash-line.
**MY BEAUTY SECRETS
**Miriama Kamo is the presenter of TV One’s Sunday programme.
My beauty philosophy is… Surround yourself with good, wise, happy people and it’ll rub off. From a skin-deep perspective, I’m pretty loyal, so when I find something that works, I stick with it.
The skincare products I can’t live without are… Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream and Special Cleansing Gel.
My haircare secret is… The makeup girls at TVNZ* *and all and any Kérastase products.
The products I always have in my makeup bag are… Lucas’ Papaw Ointment – it can be used as a lipgloss and to treat dry skin. Also MAC eye shadows, Lancôme Color Ideal Makeup, L’Oréal Paris Glam Shine 6H Volumizer Lipgloss, Napoleon Perdis Kohl Eyeliner, and a great set of MAC brushes.
My favourite beauty treat is…An uninterrupted day with my delightful baby. I feel like I’m glowing afterwards.
My biggest beauty sin is… My neglected nails. I never polish them. And the only attention they get is when they break, otherwise they’re on their own.
The best thing my mother taught me about beauty was… That we all have it and if we don’t recognise it, we’ll look back and realise with regret what we missed enjoying.
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