Luscious lashes are having their moment. Mascara and lashes are being used in an almost ornamental way to give eyes a modern feel that’s full of attitude, yet chic and sophisticated. All you need is black mascara and good technique. Try these tips to get your standout look.
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For long, fanned out lashes
Pick a skinny brush with rigid, spaced bristles like Benefit They’re Real Mascara, that comes in an adorable and perfectly purse-sized, Mini, R175. What makes this mascara particularly good is the miniature bristles at the tip of the brush that go along the spherical shape of the brush, making it a thousand times easier to make sure all of your lashes get a healthy coating of mascara, especially the tiny lashes towards your tear-duct that most mascaras have trouble reaching. When applying, start right at the root of your lashes, wiggling the wand up and outwards for a feline flutter.
Pro-lash tip: Make sure that you work quickly so that it doesn’t dry between coats and clump up.
For serious volume
Find a chunky wand with fluffy bristles and a fibre-enriched formula like this NYX Professional Makeup Doll Eye Mascara, R150.
If you have short lashes and are looking for ultra-lustrous volume, try the new Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara, R400, that coats lashes in one swipe with seriously black pigments and comfortable feeling volume, thanks to its unique formula that gives lashes wantable fake-lash length and drama.
Pro-lash tip: Really press it into the root, holding a small piece of card behind your lashes to get more on without smudging it all over your lids, then drag the wand slowly up your lashes so that it deposits lots of product. Don’t be afraid to apply a third or fourth coat. This isn’t supposed to be subtle.
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For lift and curl
For easy curling, try the new L’Oreal Paradise Extatic Masacara, R189. Just one coat left my lashes looking more defined, and seriously up-turned. The castor oil-infused formula is a great pick for summer as it doesn’t flake or clump, refuses to budge, and still manages to come off without too much of a struggle.
For small or deep-set eyes…
Pro-liner tip: Try this technique to give definition without making your eyes appear smaller. Use a waterproof eye pencil that’s not too sharp; pull your upper lid from just under your brow, then gently draw liner back and forth on the upper waterline. Now pull skin taught to the side and dot the liner between your lashes, getting right into the root. Let go of your lid, survey your handiwork and clean up any smudges with a cotton bud. Voila! Your lashes are now ready for a few coats of your favourite lash-loving mascara.
Our fave liners for tight-lining upper eyelids? Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner,R295, in the shade Vivid Sapphire.
We also love budget-friendly Catrice 18h Colour & Contour Eye Pencil, R44,95, in the shade Up in The Air.
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