This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
I recently wrote an article about Eyebrows and how to make the most of them as they are such an important and often forgotten part of our facial features. Now I want to focus on eyelashes and the best mascaras, which are equally important as brows. As you get older, hair growth is a mystery – it thins on your head, becomes sparse on your eyelashes, but sprouts up in other unwanted places like your chin. However, whilst long eyelashes can be associated with good genes, there is still a lot that we can do to help those who have short, sparse eyelashes.
Mask wearing has meant there has been a lot more focus on our eyes, so it might be the perfect time to give our eyelashes a little more attention. This picture of the Duchess of Cambridge at Prince Philip’s funeral shows how much focus there is on one’s eyes.
CREDIT: CHRIS JACKSON/WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES
We have written in the past about the many growth serums on the market; however, their prices have become a little inflated. A renowned make-up artist told me recently to apply organic castor oil at night to the roots of my lashes, and the results would be as good as any expensive serum. However, just as I was considering this into my inbox came an email from Typology, a fairly new French skincare brand, with news of the launch of their eyelash serum and lo and behold, it has castor oil as one of the main ingredients. I am currently trying it out, and since I have quite long eyelashes, I cannot see an increase in the length yet; however, the general condition is so much better, and I find curling my eyelashes and then applying mascara seems to be much easier and the lashes look so healthy and strong.
So onto mascaras. I have to admit that mascara is the sole make-up product I would take to my desert island, as without it, my eyes disappear into my head. I know it would hardly matter on a desert island, but you never know who you might meet. My grandmother had her nails done two days before she died as she said if she was going to meet her maker, she wanted to look her best. So for me, that would be mascara – it has a strangely transformative effect on my psyche. It widens and defines my eyes. Nowadays, I am looking for length, definition and softness; I want my lashes to look satiny and naturally luscious.
Tips for application:
- Start right from the root
- Zig-zag the wand from side to side
- Never pump the tube as it dries it out, just twist slowly instead
- The fatter the brush the bigger the volume
- As for your bottom lashes, turn the brush vertically. ‘The thinner end will help you control your application with more precision.’
I think many of us have a few dried up mascaras in our make-up bag as we are continuing to look for the holy grail of mascaras. Below I have suggested a few that I hope might help give you the lashes of your youth.
MISHEL MASCARA £16
This mascara is my personal favourite.
I met Michelle, one half of this make-up duo, at This Morning TV, and since then, I have used many of their products, including eye shadows, concealer and mascara. Their mascara is incredible; I cannot say enough about how good it is. I recently did a FaceTime Live, and people kept asking me what mascara I was wearing.
Mishel mascara defines each lash but leaves them soft and not hard and spiky. It does not shed, nor does it glue lashes together. I use an eyelash curler before applying this mascara as my lashes are dead straight; however, this mascara will give your lashes a real uplift, so you may not need to curl them first.
HONEST BEAUTY Extreme Length Mascara + Lash Primer, £19
If you want eyelashes like Jessica Alba then try her brand mascara. There has to be something in the fact that the sales for this mascara on Amazon went through the roof last year – 652% up on the previous year. Word of mouth has obviously put this mascara up there competing with the big brands.
Two of the mascara’s central ingredients are water and beeswax and, the primer gives the mascara something to grip onto for length and thickness.
CHANEL Le Volume De Chanel, £28
The French do know a thing or two about make-up and are often ahead of the game.
This is the first mascara to feature a 3D-printed brush. This sounds sci-fi, but all you need to know is that you get extreme volume with no clumps from the get-go. The granular surface of the brush grabs onto lashes while honeycomb-like holes absorb the formula. Together, they deliver just the right amount so you don’t need another dip in the tube.
LANCÔME Hypnôse £27.50
Apparently, Lancôme Hypnôse is Penelope Cruz and the Duchess of Cambridge’s favourite mascara. If this is true I think the picture at the top of this article is enough to make me go out and buy this mascara.
This mascara delivers intense eyes, day and night – it is a very deep black. Jojoba oil allows the formula to glide on the lashes for easy application, carnauba wax maintains their curve and acacia gum preserves the supple and soft texture. With its unique patented wand made with over 1,000 bristles, lengthening and thickening each eyelash from root to tip is easy. It really is a lovely consistency and has a long-lasting effect.
BENEFIT Roller Roller Lash Lifting & Curling Mascara, £23.50
We couldn’t have a line-up of the best on the market and not include one from Benefit. For years and years, the brand has featured at the very top of the UK’s bestselling mascara list, so it’s not surprising they invest so much in coming up with the best wands.
The Roller Lash brush features a ‘hook and roll’ effect that grabs and separates each lash, then curls them upwards for a lifted look.
LUSH LASHES £15.50
One of the industry’s newest launches, Lush’s new low preservative mascara – infused with lash loving ingredients like coconut oil – conditions eyelashes while coating and giving them some serious smudge-free lift. Plus, its infusion of wonder ingredient wheatgrass contains a whole host of vitamins, minerals and proteins to encourage long-term lash growth.
WHAT COLOUR MASCARA?
Black is the most popular, but it can wash paler skin tones out, so it might be worth considering a brown or navy? Do you want your eye colour to stand out? Pick a colour that accentuates. Purple and blues mXake blue and green eyes pop, browns highlight hazel.
BY TERRY Mascara Terribly £35
This mascara comes in black, brown, blue and purple, and I have to admit indulging myself and buying the purple one. It isn’t only the colour that appealed but also because it is an ophthalmologically tested mascara. Terrybly features a cocktail of powerful ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, collagen, plant protein and growth activating technology, so lashes look stronger, healthier, longer, thicker and more volumised – a multi-tasking mascara. I can wear the purple one with no other eye make-up and it really makes my eyes pop.
If you want a fabulous go out and knock them dead with your eyelashes try By Terry Lash Expert (£25) with Twist brush. You can apply the mascara in the morning on the normal setting and then if you are going out and want that Va-va-voom look you can twist the brush and add another layer. It really works and doesn’t add a load of clumpy bits.
Finally if you want some really good eyelash curlers try the Kevin Aucoin ones (£17) as I swear by them and my eyelashes are really strong and straight.