An essential step for a successful makeup look, mascara is as effective as it is tricky to use... How can you really apply it well without making mistakes? You'll see, it's not that difficult.

Unless you never wear makeup, it's impossible to overlook this icon that is mascara. A real little beauty revolution, this long wand containing a paste of black pigments has the (magical) power to considerably enhance your lashes. Invented at the beginning of the 20th century by the French chemist Eugène Rimmel, mascara as we know it today was originally a preparation made of petroleum jelly and pigment powder that was applied to the lashes using a small brush made of wild boar bristles. 

In 1917, the United States caught on to the good idea and the American entrepreneur T.L. Williams (creator of the Maybelline cosmetics brand) launched "Lash-Brown-Ine", the first mascara marketed in the US, containing the same formula as Mr Rimmel's invention... The rest is well known, mascara has never left the beauty world since! Over the decades, the formulas and applicators of different mascaras have evolved to become more sophisticated and effective, notably offering options for all types of lashes and aesthetic preferences.

How to choose your mascara?

Before learning how to apply it well, you must first know how to choose it. Mascara is not bought at random, at least not if you hope for a perfect result. There are several small factors to consider tochoose the best mascara for your lashes. To get the one that will hit the mark, we consider notably: the shape of the eyes, the type of lashes, the color of the irises. These three points will help you know whether you should rather turn to a volumizing, lengthening, or curling mascara. Obviously, each of these models has specific features such as a suitable brush, a special formula (vegan, treatment, etc.) or simply a different color. 

Good to know: blue eyes particularly appreciate dark brown mascara but also suit a midnight blue mascara. Brown eyes have nothing against black mascara and green eyes will lean more towards a light brown/dark brown shade.

The steps to follow to apply your mascara 

Now that the right mascara has been chosen, it is time to apply it properly to finally show off the doe-eyed lashes you deserve. We start by getting equipped: the mascara, a spoolie brush to remove any clumps, an eyelash curler and we are off. 

Prepare your lashes 

Just like with your complexion, before applying your mascara, you prepare your lashes so they have the healthiest possible base. After making sure they are clean, you brush them with a clean lash brush in order to separate them and remove any dust or eyeshadow residue, because mascara is the last step of the beauty routine. Preparing the lashes can involve applying a treatment base (like a lash serum) or a volumizing base (white mascara) which is very effective when you have short lashes. It is not necessary, but if you want to pamper your lashes in addition to making them beautiful, it is all beneficial.

For those who have straight lashes or simply want to emphasize the curve of the lashes, we will use the eyelash curler before applying the layers of mascara. This rule must absolutely be respected, because if it is applied after mascara, the eyelash curler can break the lashes and cause them to fall out.

Apply your mascara with the right motion

We have all probably heard of the right motion, we are talking about the famous zigzag. It is the simplest and most reliable method to best apply the black paste that will enhance our lashes. This motion is rather simple to perform and once mastered it glides (almost) by itself. How to do it? By holding the brush at the base of the lashes, you make zigzag motions slowly moving up to the tips of the lashes. You repeat the operation until you get the desired effect. Be careful, avoid pumping the brush into the mascara tube, this can let air in and dry out the product, especially if it is a waterproof mascara... 

• A little tip for almond-shaped eyes, we will insist with the mascara on the outer corner of the upper lashes by stretching them as far up as possible. This will have the effect of lengthening the gaze and giving it a beautiful doe-eyed look. 
• A little tip for an awake look the idea is to have generally long lashes. We will insist on the lashes in the center of the eye. By stretching them as far up as possible and separating them properly to give them an enlarged look. 

Get rid of clumps

This is the little black. We fear mascara clumps, and sometimes even the best mascara can leave some! To avoid them as much as possible, do not load the brush with mascara product (avoid going back and forth in the tube!). Once out of the tube, you can eventually remove the excess by rubbing the brush on the extreme edge of the mascara tube. You can also apply it directly to the lashes and then come to smooth the clumps using a spoolie brush or a mascara brush, completely clean. 

We finish our beauty routine with the application of mascara on the lower lashes. Here we apply ourselves meticulously, we must avoid clumps and the lower lashes are very fine and small. A little brush stroke is enough!