26 June 2007

It's All in the Wrist

I am oft complimented about my eyelashes in the most interesting manner: many believe them to be extensions. When I inform them that in fact Mama Nature and I made these the envy deepens and inevitably leads to, "How can I get my lashes to do that too?" I tell them, "It's all in the wrist."

Mascara is the one product I MUST apply on a daily basis. Not only does the lengthening and volumizing of my lashes act as a shield from sun and grit (as all lashes are supposed to) but it makes me look put together even when I look...horrible. Mascara is a product that cannot be put on in a rush. I get every last lash, which gives a panoramic look.

When applying mascara my wrist moves in a soft but deliberate circle. Almost like wrist circles learned in my belly dance class, my fingers delicately hold the mascara wand. With a hand-held mirror in my left hand and the mascara wand in my right, I hold the mirror underneath my chin and look down as I apply mascara to the right eye. The lashes on the upper eye are coated in this manner; then moving the mirror right in front of me, I apply mascara to the underside of the upper eyelashes. For fine tuning (ie. any missed or difficult to reach lashes) I use the tip of the wand. Repeat on the left side.

I do not always apply mascara to my bottom lashes, especially if I want a more doe-eyed effect. Since my lashes on the outer corners of my almond-shaped eyes are longer, getting the "doe eyes" is made easy by emphasizing those few lashes and skipping the bottom row altogether. When I do use mascara on the bottom I hold the wand horizontally and apply by moving the wand underneath the lashes, going up and out. Voila!

My lashes are already curly, a soft 30-45 degree curve so I do not need to use a curler. I know, lucky me! Using this technique will give anyone long, glam lashes regardless of the mascara used. However, a great lengthening or volumizing base coat works wonders as well.

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