Lashtastic

No look is ever complete without mascara. We use the following to make natural lashes look so fab that everyone wonders if they are a really good set of "falsies":

Sephora's Professional Heated Lash Curler is an absolute must have! While there is something to be said for sticking to the "tried, trusted, and true", traditional lash curlers are traditional lash destroyers. Over time, many a pair of lashes have fallen victim to the snapping and tugging out that comes with using a traditional curler. Sephora's Professional Heated Lash Curler is battery operated (comes with one) and heats up within seconds. For best results, we let ours warm up for 1-2 minutes before using it.

We recommend curling lashes before applying mascara. While many Sales Associates and curler instructions say to do so after applying mascara, doing so creates a hard to clean mess between the grooves of the heated curler. We also do not curl them afterwards because, over time, it can be damaging to lashes. The same is true for curling post-mascara with a traditional curler. If you prefer to stick with a traditional curler, we recommend using the Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler - lashes are safe with this curler because of its rounded rubber pad.


To further enhance lashes, we love to apply Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base after curling them. This waterproof mascara primer not only conditions lashes, but enhances the effects of mascara (e.g., lengthens and thickens/volumizes) to the point it looks as if one is wearing false lashes. The only "negative" (if you can call it that) is it can be difficult to remove. We have no problems removing it with a waterproof makeup remover like Lancome's Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover.

If you don't want to curl your lashes, we recommend using a mascara that curls like Prescriptives' False Eyelashes Mascara. This mascara is truly the "total package" - it lenghtens, thickens, curls, and conditions lashes.

Our "Recessionista Pick" is any of the Max Factor, Maybelline, and Covergirl mascaras that lengthen and/or volumize lashes. We (and our clients) get great results from products in each of those cosmetic lines.

Credits: Sephora USA, Inc., Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, Shiseido Co., Ltd., Lancome-USA (L'Oreal USA S/D, Inc.), Prescriptives, Inc.