Today’s Topic: Fibers, Primers, and Trendy Colors
Mascara primers and fibers have been around for many years, decades even, and have enjoyed a fair amount of success among mascara wearers. However, like all trends, they fade into obscurity for a while until reborn again with new formulations and a new group of avid mascara wearers ready to give it a try!
Mascara primers are a great way to give your lashes an extra boost in thickness and length. Often white in color, mascara primers claim to condition, separate, thicken and lengthen the lashes, while giving the mascara a nice base to cling to. I find that the white color is helpful as well- there’s no way to leave the house and accidently forget to apply your mascara. (Unless your goal is to look like an ice princess!) The only downside to primers that I’ve experienced is that, again, for stick-straight lashes, most primers tend to be very moist and will flatten out any curl created by a lash curler. Some of the newer formulas will also contain fibers as well, creating a longer, albeit temporary, fringe.
Unlike applying a second coat of mascara, most primers will instruct the user to apply mascara immediately after a thin coat of primer, without any drying time in between. I’ve tried it both ways- an application of mascara right away, and an application of mascara with a some dry time, and for me, giving the primer a short dry time (around 10 seconds) was ideal. It wasn’t enough time for the primer to fully dry and make the application of mascara clumpy, but it gave it enough time to set and keep the lashes separated.
Lash fibers have come a long way in the last few years. In fact, many mascaras are adding fibers right into their formulas. These fibers work by adding extra bulk and length to the lashes, essentially building up the lash where the fibers adhere. Many of the formulas that I have tried where the fiber is in the formula have been so-so… I’ve found that many of them tend to get a little clumpy, especially when the mascara isn’t brand new anymore and evaporation and air have made the formula a little less liquid.
However, I have found that great results from mascara fibers are possible when using dry mascara fiber like Magic Lash. You can use any mascara with the dry fibers and it really does a nice job creating an enviable fringe- if (here’s the downside!) you have the time to really do a nice job. Using these fibers are not part of a quickie application and if you’re a contact wearer, these miniscule fibers could irritate the eyes. (I’m a contact lens wearer, but my eyes are not very sensitive. You could practically put a stick in my eye for me to notice.)
Try these tips for using primer and dry mascara fibers:
- If your lashes are straight and need curling, begin your lash routine by taking a lash curler and curling the lashes. I find that warming the curler with a hair dryer for a couple of seconds warms the metal and helps create a beautiful curl. Touch the warmed curler on the inside of your wrist to make sure it’s not too hot before using on your eyes. For the best curl, press the curler together at the base of the lashes for a second, release, and move a few millimeters up and out and squeeze again. Repeat the press and release process several times until you reach the end of the lashes. By curling the lashes at the base, middle and top, you will have a pretty, wide-eyed curl instead of a unnatural looking bend.
- Starting from the outer corner of the eyelash and working towards the inner eye, sweep a thin layer of primer from the base of the lash to the tip. Let set for a couple of seconds.
- Follow with an even, thin coat of mascara.
- Remove lash fiber wand from tube, tap gently to remove excess fibers, lower eyes, and gently touch the fibers to the wet lashes. The fibers should stick to the wet lashes easily. It will probably look like your lashes have just grown fur!
- Immediate apply a second thin coat of mascara directly over the fibers. You may have to wiggle the wand a little for the best coverage. If you would like to add more bulk, follow steps 4 & 5 again.
- Follow step 2 again for the bottom lashes.
- Coat bottom lashes with mascara. I don’t necessarily recommend using lash fibers on the bottom, but if you want to give it a try- go for it!
- After lashes are fully dry, if you need a little extra curl, VERY GENTLY repeat step 1. The fibers can clump very easily if squished together with a curler, so go slow and use fingertips to separate any areas that do stick.
Another fun trick to try is using colored mascaras. Mascara colors are found in mild to wild colors. Use a navy mascara to brighten the whites of the eyes. Eggplant mascaras will make blue or green eyes pop and will define naturally long lashes without overpowering the eyes. Fun colors like pink, turquoise, green, and yellow can look a little scary if used over the entire lash line- try using fun colors on just the tips of the lashes or just on the outer lash line for a touch of color.
Have fun, be fabulous!
