Three Steps for Longer Lashes

If there is one makeup product I couldn't miss, it's mascara. I go weeks without wearing foundation or eyeshadow, but mascara is a daily essential for me, has been since what seems like forever. I have been wearing makeup for about eight years now and over time I've tried numerous mascaras from various brands. There are so many options to choose from nowadays, but what I usually look for in a good mascara is that the formula lengthens my eyelashes, doesn't smudge and feels comfortable (no clumpy lashes feeling for me, please!).

In May I was invited by fellow blogger Jana to attend a makeup workshop at the MAC Pro store in Antwerp. While healthy, glowy skin was the focus of the workshop (Everyone seemed to have fallen in love with Pearl, a beautiful pale gold cream highlighter. I have been using it almost every day since!), we received a goodie bag with two eye makeup products: Prep + Prime Lash and the False Lashes mascara. This duo promises to volumise and lengthen the eyelashes. I had never combined mascaras before, so I was eager to give them a try!



On most days just a quick coat of mascara is enough for me, but here's what I do when I want my eyes to pop with the focus on beautiful long eyelashes:

1- Curl
I will never apply mascara without curling my eyelashes first. My lashes are naturally long, but also quite straight so a quick curl makes all the difference. It makes my eyes appear bigger and I generally look more awake.
2- Prime
I was new to eyelash primer before this, so I was excited to give the Prep + Prime Lash a go and see if it would enhance the effects of any mascara I'd apply on top. This primer/serum visibly adds length and volume to the lashes without making them clump together. As you can see in the picture above, the product applies as if you'd be putting on white mascara. Do note that the colour doesn't 100% fade to a transparent finish once it's dried, so you might want to double-check for any signs of the primer after applying your regular coloured mascara (unless you're rocking the white-mascara look, in that case carry on).
As for results, I like that this primer makes my eyelashes longer and thicker without weighing them down. My lashes are soft and supple; it doesn't feel like I'm wearing eye makeup at all. I do find that I can't apply just any mascara on top. The primer is great to achieve ultra-long lashes, however adding another volumising formula easily gives my eyelashes that 'overdone look'. It helps when I wipe off the mascara wand on a tissue before applying or if I use an eyelash comb afterwards to take away the excess product, but well... that's a lot of effort to make a mascara work. The Prep + Prime Lash primer is a great product to have, but my tip would be to try different mascara formulas to see what gives the best results.
3- Coat
The second product we got in the goodie bag is the False Lashes mascara. According to MAC this mascara will give you 'incredibly magnified and multiplied lashes that are thick, long, curled and full-feathered'. While I don't completely agree with the description, it's a mascara I like and I can see myself buying it when I finish this tube. It's been my go-to mascara for those days when I'm in a hurry and I'm either applying makeup right before heading out or I'm taking it for on the way. Thanks to the dry formula it's easy to apply in the first place, but it also won't smudge as easily as mascaras that take longer to set. As for the lasting power, it's survived long work days, the heat wave we had last week and nights out with only minimal smudging, so that's a winner in my eyes (no pun intended). One coat of this gives a natural finish, but the formula can also be built up for a more dramatic look without clumping. It lengthens the eyelashes and holds a curl really well. Overall, a good allround mascara that you can use both in the daytime or when you want to go all out on the eye makeup and really make your eyes stand out.

A fourth option to lengthen your eyelashes is by using an eyelash serum. I've never actually used products like RevitaLash or anything similar, but they help eyelashes grow and make them thicker. A cheaper alternative is coconut or castor oil, or even vaseline! Apply some on your eyelashes and along the lash line with a q-tip every night before bed, and you should notice change after a few weeks! Don't forget to rub off the excess oil in the morning so your eyelashes aren't greasy when you're applying makeup.

What is your go-to mascara? Any tips on getting longer lashes?