15 Tips For Your Best Lashes Ever

Most of us ladies lust after long, lush eyelashes worthy of any mascara ad, but all too often your regular eye makeup routine just isn’t enough to deliver the intense length, volume and separation we’re looking for. (FYI: Half those ads are Photoshopped anyway. Isn’t that so wrong?)

Here are fifteen tips on making your lashes look picture perfect:

1. To give lashes the most natural-looking curl, squeeze an eyelash curler at the roots of lashes and then pump the curler as you move out toward the ends. This gently and gradually adds curl without making lashes look “bent”.
2. If your lashes are naturally super-straight, try immediately brushing on a waterproof mascara after curling them. Waterproof formulas hold lashes up much better than regular mascara.
3. Prime eyelashes with powder.
4. For a winged effect, try adding another coat of mascara just to the eyelashes at the eyes’ outer corners.
5. Make lashes appear more lush by using two different mascaras: use a fat-brushed volumizing formula as a base, then top with a lengthening formula.
6. Blonde like me? Make sure even your tiniest, palest lashes stay dark with an eyelash tinting treatment.
7. If you’re especially pale or blonde and find that black mascara looks awkward on you, try a brown mascara topped with gold to catch light and give your skin a bronzed effect.
8. Aggravated by the pale inner rim of your eyelid peeking out beneath your black upper lashes? Wedge your mascara wand right against the roots of your lashes and wiggle it before drawing it out to the ends. This makes the base of lashes appear fuller and thicker, hiding the inner upper rim and saving you tons of kohl pencil liner.
9. Don’t skip your lower lashes.
10. Use an eyelash primer before applying mascara—it’ll not only plump and define each lash, but you’ll make sure to hit each lash with your mascara afterward to cover the primer’s white tint.
11. Run a clean mascara brush or eyebrow comb through lashes while your mascara’s still west to remove clumps without flaking.
12. Keep your favorite mascara fresh by not pumping the wand in and out.
13. To make lashes look longer, apply mascara from the outer corners of your eyes working inward. You’ll deposit more mascara on the outer lashes that way and once you reach the inner shorties, you’ll have the perfect amount left on your brush.
14. To “lock” the curl into your lashes, curl them after you’ve applied mascara—but make sure to let the mascara dry first so the lashes don’t stick to your curler.
15. Tried everything, but your natural eyelashes still just aren’t enough? Try some fake lashes.

Photos via Beaut.ie and Camera Press