Mascara. Most women have a love-hate relationship with this simple makeup item. We love what it does for our appearance. The right mascara can completely change your entire appearance. There's nothing that emphasizes beautiful eyes better than thick, lush lashes - and mascara is the way that most of us can achieve those drop-dead gorgeous sweeps of lash. On the other hand, mascara can also be the downfall of that natural, beautiful look you're trying to achieve. Nothing screams cheap more than thick, gloppy lashes, running mascara and flakes of mascara dotting your cheek.



While the mascara that you choose has a great deal to do with the look that you get from it, there are also a lot of tips for applying mascara that can help you get just the look you want - thick, lush lashes that frame your eyes and make them the focal point of your face. Here are fifteen tips from experts on how to apply mascara to get the most out of your makeup.

1. Start with clean lashes. That may seem to go without saying, but mascara adheres best to clean, dry lashes. Pat lightly with a tissue to remove any residue from makeup or moisturize before applying mascara.

2. Save mascara for the finishing touch. Apply mascara AFTER applying eye shadow and eyeliner.

3. Choose the right color mascara for your eyes. Black mascara is suitable for anyone, but it may be too harsh on blonds with pale skin. Brown or brown/black mascara is a good choice for blonds, especially for daytime wear. Brunettes can use black anytime. Colored mascara may seem costume-y at first, but the results can be stunning. Navy mascara can really bring out the blue in blue eyes, and purple mascara can make brown eyes look amazing. Try green mascara with any color eyes to really highlight them.

4. Forget all the curved wands, long wands and 'specially developed' wands that promise thicker, longer lashes. A short, straight mascara brush gives you the most control and the most options for applying mascara.

5. Don't pump the wand in and out of the mascara tube to coat it with mascara. It will just introduce air into the mascara and make it dry out faster. Instead, turn the mascara wand in the tube a few times (open and close it) to get an even coat on the brush.

6. Look out for globs of mascara on the brush - they'll just transfer to your lashes. Roll the brush lightly over a tissue before applying it to your lashes to remove any excess mascara that may clump on your lashes.

7. Apply mascara from beneath upper lashes and above lower lashes.

8. To apply to upper lashes: Open eyes wide and tilt your head up slightly. Place the brush horizontally against the base of your lashes and roll the brush toward the tips. Move the brush slightly to the side and repeat until you've coated all of the lashes.

9. To apply to lower lashes: Open eyes wide and again, tilt head up slightly. Holding the brush vertically, carefully stroke the tip from the root to the tip of a few lashes at a time. This takes practice, but the results are worth the trouble.

10. To separate lashes, use a metal lash comb. Gently stroke from base to tip of lashes after mascara has dried.

11. Use a lash curler either before applying mascara or after mascara has dried.

12. To make lashes appear thicker, apply a thin line of eyeliner at the very base of your lashes before applying mascara. With practice, you can use an eyeliner pencil to draw a very fine line along the tops of your lower lashes as well. Use brown or gray instead of black for a more subtle look. The difference it will make in your eyes is dramatic.

13. To make lashes appear longer, apply mascara with the wand held vertically as you would for lower lashes. It takes a little bit longer, but the results are stunning.

14. Don't forget the lashes at the corners of your eyes. To apply mascara to the corners of lashes flawlessly: Clean mascara wand to remove any clumps from the tip. Hold the tip of the wand just at the corner of your eye, barely touching the lashes. Blink gently once or twice to coat lashes.

15. For really lush lashes on special occasions, try this old Hollywood trick: Apply one coat of mascara. Before it dries, very carefully pat baby powder or face powder along the tips of your lashes. Let dry, then apply a second coat of mascara over the powder and allow to dry.

Quick Repair Tip:

If you smudge a bit of mascara while putting it on, dab it with the corner of a folded tissue dipped in moisturizer or cleanser, then wipe away.

Quick Finish Tip:

Carefully fold a facial tissue to get a smooth edge. Gently slide edge up under the eye beneath lower lashes. Gently blink once or twice to remove any excess mascara.