# MAs: HELP ME!  I need advice on applying mascara to other people



## perpetuallycute (Oct 22, 2005)

I need some serious pointers on applying mascara to other people.  
I suck at it!  which I learned at a really bad time (during my demo today - but it turned out fine because she still wants me to do her bridal makeup)
She has very thin sparse lashes which made it even harder.

any pointers that you could give would be very appreciated!

thanks!
mia


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## ruby_soho (Oct 22, 2005)

I'm not an MA, but whenever I see MA's applying mascara they always place their thumb on the eyelid and gently pull it upwards, so that the wand when applying is farthed from the eyeball (if that makes sense). Also the see-saw motion while applying mascara helps seperate the lashes. Hope this helps, I'm just an aspiring MA...


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## ChrisKsAngel (Oct 22, 2005)

I am bad at this too! I sometimes do my sister's makeup and everytime I do she blinks really bad when I apply her mascara. She says she it bothers her to have things coming at her eye. However, the only thing I fold that helps is to tell her to pick a point to look at and focus on. Then I use my thumb like ruby_soho mentions. It works!


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## iluvtinkerbell23 (Oct 23, 2005)

the MAs that help me always tell me to look down or up and then wiggle the wand according to where i'm looking.


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## Sushi_Flower (Oct 23, 2005)

Doesn't it spoil the eye makeup by putting the thumb on the eyelid to pull it up? I know it can be done without spoiling it as i've seen it being done but i don't know how they do it..maybe eye makeup doesn't get spoilt as easily as i think? I haven't tried it afterall.


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## user3 (Oct 23, 2005)

I always have them look down and tell them to blink and then I wiggle it up their lashes as they blink. I rest my thumb under their eye closer to the cheeks. To get the top of the lashes I have them look down and I wiggle the wand just on the tips of the lashes. To get the bottom is tricky. I have them look up and wiggle the want across the lashes.


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## caffn8me (Oct 24, 2005)

A few things worth mentioning;

Mascara has a short life once it has been opened and you should throw out mascara that has been open for more than six months.

Unless you are using the customer's own mascara you must use a disposable mascara wand and only insert it into the tube once.  If you need more mascara use a second new wand.  This helps to prevent contamination of the product and possible transfer of infection between different people.

Consider curling the lashes before you apply mascara.  It helps to make the lashes more noticeable.

As you withdraw the wand from the tube, as the start of the brush reaches the neck, bend the handle of the wand at an angle.  This sounds strange but it means that instead of holding the wand out to the side of their eyes you can hold your arm in a more natural position in front of the face and get more control.

As people have said, move the wand from side to side as you move from the lash line to the end of the lashes.  This ensures that product gets coated onto both sides of each lash as well as helping to separate them.

To get mascara right to the roots on top of the lashes you can use a small brush to paint the lash line.

If your model blinks too much whenever you get near their eye with a mascara wand it may be better to let them apply their own mascara.

If they do blink and you end up with mascara on the lids where you don't want it, don't panic but simply use a cotton bud dipped in eye makeup remover and remove the offending blob.  You may have to touch up eye shadow again afterwards but it's not a disaster.

If your model has very sparse lashes consider using false lashes and apply mascara to these before you glue them on.


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## ChrisKsAngel (Oct 25, 2005)

Wow Caffn8me...

Those are some great tips! And I agree, Q-tips are possibly the best makeup tool ever created. They are perfect for little slip-ups


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## Juneplum (Oct 25, 2005)

moving to recs mia =)


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## sunwater83 (Oct 26, 2005)

There are a few different techniques that you can try out.  Personally, I don't like using disposable wands.  Instead, I choose to use a mascara fan brush, from any art store or Cinema Secrets.  I load it up with mascara and then I can paint directly onto the lashes.  I like this more than the wand because I can get great detail and precision in the mascara application.  I can also apply the mascara with the model's eyes closed with the brush, which is a little harder to do with the wand.

Another option with the wand, is to have the model focus on your shoulder when you're applying the mascara.  So if you're applying mascara on the right eye, the model should be focusing on your left shoulder and vice versa.  This way the model's eye is lowered a bit and he/she won't be as fidgety because they're focusing on something.


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## glittergoddess27 (Oct 27, 2005)

In addition to Caffn8me's comments,.. remember not to "pump" your mascara wands instead twist them to get more mascara on the implement. Pumping the wand will work air into the mascara and will increase the bacteria and shorten the life of your mascara.


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