Mascara has come a long way, baby. In 1913, chemist T. L. Williams made the first mascara using coal dust and Vaseline for his sister, Mabel, thus launching the company Maybelline. Women had to wet a brush, dip it in a wax cake and apply to lashes until 1957, when Helena Rubinstein, a well-known makeup manufacturer, introduced the new Helena Rubinstein mascara.
It was a breakthrough in mascara history; it had a tube and wand applicator much like the ones today. Shall we say the rest is history?
The modern mascaras are nothing short of amazing. The formulas have improved with time, incorporating innovations such as fibers and polymers that resemble tiny hairs building the lashes for volume, length and drama. If the lashes long for some extra TLC, then sweep on a coat or two of the new moisturizing mascaras. The overall design is something worth brushing up on, pun intended.
From vibrating wands to plastic combs, this ain”t your grandma”s mascara, ladies. The ingenuity that goes into that little tool you don”t think twice about promises to separate, plump, curl and exaggerate the lashes right before your very eyes. Seeing is believing!
Eye-opening tips
A few great tips when prepping those peepers? Invest in a lash primer that goes on the naked lashes just before the mascara to maximize the intensity and longevity of the color, whether it”s brown, ebony or slate. Remember to stroke on the lash primer and swirl on the mascara while the primer is still wet for optimum results.
Stop pumping the wand in and out of the tube, because it traps air inside, drying the mascara. Toss your old mascara every two to three months to keep it fresh. Some celebrity makeup artists swear by eyelash curlers, but I think they are more hype than help. Unless you are Lady Gaga, leave the false lashes alone and opt for au natural.
Waterproof mascaras are recommended for hot climates, weddings and the show “Toddlers and Tiaras,” but beware that it dries out the lashes. You might need an eye makeup remover or hammer and chisel to remove. One of my favorite looks is several coats of black mascara on the top lashes only with a light-handed swipe of brown on the bottom lashes for beautiful lashes every time.
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, does that mean the lashes are the valances? Well, embellish, ladies, not with fringe, beads or silk dupioni fabric, but instead with one of the new mascaras. Viva la lashes!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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