April 3, 2015

Look Down When You Apply Mascara?

look down when apply mascara

I went to the Lancome counter earlier this week because I wanted to see if they had the Summer 2015 Collection. Needless to say I won’t rest until I own all three of those new squishy Blush Subtil Crèmes. I lose sleep at night not knowing they aren’t safely tucked into my beauty vault.

Anyway, they are available online already but I wanted to get a little feel for them so I decided to venture to my local counter to check them out. Now I texted ahead of time to make sure Danny, my normal sales rep, would be there. I stupidly didn’t ask him if Summer was available at the time.

I should have but I was rushed and I just randomly texted him and was like, “Hey, I wanna stop in will you be around later?’ I got a quick yes and I proceeded to start my day with the plans to make all those blushes mine later.

Late that day I got a text from my rep saying he had to leave for personal reasons. Damn, not cool but I decided to go anyway.

Bad idea…

I’m a mush.

Complete doormat.

So, of course, I get there and they don’t have Summer 2015 and they don’t have the blushes but I get canoodled into trying a sample of Lancôme Grandiôse Wide-Angle Fan Effect Mascara. Because, like I said, I’m a mush and I don’t know how to say no to aggressive counter people. That’s why I like sticking and dealing with the same people at counters because I find ones I’m comfortable with and don’t venture far from them.

None the less I walked out with mascara I didn’t want.

I will say this…the sample she tried on me looked freaking amazing.

But she kept telling me, “Look down when you apply!”

Eh?

Look down? So I attempted this all week with Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara. Can I tell you looking down and applying mascara must take a rocket scientist degree because the first time I tried it I made a complete mess to the point I had to remove all my eye makeup and start over. The second time I tried it I literally poked my eye with the wand. And the third time I tried it I succeeded but ended up with shorter not so full lashes.

And her voice just kept repeating in my head after all this, “Look down when you apply your mascara!”

Ah yeah but no…

Not working for me.

Do you LOOK DOWN when applying your mascara?

What’s your technique?

I typically widen my eye, wriggle the brush under my upper water line a little bit, and push up, stroking the brush through my complete lash line as I go.

Do share your application tricks!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Lauren

    I always do the “look down”, but that description is not totally accurate. I still have to look in the mirror for the most part, but I tilt my head down when I do my top lashes. This actually results in you looking up towards the mirror, but your head facing down. It always gets my lashes the farthest away from my lid so I can REEEEALLY wriggle the brush in close.
    When I do bottom lashes it’s the opposite. Head up, but looking down toward mirror.
    Hope that helps!!

  • Tiffany

    Haha ironically I do look down when applying my mascara! Though I do also tilt my head upward to see the wand. I find that applying it this way avoids the mascara from getting on my eyelids.

    • Isabella Muse

      that’s actually a good idea. gonna try to tilt back, look down 🙂

        • Gillie

          I do this, too! I always had mascara smudges under my brow bone until I figured out this trick. It doesn’t work unless you tilt your head back – at least not for me.

  • Denise

    I suppose looking down might work, if I was applying my makeup seated at a vanity, using a table mirror. But I do it standing, looking into a wall mounted mirror. Looking down would be impossible! I apply my mascara just like you do.

  • Lauren

    I completely lied lol. I wasn’t near a mirror when I posted that last comment. I came into the restroom and pretended to apply mascara and she was right the first time. Tilt your head way up when applying to the top lashes , but look “down” to look at the mirror. Opposite for bottom lashes. Head down, eyes up. Sorry about that; it’s hard to remember when not actively applying mascara. More like a reflex. ;D

  • Natasha Kundi’s London Blog

    I think it depends on what kind of mascara you’re using and what kind of a wand your mascara has. If its big then I don’t think we can look down as it will get on the under eyes. I love Loreal Butterfly Mascara though =D

  • Bridget

    i look down a little, but my best tip is apply to the top of your lashes first! I swear nobody ever does this, and it makes a huge difference. I have people all the time asking me if I have falsies on. Try it, if ya don’t!! Love YA!

    • Danadoo

      I have never done it that way in my entire mascara using life! I’m going to try it today when I do my makeup!

  • Ashley

    They’re at Bergdorf’s, Isabella. I have the Coral blush, Belle de Teint powder and the stylo cream shadow stick. The creme blushes are beautiful! Great texture.

  • denise

    I think “look down” isn’t a detailed enough description. I tip my head back (chin up!) and then look toward the wall which essentially is looking down. At home, I apply makeup standing up using a wall mirror but if I’m traveling I just use a hand-held mirror right in front of my face. Doing this really helps you avoid getting mascara on your eyelids! And I think this only applies to top lashes. I rarely apply mascara to my bottom lashes but when I do I use the “wide open eyes” method that you described.

  • Phyrra

    So, I look into a mirror and I use my enkore mascara shield. Then I zig zag inside to outside, making sure to end on the inside (towards the nose). Once I remove the mascara shield, I pull up through my lashes.

  • blee

    Like matisol, I too blink after I get into the my lash line. I think the sales (pushy lady :P) was trying to say to you Muse to do.

  • Mama_bugz

    Rofl muse when said you poked ur eye ! I do the chin up – stare down ( Pretending to “look down” at my minions) – I think the “look down” only works when I am applying mascara for my clients – then she has to look down – but if you are applying it on yourself, it’s kinda hard hehee

  • Ryou

    The looking down technique only works when you’re applying mascara on another person, I find. When I’m applying mascara on myself I usually just look straight ahead and apply my mascara in a zig-zag motion.

    However, tilting your head back a little and looking down actually does help me with eyeliner application on my upper lashline.

  • Nicole

    I think this has been mentioned. But,I coat topside of my lashes first.Then,tilt head up but look down and apply to uppers. I usually use my finger to lift my lid a little to get close to the root for the first coat or will use “It Tightline”. How do you like that mascara Isabella? Are you going to review it? I love Lancome mascaras in general. Particularly Definicils and Hypnose drama. I almost was going to buy it over Hypnose drama,but was afraid I wouldn’t like it and was scared of the crazy looking wand!

  • DiEtta

    “And let’s not forget to keep our mouth wide opened when applying our mascara!” 🙂 Why do we do that? HAPPY EASTER everyone……… 🙂

  • Simone

    I don’t look down, but I place my mirror below my face, and look up with my face, down with my eyes, if that makes sense. It definitely makes it easier for me not to get mascara in my kids and to make sure I coay ever lash from root to tip.

  • Lacy

    I never understood this either. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it and want to try it.. Lots of great advice.. Recently when I went to bareminerals to have a well known employee doll me up for an event he told me look down when applying my mascara… say whhhatttt?! but yeah it worked!!

    he also put mascara on the top of my upper lashes first… like bridget said… makes a world of difference! and I’ve started doing it religiously since then and it really does give that extra pow look. don’t worry clumps.. since you’ll be coming up from the roots to tip next it combs thru so even if you are afraid or it gets a little dense depending on mascara and wand.. it all works out in the end… HAPPY EASTER!! I’m currently smoking a turkey and elderflower collins (sippy sippy ahhh!) haha 🙂

  • Margaret

    I lay down on my bed when I put on mascara with my head on my pillow. I hold my hand held mirror up and look into it and apply my mascara. I have been doing it that way for years and it works for me! Long,lashes every time and I rarely, if ever get mascara on May lids or under eyes!I apply the rest of my makeup sitting or standing.

  • ana

    Hey Muse! Ok, so I tell customers this all the time mainly because when they look straight ahead when apply mascara they don’t get it in their lash root. HOWEVER!!! when actually applying to another person, we say look down so you don’t see me coming at your eye with the wand cause it makes customes freak out ( me too, I hate when people put my mascara on me.) the trick for at home, is to get those mirrors you can tilt, tilt it alittle up, look down with your eyes only, and chin a little up. This allows you to see your full lash liNE to apply mascara without really getting the rest on your lids. I hope this helps. 😊

  • Chris M

    I don’t do the look down trick. I haven’t mastered this yet but I need to do it without eye makeup because I fet mascara on my eyelids every time. Maybe I needto see a tutorial of this.

  • Mary W

    I had never tried applying mascara to the top of my eyelashes and Wow. Longer looking lashes. Lasted all day and didn’t get on my eyelids. Thanks for the tip