Mascara Tips & Favorites

The golden rule with mascara is that you're suppose to replace it every 3 months (read more HERE). That's sometimes a hard pill to swallow when you've paid $20+ on a tube. If it's empty it is easy to toss it. My problem is I never seem to run out because the tube doesn't get empty! Here's my solution to using high-end mascara and feeling OK about throwing it out upon expiration: get the TRIAL SIZED MASCARA. Why?

1. You can get trial or sample sized mascaras for FREE. If you're a beauty rewards member at Sephora, Ulta, or Birchbox you can usually score these puppies as a free gift or in a bonus. If not, you can buy a smaller size, like this They're Real! mascara from Sephora for $10.

2. There's nothing quite like a fresh tube of mascara. It glides on your lashes super smooth and looks phenomenal the first couple weeks. Knowing that you got the mascara for free (or cheap) makes it easy to change it up every couple months.

3. My mascara favorites change constantly. Using the smaller sized tubes gives me an opportunity to try out different brands to see which I like best. There is a great sample pack from Sephora that gives you 10 trial sized mascaras, plus a certificate to redeem a full-sized tube of your favorite. The downside: it's only available during certain times of the year, usually winter.

FINAL TIPS.
Don't pump the wand into the tube. This makes the mascara dry out faster. Changing it out every 3 months also helps you to avoid bacteria that can build up with prolonged use. After using it for a while it starts to dry out and clump, which doesn't help anyone's lashes look good. My current mascara favorites are Makeup Forever's Smoky Extravagant and Benefit's They're Real!.

Looking for an Eyelash Curler? Find out about my favorite HERE.