5 Mascara Hacks: Do They Work?

Y'all--this post is SIX months in the making.

I told y'all yesterday, I am extremely thorough when it comes to reviewing and testing beauty products.

So today I'm testing out 5 of the top hacks and myths for mascara, longer lashes, fuller lashes and more.



#1--"Using a lash curler doesn't make a difference."

I hear this all.the.time, but it's pretty much from anyone who doesn't use them! As you can see in the pic above, eye lash curlers really do make a difference. It's just a matter of finding the one that fits your eye. I like lash curlers that are a bit larger for my lashes, like Sheseido, Shu Uemura, Kevyn Aucoin, or Surrat. Japanesque makes a great small lash curler if you want to work on a small area of lashes,  like just curling the outer half. They are pricey but work best on my eyes. For drugstore, I like Tweezerman and Revlon. If you aren't seeing a difference, you need to change eye lash curlers.

#2--"Invert your lash curler for bigger lashes!"

via thebeautydepartment.com

How many of you have seen this hack? But does it work?

It certainly curls lashes, but it looks the exact same as using a lash curler the normal method. I have gotten these results every time, regardless of the lash curler brand.

#3--"Use baby powder to make lashes look longer and fuller."

I have tried this with baby powder, eye shadow (matte, satin, shimmer), setting powder (translucent, brightening, skin tone), and bronzer (matte and shimmer). Sometimes the lashes looked a little clumpy, but there was usually no noticeable difference. And sometimes my eyes were irritated from the products. Plus, the powder is tricky to apply. I say use a lash primer if needed.

#4--"Add eye drops to an old mascara to revive it."

Does this work? Yes, as you can see above. BUT! BUT BUT! There are a few warnings coming up. 1-You must add eye drops, contact solution or a few drops of distilled water. Regular water will exacerbate bacteria growth.
2-Because I'm a nerd, I did bacteria tests on petri dishes for old, new, and revived mascara (testing was repeated more than once, obviously). I told y'all I was thorough! I found that even with distilled water, there was bacteria growth the longer the modified mascara sat. So if you want to use this method, I wouldn't use the modified mascara more than a week or two. Mascara should generally be thrown out after 3 months.
3-Adding water will alter the formula of the mascara. Sometimes this is a good thing, since you are reviving dried out mascara. And sometimes it will cause the mascara formula to break down, to clump, to not be as effective (this depended on the amount of drops added), smear easily, etc. Definitely don't try this with waterproof mascaras. It really depends on the brand as to how the results will be. I tested this method on 18 different brands of high and low end mascaras over the past year, and while all of them gave me wetter mascara than before, it just wasn't worth it for me.

#5--"Rub coconut oil on your lashes to make them longer and softer." "Coat your lashes with castor oil to make them longer."

Remember in the first sentence when I said this post was 6 months in the making? Well, after 6 months, here are my results. I don't see a dang bit of difference! And I am glad I no longer have to do this challenge!

Note: I did this on upper lashes only. For half of my lashes on one eye, I used a clean spooley (mascara wand) and would paint half of my lashes with castor oil. The other half I would warm a bit of coconut oil between my fingers and rub on my lashes. First of all, your lashes fall out every two weeks, so I don't see how this does a bit of good. I do see how it softens them if brittle lashes are a concern. If you want longer lashes, Latisse works. Ask your physician about it to see if you are a candidate. For what it's worth, I have tried 3 lash-growing serums, and they all made my lashes fall out quickly or they had zero difference. One I swear somehow made my lashes smaller and brittle.

If any of these hacks somehow worked for you, that's great. But they didn't work for me.

What makeup, hair (or more mascara) hacks would you like to see tested next?

What's your favorite mascara?

Do these hacks work for you? 

Extra Elle:

• Did you celebrate Earth Day? The 5 yr old I take care of (who has changed her name, she's decided) took my Earth Day leaf mosaic I made during our art time to her class! She then insisted the teacher hang it up. "It was appreciated by all," she said. This kid is too much.
• This week has flown by for me! I can't believe it's Thursday but I am NOT complaining!
• $100 to SEPHORA! Enter today.
• PS: If you comment "great tips" in the comment section I'm totally giving you the Stank Eye! #readthepost