Why and How to Properly Apply Mascara

Masculine and feminine eyes are different in many ways, and as crossdressers, we use makeup to change that. Mascara makes our lashes pop out more visibly.

They appear naturally thicker and feminine. It’s the perfect finishing touch, but some crossdressers don’t know how to apply it as intended.

Applying mascara requires a few preparation steps to make it work as intended.

It would be best if you cleaned the area so no residues are there to bother you.

Start to pre-curl your lashes and prepare the wand to apply them.

You should also remove any excess product before applying it.

Failing the application of mascara may ruin your entire eye makeup.

If you’re not careful, you may spill it in your eyes, causing them to become inflamed.

So, in this article, I intend to explain the important steps and give you a few more tips on how to apply mascara.

1. Make sure your eyelashes are clean

Think of your lashes as the canvas you’ll be working on.

Most artists avoid working on a dirty canvas, and we should do the same.

Any dust in the area can prevent the mascara from holding to your lashes or, even worse, alter its silhouette.

In short, dirt in the lashes will ruin your makeup. But how can you get it out of the way?

My recommendation is that you get a cotton swab, moisturized with an oil-free makeup remover.

Scrub your lashes with it a few times to ensure any oil, dust, or makeup remnants are gone.

After that, wash your whole face with soap and water, paying attention to the eyelashes as well.

Use as much water as possible; you want to give your face and eyelashes a good wash.

You must wash before applying any makeup. Finally, dry it gently with a towel.

2. Curl your lashes beforehand

Curling your eyelashes before applying the mascara helps in the application process.

It’s easier to make the product stick to them this way, but that’s not the only advantage.

Women’s eyelashes are curly, while men’s tend to be straight and less expressive.

So, curling your lashes may help you look more feminine and achieve better results.

To do that, I recommend you buy a tool called eyelash curler. It does all the work for you and is inexpensive.

You may choose any brand you like, as they all function the same.

You need to curl it in two midway places in order to achieve a natural effect.

The first is right at the base of your lashes, and the second one is midway through.

This double curl will make it look way more convincing.

Also, the best way of curling it is by doing a repeated pumping movement, yet gently.

If you can’t get a curling tool, you may use your fingers, but the effect won’t be as good.

3. Remove the wand from the tube

This is a minor tip, but quite important as well. High-quality materials tend to be expensive, and good-quality makeups are made to last for a while.

But it would be best if you were careful in order to preserve them.

While opening your mascara, pull the wand out by twisting it.

Beginners tend to pump them up to remove it faster, but there’s a problem with that. It releases the pressure at once and pulls down the air into the tube.

This process may cause the product to dry, reducing its usability.

4. Scrape off any excess product

As soon as you remove it from the tube, it may contain more product than what you need.

This excess causes a series of problems, such as spilling the mascara or covering too much of your lashes.

You must avoid that if you’re aiming for a natural and clean effect.

To do so, wipe the brush part of the wand on the border of the tube.

Twirl the wand as you do so to scrape all the sides evenly.

5. Tilt your head up before applying the mascara

Before you start the application, tilt your head slightly up until you can see the base of your lashes.

Use a mirror to help you see the entirety of your lashes, starting from the base, and increase your precision while applying the product.

If you want to cover the entirety of your lashes evenly, make use of this tip.

6. Try layering the product

Sometimes, a single coat of mascara isn’t enough to highlight our eyelashes.

It depends on a variety of things, including the thickness of our lashes.

If that’s your case, go over with more layers until all your lashes are nicely coated and ready to make an appearance.

For most cases, 1 to 3 coats are enough, but some drag queens may want a 4th layer.

But make sure you don’t exaggerate since it may lead to clumping and other issues.

That’s why I told you to remove the excess a couple of topics ago.

7. Wait for your mascara to dry

This is valid both for the in-betweens of layers, and for the final results as well.

Between each layer, wait a couple of minutes so it settles down; otherwise, you may ruin the previous coat.

And once you finish, let it dry completely before you go in to fix any mistakes.

Working with wet mascara can lead to accidents and make you lose all your progress.

As you can see, a few more steps can lead you to better results.

But make sure you pay attention to all these minor details, or else your work may be in vain.

It would be best if you were careful and take care of your materials as well.

Preserving them allows you to practice and perfect your abilities for longer.

Are you used to mascara? If you have any suggestions regarding this type of makeup, please tell us in the comments below!

Learn More：

How to Apply Mascara