In my opinion, here are the 3 most important facts to know about mascara:
1) You need to throw out your mascara every 3 months!!! You will notice on the bottom of your mascara (or on the box) that there is a tiny makeup jar that has a 3M or a 6M in it; this represents the expiration of the product (most beauty products have these.) Even though most mascara has a 6 month logo on the bottom, experts will tell you to toss it every 3 months and I agree 100%. After reading the next fact, I am convinced you will agree as well.
This is the logo that is on most makeup/beauty products |
3) Don't pump your mascara! Every time you bring the mascara wand in and out of the tube you are exposing it to air and bacteria. Pumping the wand causes that bacteria to spread around more rapidly, so the least amount you can bring the wand in and out of the tube the better. If you are pumping your mascara because you are having a hard time getting a decent amount of product on the wand, it's time to purchase a new one! It's much better to put a fresh product on your eyes versus scraping every last bit from an old one.
My advice: Don't spend a lot of money on mascara if you don't need to. Since you have to throw mascara out so frequently, I would recommend finding the least expensive one that you feel does the job and that doesn't bother your eyes. Personally, I am allergic to drugstore mascara and have to purchase department store brands, but if I could wear them I would! However, it is very rare that I will buy a luxury brand like Chanel or Dior due to the cost. I tend to buy Clinique or Laura Mercier. The money that you will save can be invested in skincare or makeup brushes, which tend to be higher cost items.
Quick cost comparison:
Maybelline Great Lash: $5.99
Maybelline Lash Stiletto: $8.99
Clinique High Impact Mascara: $16
Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara: $30
I hope you find all of this information useful!