I'll admit: the moment I heard about using mascara as eyeliner, I was extremely skeptical. I'm pretty much loyal in using my small bottle of liquid eyeliner for cat eyes, so it was hard for me to process using mascara for the same purpose. Would it be precise? Does it even make sense? What's the point? All these questions seemed to perplex my mind.
So, being the curious creature that I am, I wanted to find out if mascara could really work. If I were successful, I figured mascara could come in really handy for emergency fixes and serve as a double duty tool in my beauty regimen. I took it to the Internet to find out if this was just a fairytale makeup hack, or if it was actually useful.
After watching Refinery 29's video with makeup artist Ashleigh Ciucci, I was almost convinced that using mascara as eyeliner would be a breeze. Ciucci explained, "I love this tip, because it's great when you're traveling or if you don't want to carry a lot of products in your makeup bag because it's a two-in-one. It's really amazing how easy it is to use mascara as liquid eyeliner."
Makeup artist Carissa Ferreri explained on the Beauty Department, "Clearly it’s safe for eyes and has the consistency of a cream liner. I used my flat slanted eyeliner brush and Voila! My signature cat eye done with none other than my favorite mascara! It lasted all night and I use my mascara liner trick to this day!"
So after hearing about what they had to say, I became even more interested and had to try the hack for myself. Using Clinique's High Impact Mascara and an e.l.f angled brush, I tried both a winged eyeliner look and a more dramatic eye look. This is what happened.
Clinique High Impact Mascara, $18, Sephora; e.l.f. Small Angled Brush, $3, Amazon
For Winged Eyeliner, I Dipped My Brush In The Mascara Brush
Try to pick a mascara with a creamy consistency. It was super easy for me to grab the product onto my brush because of its liquid texture.
And Drew A Set Of Wings On The Side
I drew my wings like I normally would. I started from inside to outer corners and filled in the gaps.
The Outcome
I thought it actually looked pretty good for mascara. I didn't think that the lines would be symmetrical at all, but seeing that the mascara really worked was a pleasant surprise.
For A More Dramatic Look, I Used The Mascara Brush And Smeared On Lids
I wanted to see if I could also put a little eyeliner on my lower lids for a more dramatic look. It definitely worked and was a bit more intense than liquid eyeliner. It was also a little difficult to keep my lower lashes away from the brush sweeping back and forth. It was a bit messy. So make sure you have makeup remover wipes on hand.
I Smudged The Corners Of My Eyes
To smooth out the roughness of the mascara, I smudged the corners around my eyes for a more subtle style.
The Outcome
I think the look turned out well and would definitely work for a more nighttime look.
The Verdict
Overall, using mascara as a hack was pretty cool and can be useful if you need to travel or need a quick fixer-upper. However, I don't really think it's necessary at all. You would also have to carry an extra angled brush along in your purse to get mascara eyeliner. Personally, I'd rather just carry the liquid eyeliner with me for a quick touchup.
Also you don't really get as much precision with mascara as you do with a high definition liquid eyeliner, so I wouldn't suggest using this for occasions where your makeup needs to be on point.
It was really fun to try and see it work, but I think I'm going to have to stick with using liquid eyeliner. After trying multiple ways of doing my winged eyeliner, whether it's with a spoon, tape, or a business card, I always go back to the traditional way of using liquid eyeliner. Who knows, maybe I'm just biased.
If you want to try this trend, I'd definitely say go for it. It might be more useful for your beauty routine and schedule!
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Images: Danelle Sandoval
