Really Make Colored Mascara POP With This Trick

When we want to add a pop of color to our makeup looks, the lashes are often overlooked. But if you've ever taken a leap of faith and decided that today, yes today, is the day to rock some purple lashes, you might've been a little let down after applying the colored mascara. Even if you have blonde lashes, the pigmentation in colored mascara sometimes just doesn't show up without a little bit of help.

So if you've ever wanted to try green or pink mascara but were nervous about having bold, look-at-me lashes, know that you can just wear it as you would a brown mascara. It will only subtly tint your lashes for just a little something extra. But if you're all about the statement lashes, fear not. There is a way to make colored mascara absolutely POP. Just like you might use a white base to make colored eyeshadows stand out, the same needs to be done for lashes. Before applying a colored mascara, first coat lashes with a white lash primer. Don't have one? A white eye pencil will also work. Once you've done this, load up that color! Here's how the same blue mascara appeared on my lashes without and with a white primer:

Before

Left: Natural Lashes; Right: Blue mascara over natural lashes

After

Left: White primer; Right: Blue mascara over white primer

Makes a pretty big difference, right?

Left: Blue mascara over normal lashes; Right: Blue mascara over primed lashes

But if you want to make your mascara stand out even more, there are a couple other things you can do:

1. Use a Light Eyeshadow

Further make colored mascara pop by giving lashes a lighter background. Try a white shadow to really help the color stand out.

2. Use a Complimentary Eyeshadow

Another way to show off your lashes is by using a complimentary colored background. So for blue mascara, try an orange-toned shadow; for a green mascara, try a pink or red-toned shadow; and for a purple mascara, try a yellow-toned shadow.

Images: Miki Hayes