Beauty Tip - Peeping Tommy Girl

If the eyes are the window to the soul, then the eyelashes should be a lovely set of shutters. Thanks to the invention of modern mascara in 1913 (the first was coal dust mixed with Vaseline!), the ability to cause minor windstorms with the very blinks of our sweeping lashes is possible. Unfortunately, many mascaras disappoint. Some look great at the time of application, but perform a magical disappearing act a mere hour later. Others make our lashes look clumped and heavy, as though tarantula legs have been surgically attached to our eyelids. Don't forget the brands that dry out on our lashes and flake off, generating the "mascara dandruff" that litters our cheekbones. And, of course, there are the mascaras that when we pull out the wand, we marvel at the goop, gook, and gunk enveloping the brush, so when we apply, it creates the "W". Translation? Three gobbed lashes - one in the middle and one on each side. My "favorite", though, are the ones that cause those black smudgy spots under our eyes by mid-day, transforming us into a High Noon Raccoon. Are there mascaras out there that won't make us weep in frustration? There had better be. Those black streaks from tears are so unbecoming. In my quest, I have found two mascaras that have found their rightful spot in my makeup bag. The first is "Professional" by Cover girl. This formula magnifies the lashes for a classic, ladylike look. The other is XXL Extensions by Maybellene. After using it, I actually had a checker at the dollar store ask if my lashes were real. She thought they were fakes! What a moment. Of course, that's really the only part of a woman about which people can comfortably and appropriately ask if it's all their own. Ha ha! XXL Extensions has one end that's a white base coat/primer, if you will (and I know you will), and the other end is the real mascara, as it were (and it always was). You'll achieve long, full, exaggerated lashes with the one/two punch. Let the windstorms begin! Start by using a metal eyelash curler. It really opens up your eyes to make THEM look bigger and YOU more awake. If you desire to feel like a real makeup artist, blast the curler with a hair dryer for a few seconds to heat it. It makes your lashes truly point heavenward. Curl your lashes at the base, holding it for a full ten seconds. Then, apply your mascara beginning right at the roots, wiggling it slightly, and then sweep the wand up and out. Linger at the tips of your lashes and slowly extend the wand beyond the edge. You can create several millimeters of extra length by adding that additional bit of mascara beyond the tips. Let the first coat dry. At this point, I personally curl my lashes again because they are rebelliously prone to straightness. They don't stick to the eyelash curler and break as long as I wait until they are all the way dry. Then add another coat or two of mascara and comb through them. You can maneuver those eyelash combs on the market, but I prefer to use a fine toothed comb for hair. It separates my lashes without removing the mascara. Hey, those windows to your soul will open and welcoming, and your lashes will be ready for batting. Get ready for the masses and mortals to peer (and gaze) into those windows!