Lash Life: A Quiz About Mascara, Fakes, and Curling

''I always recommend non-waterproof mascara, unless it’s your wedding day," says makeup artist Stephen Moleski, whose clients include Kim Kardashian and Nicole Scherzinger. "The waterproof mascaras can damage your lashes because they are harder to remove. Unless you’re going to an event where you know you’re going to cry, use the non-waterproof."

"Two to three coats of mascara are perfect," says makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff, whose clients include Alicia Keys and Jordin Sparks.

Her recommended technique? "I call it, 'Uptown, downtown, and crosstown,'" Sheriff says. "First, sweep up from the base to the end of the lash -- that’s uptown. Next, go from the tip of the lash to the base -- downtown. Then bring the mascara brush across the lashes -- that’s crosstown." This will give a rich, full look to your lashes, she says.

If you’re blending false lashes with your real ones, you need only one coat.

Dot the glue on the base, wait about 20 seconds for it to thicken, then use tweezers to stick the strip to the center of your lash line. Next, bend the fake lash, following the contour of the eye, and attach it at the outer corner, and then the inner corner.

The flakes from metallic or glittery eye makeup can irritate dry eyes. Glitter also can inflame the cornea, the dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye, especially in people who wear contacts.

"Too much glue can wear out your natural lashes," says Sheriff. "If you’re wearing strip lashes Monday through Friday, give your eyes a break over the weekend. If you’re wearing them Thursday through Sunday, take a break during the work week." 

Remove fake lashes at night and use an over-the-counter eye makeup remover to carefully wipe off glue before you go to sleep.

Don’t risk burning your lashes! If your curler isn’t working, you probably need a better one, says Moleski.

Sheriff's advice: "You want an eyelash curler that’s not too wide for your eye shape and has an easy grip for your hands." Her favorite has a silicone pad and curved angle and retails for about $20.

Latisse does thicken and lengthen your lashes, but it can permanently change the colored part of your eye.

There is a small chance -- less than 1% -- that your green or hazel eyes might develop brown spots. The risk is lower for people with brown or blue eyes.

A thin strip at the base of your eyelid may darken, like an eyeliner line. Doctors don't promise this will go away, but it might.

Eugene Rimmel is the father of modern mascara. His family founded Rimmel London, a cosmetics company, in the 1800s.

Using mascara a lot won't keep your lashes from growing. It could make them dry and brittle, and more likely to break, says Paradi Mirmirani, MD, a dermatologist and specialist in hair research.

Using an eyelash conditioner at night can help protect your lashes. Sheriff says you should remove false lashes at bedtime, wash the glue off, and apply the conditioner each night.

It’s easy for germs to grow in liquid makeup -- mascara, creamy eyeliners, or eye shadow. For the best eye health, doctors say you should toss your eye makeup three months after you've opened it.

Don’t use the makeup testers at cosmetics counters unless they have fresh, disposable applicators. A used brush or sponge could spread an infection.

Using both a defining mascara and a volumizing one can solve the common problem of clumps, Moleski says.

He recommends using a defining mascara first to separate your lashes. Then use a volumizing mascara for a thicker, more dramatic look.

Pumping the mascara will push air into the bottle. This makes the mascara dry and more likely to clump, Sheriff says. She recommends swirling the brush forward and backward inside the bottle to get more mascara out.

Adding water (or worse, spit) to mascara can add germs, which puts you at risk for an eye infection. If your mascara is too thick, try a conditioning formula (some mascaras have aloe) or a defining one. Or just get a fresh tube.