How I Handle the Mascara Question

I like a few options

Because I am into the idea of systems to guide purchasing decisions, today we are going to talk about the mascara question.

Mascara is one of the scarier makeup items. Not because it’s terribly difficult to apply, but because old mascara can give you an eye infection, and nobody wants that. Everyone is a little different with regard to the health risk. Some people replace mascara every three months on the dot. Others are more laissez-faire, replacing it when it gets dried out or too difficult to use. I admit I fall into the latter category, but I am also extremely clean when it comes to applying makeup. I almost always apply eye makeup after washing my face and with clean hands. (Well, I don’t apply mascara with my hands, but my point is that I’m handling my makeup with clean hands.) I’m sure there is still some risk of bacterial infection, as we’re learning that our bodies are populated by bacteria and other organisms known collectively as the microbiome.

My point here is that even for us laissez-faire types, it’s not a good idea to have five or six open tubes of mascara. Even apart from health concerns, mascara dries out and becomes unusable.

And yet, I like to have options! I don’t want to use one and only one mascara until it’s done. In my makeup life, I have settled on having two open tubes of mascara, and here’s why:

One. I like to try new formulas, so I want the option of having something new in my rotation.

Two. Sometimes a new tube of mascara needs a few tries and some time until it dries out a little to the perfect consistency for application. (I’m looking at you, Smashbox Super Fan Mascara.)

Three. I like a different lash effect on different days. Some days I like a lighter, wispier lash, and right now, that’s when I reach for Cover Girl Clump Crusher. When I want a thicker, more volumized lash, I choose Benefit Roller Lash. These options are just my current mascara rotation. I also really like the Ilia Limitless Lash Lengthening Mascara (for a wispier lash) and the aforementioned Smashbox for a more dramatic lash.

There is one exception to my two-mascara system. When I purchase the Ilia mascara, I make a concerted effort to use it because it goes bad by three months on the dot. And when it’s bad, it smells awful. It’s not worth it to me to pay $13 for a tube of mascara that expires so quickly unless I’ve used it very consistently during its fresh period.

One last piece of mascara advice: buy minis! Given the fragility of mascara as a product, I think it’s a much better idea to buy mini sizes than full sizes. This approach naturally forces faster turnover, even if you don’t follow the replace-after-three-months rule. I always buy a mini of the Benefit Roller Lash; the mini size currently goes for $16 at Ulta. (Still kinda pricy, to be honest, but I like it enough to buy it a few times a year.)