Picture this: You’re on the last step of your eye makeup routine. Every swipe of eyeshadow and meticulous flick of eyeliner has led up to this moment. You pick up your mascara wand, comb it from root to tip, and the next thing you know, you’ve got clumps of mascara sitting on your lash hairs, sticking your lashes together, threatening to derail your otherwise perfect eye makeup look. If this scene sounds all too familiar, you’re not alone. Clumpy mascara happens to all of us. And if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by it, raise your hand. Luckily, we’ve got some solid makeup tips and tricks from makeup artist Natalie Dresher that can help fix clumpy mascara and make your mascara application flawless every single time. Here’s how you can make clumpy lashes a thing of the past.
Meet the Expert
Natalie Dresher is a makeup artist based in Miami and NYC.
10 Tips to Fix Clumpy Mascara
1. Wiggle All the Way
It may seem obvious, but it's an easy step to miss (especially if you’re trying to glam on the go). Any time you apply mascara, be sure to wiggle your wand throughout the whole length of your lashes. “Start from the base of the lashes and go toward the tip gently, wiggling the brush to minimize clumping,” says Dresher. By wiggling your wand through your lashes and not just at the roots, you’re able to distribute excess product evenly along your lash hairs, preventing mascara clumps. This also helps prevent your mascara from building up and sticking your lashes together if you’re going in for extra coats of mascara.
2. Have a Spoolie on Hand
Every try combing through a clump with your mascara wand only to realize that the situation is just getting worse? Been there. Instead of using your wand to comb through clumps, reach for a clean mascara brush. “Have a bare spoolie next to you to comb through the lashes should a clump appear,” Dresher tells us. It’s easier to comb through lashes with a clean spoolie that has clean bristles so you don’t have to worry about dispensing more makeup pigment onto your already clumpy lashes. Pro tip: Use a clean spoolie to add mascara to your lower lashes to avoid the look of spidery lashes. It’s a game changer if your go-to wand tends to comb too much product onto these shorter lash hairs.
3. Use a Clean Lash Curler
Here’s where we had an aha moment. “When curling your lashes, make sure your lash curler is clean. If it’s not, this can encourage your lashes to clump prior to mascara application,” says Dresher. By giving your curler a quick wipe with makeup remover or cleanser before you curl, you’ll avoid smudging old mascara, eye makeup, and concealer onto your clean lashes, which can encourage flaking and clumping.
4. Use a Thin Wand
Turns out the thicker the type of wand you use, the more prone your lashes may be to getting clumpy. “Really thin wands tend to clump less because you have more control of the wand,” says Dresher. We love the skinny wand in BEAUTY CREATIONS COSMETICS Lengthening Mascara because it defined and separated our lashes while giving them the look of fluffy falsies. Also, formula does matter: “Lengthening mascara formulas rather than volumizing mascara formulas also tend to clump less in my opinion,” Dresher adds. If you love the look of a volumizing mascara, you don’t have to make any sacrifices. TRESLÚCE BEAUTY Ilusion Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara has a wand that helps render any lash look clump-free.
5. Try a Tubing Mascara
We know that tubing mascara is one of the best things to happen to the world of mascara in years thanks to its serious lifting, lengthening, and smudge-resisting abilities (we’re looking at you, THRIVE CAUSEMETICS Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara). So it’s no surprise that a tubing formula can be helpful if you’ve got lashes that are prone to clumping. “Opting for polymer-based mascaras (otherwise known as tubing mascaras) maybe help mascara clump less because the polymers wrap around the individual lash and extend them,” according to Dresher.
6. Let Your Lashes Dry
“Having your mascara dry in coats also discourages clumping. Waiting 30 to 60 seconds in between coats is ideal!” Dresher tells us. Whether you’re applying one coat for a more natural look or an extra one for added glam, it’s super important to let your lashes fully dry before adding any other makeup products to help prevent your lashes from sticking together and smudging.
7. Comb Out Clumps
If you’re at a point where your mascara is already clumping, don’t stress and start all over! Grab a clean lash comb from any drugstore (or this SKONE COSMETICS Brow Lash Brush always does the trick), and wiggle it from your lash line to your lash tips to comb out excess product. Mascara already dry? Dip your comb in some micellar water and gently comb through your lashes again to help break up the dry product.
8. Toss Old Mascara
One of the main reasons your mascara doesn’t swipe on as smoothly as it used to is because it could be expired. The average shelf life of a mascara tube is around three months from when it’s first opened, but that doesn't necessarily mean it’s OK to use all the way up to its expiration date. Try to replace your mascara every one to two months instead if you use it every day. Why? Every time you open up your mascara, air gets in, along with bacteria that make it not only unsafe to use over time but can also cause your mascara to dry out, encouraging clumpiness, flakiness, and frustration. Bottom line: If it’s been a while, toss that tube and replace it with a new one.
9. Use a Lash Guard
Remember the old credit card trick? This genius tool gave it a major upgrade. Use a lash guard (like this TWEEZERMAN Lash Guard & Combo), to help apply mascara to your upper and lower lashes quickly and effortlessly while avoiding smudging and clumping.
10. Prep With Primer
Applying eyelash primer before your mascara is like setting your lashes up for clump-free success. Look for one with moisturizing oils to help hydrate your lashes to prevent flaking and encourage volume and lift (meaning fewer coats needed). Our current obsession? TOO FACED Better than Sex Foreplay Mascara Primer in Black, because it's made with nourishing argan oil and grapeseed oils and has a rich black color for more intense pigment, requiring you to apply fewer coats of mascara.
Want more makeup tips from the pros? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started with your own IPSY beauty subscription. Already an IPSY member? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and TikTok @IPSY.
Like this article? Share it with your friends by clicking the icons below!