Author Archives: Christina Farrell

Plump Up Your Best Beauty Assets

By Michele Bender for Completely You

With each passing birthday, our lips lose a little volume and our hair -- on our heads and lashes -- tends to get thinner. Plus, as we age, our eyelashes begin to straighten, which also makes them look less lush. But you don’t have to feel deflated about these changes. Instead, you can fatten up your best beauty assets with a few fast, simple tips.

Plump it up: Get lush lashes

• Choose the correct product. Stroll the makeup aisles at any drugstore or department store and you can easily become overwhelmed by what seems to be a thousand mascaras in an array of categories from lengthening to curling -- and everything in between. “For fuller lashes, choose volumizing mascara,” says Mari Shten, a NYC-based makeup artist.
• Be a curly girl. “An eyelash curler is the key to taking your mascara the extra mile and really giving your lashes that ‘wow’ factor,” says Sonia Kashuk, makeup artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty. For best results, try this trick: “Heat your lash curler up with a blow dryer, let it cool for five seconds, and then curl,” suggests Stephanie Flor, celebrity makeup artist and hairstylist whose clients include Mariah Carey and Kathy Griffin.
• Prep before you swipe. Apply loose powder before putting on mascara. “This will prevent the lashes from sticking together so you can more evenly apply the mascara,” says Flor. Or try using a mascara primer. “It has extra fibers that stay on your lashes and make them fuller and longer,” explains Shten. Apply one coat of a primer. Then, while the primer is still wet, apply a coat of mascara on top of it.
• Rework your wand. Bend your wand sideways to create an easier application. “The wand doesn't come with the natural eye shape,” explains Flor. “By bending it sideways you're able to get really close to your lash line. This is my secret and everyone loves it!” How to: Use a napkin to hold the brush; then, bend the area where the mascara brush connects with the stick part of the wand.
• Wiggle while you work. Start with the mascara wand as close to the roots as you can get and then wiggle it upward toward the tip. “That will lift lashes up and give the effect of longer lashes,” says Shten. Start at the outermost corner of your eye going inward toward the nose. By coating the ends with the most mascara, it gives lashes a thicker look.
• Brush it out. For a more dramatic effect, brush lashes to separate them. Kashuk suggests a metal-toothed lash comb. Then, apply a second coat of mascara. “Don't forget lower lashes. It creates extra dimension,” says Shten.
• Top it off with liner. Take a soft black or black/brown eyeliner (depending on your coloring) and apply it on the upper lid really close to lashes. Use an angled brush to blend the line into the lashes. “This will instantly add fullness,” says Kashuk.

Plump it up: Fake fuller lips