I Tried Revlon’s New Mascara — And My Lashes Have Never Had More Volume

Finding the perfect mascara is never easy. It requires a lot of patience and a knack for knowing your lashes exact needs inside and out. There’s length, volume, curl, lift, colour, waterproof, type of wand, and more to take into consideration.

I’ve been blessed with my mother’s lashes: colour (just enough so they don’t disappear when bare), length (but not too overpowering for my doll-like eyes), and enough curl that I find it unnecessary to use an eyelash curler as part of my daily routine. So I guess you could say, my eyelashes don’t require a lot of work.

But the greatest need when it comes to my lashes is volume. That is one thing, in particular, that I look for in every mascara. It’s simple: no volume, no purchase.

The mascara that made me believe in volume again

I’ve been using Revlon’s new Volumazing Mascara for a few weeks now and I am beyond thrilled with the results. Infused with olive oil to nourish lashes and prevent clumping for a visible, yet subtle appearance, this mascara really does live up to its name. But what I can’t get over is how my lashes don’t smudge, flake or clump, and project the illusion as if they’re naturally thick.

Motivated to make my lashes stand out even more, I asked Revlon beauty expert Sabrina Rinaldi to share her best eyelash tips. (Check out this DIY lip tint for the perfect finish to your natural summer makeup look.)

Best mascara tips to maximize your lashes:

Prep your lashes

For Rinaldi, the secret to a good set of lashes is to prep them with an eyelash curler. “Curling lashes is just as essential as wearing mascara,” says Rinaldi. “It lifts them up and frames your eyes.” This step is actually the first thing Rinaldi does every morning (even before putting on moisturizer!) and she swears by this technique if you find your eyelashes struggle to retain any sort of curl. The trick? “Run your eyelash curler under hot water or under a hair dryer to heat it up, but you want to test it on the back of your hand first like you would a baby bottle to make sure that it’s not too hot.” It acts as a curling iron — and after 3 to 5 seconds on each eye, you’ve finally got a curl that actually holds.

Layers are key

Rinaldi says that putting a coat of mascara on before and after applying eye makeup is key. “You really want to go from the root all the way to the tip,” she says. “But the main reason why I like to do my mascara before I do my eyeshadow? If you already have a shadow on, you’re not going to want to get mascara on your lid; you’re going to be afraid to hit the roots of your lashes.” For perfect application, Rinaldi says its all about the wiggle: push your mascara wand to the base, lift and wiggle up. Then, after you’ve applied and eyeshadow to your lids, you can apply that second coat.

Try adding air

Another tip Rinaldi swears by is adding a little bit of air to your mascara. “I always love when mascara is a couple weeks old — so every time I buy a brand new mascara, I literally open it, pump some air into it and close it up.” Referred to as the magic sweet spot, this dries out the product for a finer application. And if you are looking for a more delicate lash in general? Wipe off the excess product on the top of your hand. It’s as simple as that.

Applied too much?

If you feel that you’ve applied too much mascara to either your top or bottom lash, a quick solution is to comb them out. “I tend to use a spoolie brush, or sometimes I’ll even keep old mascara brushes and wash them,” she says. They’re the perfect way to remove any unnecessary clumps, all the while keeping your mascara in tact. Here are some more tips on how to get gorgeous bombshell lashes.

Revlon Volumazing Mascara, $12 at mass retailers