Ultimate Mascara Secret

Elizabeth Siegel, Allure magazine

Chances are, you apply mascara the exact same way every day, and it works pretty well for you. But here's a little secret: Top makeup artists almost never open one tube of mascara, swipe the wand a few times, and call it a day. Instead, they mix and match formulas, wands, and even shades to solve the most common mascara mistakes. And you can do the same!

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For lashes that won't droop all day: Makeup artists including Mally Roncal swear that layering a coat of regular mascara over a coat of waterproof mascara is the best way to coax stubborn lashes into holding a curl. Oh, and curl your lashes the right way: Pumping a curler along your lashes gives you a more natural-looking bend than just pressing it right at the base.

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For ultranatural eyes: Makeup artists often apply brown mascara to the lower lashes (and the usual black mascara on the upper lashes) to "make eyes look naturally defined," explains makeup artist Pati Dubroff, who works with Julianne Moore (above). If your lower lashes look crazy long with mascara on them, try pressing the brown formula onto just the base with the wand.

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For eyes that you can't stop staring at: Even before bright lashes were trendy (thank you, Stella McCartney), makeup artists were strategically using colorful mascara to enhance eyes. Dubroff, for example, applies a coat of black mascara and then presses Chanel Inimitable Intense in Rouge Noir (a burgundy shade) onto just the tips or the base. It's subtle but still brings attention to the eyes, she says.