Mascara - Karen Lockyer Make Up Artist

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is ‘what is the best mascara’, and more and more ‘tell me a mascara that doesn’t end up under my eyes.’

Mascara ending up under your eyes is very common when you hit menopause. When the skin reacts to hot flushes the warmth and perspiration plays havoc with our make up. Also, many foundations are designed to give us an irredescent glow, which can also add to the problem.

Solutions for mascara dropping are, use a little dusting of transluent face powder on the lashes pre mascara and under and around the eye area -this can help. Probably more successful is to find a mascara that is totally swim, sweat and tears proof.

Which Mascara?

Here are a few mascara suggestions that have come recommended or I have tried and tested myself.

Benefit BadGal wterproof mascara. £25. 50 Comes up as one of the best for swimming. I’ve used the non waterproof version and it is good too.
Good budget mascara is No7 Stay Perfect which is a tubing mascara. I amTrying it out now, it stays well , not clumpy and I have not reacted to it so all good.The tubing thing is a bit weird as it coats the lashes and comes off in tiny tubes. Boots about £14
Maybelline Sky High waterproof £9.59 Boots. I have been using this for my brides and had no probs, but only had the cry test not the underwatertest.
Bobbi Brown no Smudge has also come out well with swimmers £27.50
Clinique Lash Power – long wearing: I have heard good things from clients and fellow make up artists on this one. £24.00
Violet Jordan is a smaller brand created for women in midlife- I have tried and tested with good results. Comes in a soft tube and product easy to remove. £18.00 https://violetjordan.co.uk/collections/shop/products/the-volumizer

The History

The history of mascara, can be traced back to ancient civilizations, but its modern development in Britain and the Western world is an interesting story. In the UK, as in other parts of Europe, mascara as we know it today began to gain popularity in the 19th century.

Early Development: In the 19th century, women in Britain and Europe used a variety of substances to darken and lengthen their eyelashes. This included soot, coal dust, and even ashes. These early forms of mascara were applied with small brushes or even fingers.

The Victorian Era: During the Victorian era (1837-1901), women often used a mixture of petroleum jelly and coal dust to create a mascara-like product. It was applied with a brush or comb-like device.

20th Century Innovations: The early 20th century saw significant developments. In 1913, a chemist named T.L. Williams created a new product called “Maybelline,” which was inspired by his sister Mabel’s homemade mascara using Vaseline and coal dust. This product marked the birth of the Maybelline cosmetics company and its iconic mascara. The first tube with a wand applicator was invented in 1957.

Max Factor and Helena Rubinstein: Max Factor, a Polish emigrant to the United States who later became a prominent figure in the cosmetics industry, played a significant role in popularizing mascara. In the 1910s, he developed a “cake” mascara that women could apply by wetting a brush and then applying it to the lashes. Still popular til the 1960s, I clearly remember my Mother spitting in to that little Max Factor compact, which seems disgusting now, Ha ha! Helena Rubinstein, another cosmetics industry pioneer, also contributed to the development of mascara.

Iconic Brands: In the mid-20th century, iconic mascara brands like Revlon, CoverGirl, and L’Oréal emerged, and their products became widely available in the UK and other parts of the world.

Advancements in Formulation: Formulations have come a long way, evolving from simple coal dust and petroleum jelly mixtures to more complex and long-lasting formulations. Waterproof and smudge-proof mascaras as well as lengthening and volumising ones. So many to suit our heavy society demands of today, where would be without those amazing beauty pioneers having the foresight to darken their lashes with a bit of spit and coal.