Need long and voluminous lashes that look like falsies, just swipe on some mascara, and call it a day, right? Wrong! How you apply your mascara is just as important, if not more, as the product you use. Here are 13 mascara tips and tricks that will help you achieve gorgeous, fluttery lashes that will make heads turn wherever you go.

1. You probably already know this but pumping your mascara wand in and out of the tube pushes extra air into the tube, causing your mascara to dry out quicker than usual. Gently twist the wand inside the tube to pick up the products and pull it out in one clean motion instead.

2. Revive your old, dried up mascara by adding a few drops of your lens solution in the tube to thin out the product. But remember, mascaras have a short shelf life of about 3 months once opened, so do not use this mascara trick to bring back your mascara to life once it is past its expiration date.

3. Another mascara hack for warming up your dried up mascara is to dunk the mascara tube (make sure it is tightly closed!) in a glass of hot water before you use it. The heat from the water will melt the mascara, making it more fluid and easier for you to use.

4. If you curl your lashes after applying mascara to get a stronger and long-lasting curl, stop it immediately! This can not only mess up your eye makeup but can also break your lashes! Always curl your lashes before going in with your favourite mascara.

5. A simple mascara application tip to avoid clumping is to wiggle the mascara wand in a zigzag motion from root to tip to coat your lashes.

6. Have dense eyelashes that are short and do not hold their curl? Or do you need to add some volume to your long lashes? A well-known mascara hack is to layer two or three different mascaras till you get your desired look. For example, apply one coat of a lengthening mascara like the Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara and then give your lashes a dramatic curl by layering the Maybelline Volum’ Express Hyper Curl Waterproof Curling Mascara on top. Experiment with these 2 mascaras, and other mascaras by Maybelline on the Maybelline Virtual Try On tool. The Virtual Try On tool helps you give yourself a virtual makeover so you can see yourself in Maybelline with zero commitment!

7. When was the last time you cleaned your face makeup and lip makeup brushes? And now think about the last time you cleaned your mascara wand! The bristles of a mascara wand collect a lot of product after every use which not only results in a messy and clumpy application but can also harbour bacteria which may lead to eye infections. Clean your mascara wand at least once a week to remove any product build up. You can also wipe your mascara wand with a makeup removing wipe after every use if you want to be really clean and hygienic! Cover your mascara tube with tape and wait for the mascara wand to be completely dry before putting it back in the tube.

8. Another popular tip for applying mascara is to go in with a clean spoolie brush after applying the mascara to separate your lashes and avoid clumping.

9. If you want to take your mascara game to the next level, a simple mascara tip is to coat your eyelashes with a lash primer before going in with mascara. Using a lash primer amps up your mascara’s intensity and also makes the mascara last longer.

10. Here is a mascara application tip that you have probably not heard of before – hold the mascara brush vertically and apply the product to your lashes with the wand’s tip to get longer, more natural looking lashes.

11. Found a mascara brush you really like? Thoroughly clean the mascara wand with a makeup remover and use it as a disposable mascara wand with the other mascaras in your makeup collection. Mix and match different formulas with different brushes to find a combination that gives you your desired mascara look.

12. A popular mascara hack that many beauty gurus and YouTubers use to get thicker lashes is to dust a light layer of powder on the lashes before going in with mascara.

13. Let’s be real, even professional makeup artists sometimes mess up and make mistakes when applying mascara – getting mascara on your eyelids is more common than you think. To clean the stray mascara masks without ruining your eye makeup, you can do one of two things –

a. Wait for the mascara mark to dry and then gently scrape it off using your fingernail

b. Dip a cotton swab in a makeup remover and hold it on the spot till the mascara is no longer visible. Wait for the liquid to dry and then touch up your eyeshadow if needed.