How to Make Your Eyelashes Look Fuller

When you are a beauty editor, you end up having friends everywhere, and for a couple of years now, I have two supermodel friends. One lives in Madrid and the other in Paris, and from them I have learned many tricks to add volume to the hair, to take care of the skin during a flight, and even to makeup naturally. Last year I brought the two of them together at a restaurant in the French capital, and I was surprised to learn that they use the same makeup trick to achieve full lashes.

And don’t worry, because it is neither complicated, nor do you need a lot of skill. According to them, the key is to concentrate the mascara at the root. You can also use an eyeliner (in fact, makeup artists do it this way); however, for those who live slaves to time, simply place the wand very close to the lash line and make small zigzag movements before sweeping it toward the tips.

Then, their advice is to apply a second, thinner layer only at the base and the outer third, instead of reapplying to cover the lash. This creates a darker, denser line at the base that makes the lashes appear fuller without ending up with clumps. That said, the result also depends (a lot) on the mascara you choose. How to pick the best? Look for formulas with conditioning and hydrating ingredients, brushes that distribute the pigment well, and even formats as innovative as tubing.

The Best Mascaras for Dense-Looking Lashes

Armani Vertigo Drama Mascara. Designed to take lashes to the extreme, its kaolin clay formula promises up to 700% more volume and up to 24 hours of wear, while maintaining intense color and good definition.

R.E.M. Beauty Treble Maker 3-in-1 Mascara goes one step further than volume and combines three effects: volume, length, and curl. Its lightweight formula coats each lash from root to tip to achieve twice the intensity and a much more open gaze.

Clinique High Impact High-Fi Full Volume Mascara relies on small multidimensional fibers that cling to them with each stroke, achieving up to 230% more volume instantly. In addition, its High-Def Wave brush helps comb and cover every lash, while its formula with coconut, argan, and moringa oils conditions and cares for your lashes.

Sephora Collection It’s a Stretch Mascara combines volume and length through a tubing formula that creates a small flexible tube around each lash. This visually thickens them while lengthening from the root to the tips, without losing definition. Perfect for a dense, clean, and very defined look.

REFY Lash Sculpt Mascara lifts, separates and lengthens to achieve a very defined look. Its formula with carnauba and candelilla waxes sculpts and holds shape, in addition to conditioning them thanks to vitamin E and panthenol.

Merit Clean Volume Mascara bets on a much more controlled volume. Its tubing technology wraps around the lashes while curling, separating and defining. It has a buildable formula and is one of the best if you’re seeking density and definition without artificial drama.