Jessie Char is a lovely-seeming human being whom I only know via the Internet. (Perhaps that will change someday; I’d like that.) She put out this generous offer on Twitter:
Anyone need any makeup advice? AMA.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 24, 2015
I was sure she’d be full of great advice, so I asked if I could round up some of the best nuggets in a blog post. (This might end up being for my Mug Shots online dating photo happy hour clients, or just for the world at large.)
Tube mascara rocks!
Jessie’s main advice was tube mascara, tube mascara, tube mascara. Me too, but I’m still not 100% satisfied with Clinique Lash Power; totally gonna try Jessie’s recommendation of Kevyn Aucoin volume mascara. Here’s more of her advice, in case y’all also find it helpful!
@askvirginia it’s almost too much for a tweet! Two mascara favorites are Diorshow iconic overcurl and Kevyn Aucoin volume mascara — Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@sarah_j_olsen I’m a huge fan of tubing mascaras because of how easy they are to remove. They basically make a tube around your lashes-
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@sarah_j_olsen and when it comes time to remove, you can wet them for a few seconds and the tubes slide off your eyelashes-
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@sarah_j_olsen but if they get wet in the rain they don’t run. You rub your eyes and it balls up rather than smudging, so no raccoon eyes — Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@sarah_j_olsen there are a ton of different brands if you google “tubing mascaras”. I personally use Kevyn Aucoin volume mascara.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@willowcabin 1) make sure there’s no lotion or makeup remover on your eyelashes already 2) curl your lashes 3) different mascara — Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@jessiechar sigh, different mascara. Got a few favorites? I always go waterproof…
— TJ (@willowcabin) June 25, 2015
@willowcabin the thing about waterproof is that it can still smudge and then the stuff under your eyes is super stuck there,
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@willowcabin which is because WP mascara is oil-soluble and your skin produces oil. I like tubing mascaras best! — Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@sarah_j_olsen I just wipe it off in the shower! It’s super easy and doesn’t tug out any of my eyelashes.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
Jessie’s sneaky mascara tip
I’ve never thought to try this (I’d worry about germs and it drying TOO much) but I know exactly what Jessie means about new mascara being too wet. Gonna try this on an affordable drugstore purchase!
@sarah_j_olsen I find with mascaras, there’s a sweet spot when they’re a little thicker, they’re more pliable and less smudgy.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@sarah_j_olsen there’s a L’Oreal butterfly one that’s good- works better if you open the cap and let it breathe for a day though.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@askvirginia nope. I go through mascara pretty quickly but I only throw out if it gets too clumpy to use.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
Newbie makeup help
It’s not all detailed deep dives into the world of mascara. She’s full of more basic accessible tips too. The only thing I’d add is that when you go to the MAC counter, find the person whose makeup looks most like you want yours to look, and talk to them. (Lots of reps are super costumey for fun, but most newbies will feel less intimidated talking to someone rocking a more natural look, I suspect.)
@jessiechar I don’t really know, I have no xp, good places online to buy, where to start, if there is such a thing, I know very little. — Mad Furiosa (@NeXTfanboy) June 25, 2015
@jessiechar I want to try some lip stick, some eye liner, and some nail polish, but I’m rather lost on all of it.
— Mad Furiosa (@NeXTfanboy) June 25, 2015
@NeXTfanboy nail polish: any brand of color works. Just use a good base and top coat. Seche Vite is the BEST and like $10 — Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@NeXTfanboy MAC is always an incredibly easy place to start for all of that- they have a ton of formulas and at a good price point
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@NeXTfanboy for lipsticks swatch some on back of hand or front of your wrist to look at color and sheen before trying on your face. — Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
Drugstore mascara options
I love me some fancy tube mascara too, but I can’t always justify the purchase. I figured you budget folks might also appreciate Jessie’s lower-end recs, and her strategy for making the most of all your mascara purchases.
@jessiechar FWIW been trying to cut costs lately so I caved and tried out L’Oréal Voluminous Carbon Black. Surprisingly good for drugstore!
— Virginia Roberts (@askvirginia) June 25, 2015
@askvirginia same, I got the L’Oreal butterfly one and it was good. Definitely wayyy too wet to start out, but once I dried it it was 👌🏻
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015
@askvirginia I now just buy 2-3 tubes of drugstore for every high end and alternate. Good stuff on good days.
— Jessie Char (@jessiechar) June 25, 2015