Are You Using This Mascara Wand Wrong?

by BR Kellie

Everyone needs a comfort movie watch, and one of go-to's is Zoolander. It's funny. Irreverent. A good time, every time. One of my many favourite Zoolander movie moments is when Derek and Hansel are searching for computer files and Hansel is told by Matilda that they're in the computer. He then takes her directive literally by trying to tear the computer apart in order to get the files. Cracks me up. Every. Single. Time. And Hansel's moment of 'click' has become my internal monologue for when something so obvious it's not funny becomes clear to me... 'they're IN the computer...'

My most recent "they're in the computer" moment? I discovered that I've been using my favourite mascara wand wrong.

Or not.

A bit like Derek and Hansel in Zoolander, my using a curved mascara wrong seemed like an obvious answer when I thought about it, but it turned out to be actually not quite right at all.

Confused? SAME. So allow me to take you on an eye-opening journey... 

While applying my new favourite mascara as pictured above (a massive thanks to the members who's reviews sent me off to buy it - fave mascara of 2022!) using the concave side (aka the side that's on the right of the brush in the picture above), it occured to me that perhaps I was using the wand wrong. That perhaps I ought to be using the convex side (the side that's on the left in the picture above). What if the convex side does a better job? What if the concave side's not superior? What if I could be getting more lift, more curl? What if I've been using any curved wand wrong for as long as I can remember using curved wands? And finally... Why have I never thought to even try the other side of the wand before?

So I hit up the internet for answers, but the internet being the internet was unhelpful.

I found sites telling me that the concave side that I was using was the right side because it would lift your lashes better.

I found information suggesting that the convex side was the way to go as it works with the natural curves of one's lashes.

I then found a site that said you should use the convex side of the brush first to coat the lashes, followed by the concave side to lift and curl the lashes.

Thanks, internet. As always you've led to more confusion.

So, in the name of science I decided to give all the methods a go. The results?

My experience of being a concave side user was confirmed - it does lift my lashes and give them a better curl than the left side. 

However, when I used the convex side of the brush only I found more product was applied to my lashes, therefore making them look thicker. 

SO... I went all in by applying my mascara first wtih the convex side of the wand and then went over them with the concave side of the wand and OH MY GOODNESS... it created fluffy, separated, full-looking lashes. Super long, super lifted, super eye-poppingly pretty.

So was I using my mascara wand wrong? Not really. It's a classic case of you do you. But could I have used it better? It turns out the answer is yes. I'm now a double-sided convert. But what about you?

Will you be flipping your curved mascara wand the right way up? Or had you already figured this trick out for yourself? Chat below!