The Makeup Maniac: Brow Down, the Lash is Back

“Lashes are in a place of extremity- nothing (even erased) or almost overdone. There is no middle ground to mascara now”

High priest of global makeup trends and MAC’s director of makeup artistry Terry Barber preaches the truth; SS15 is the season to go big, or go home, where lashes are concerned. Just as a wild night out and cosy night in have their draws and particular appeal, so do superloaded lashes and fluffy, naked ones. Whichever way you go, you’re making a statement. Just follow MAC artistic director Lyne Desnoyers’ lead:

“The tendancy to pack on mascara this season is interesting- it gives an intriguing shadow to the eyes and gives the face an instant elevation, with nothing else needed...the juxtaposition of a couture lash against super nude skin makes wearing mascara feel exciting again”

This maniac is psyched. Mascara is often cited as a desert island essential- second best to a Swiss Army knife and fresh water source in desperate times. SS15 brings this trusty makeup staple out of its comfort zone; either leave well alone or apply lashings of the stuff with abandon. Don’t fret about flaking or spiders legs either; brands are onto this season’s lash fixation and are releasing more futuristic, high performance formulas than ever, while the latter is an actual look (take your cue from Costume National and pile on  MAC In Extreme Dimension Lash , £19, until lashes look suitably ‘chunky’).

Thick and fast

If clumpy isn’t quite your bag but you’d like to boost your natural assets beyond the everyday,  Urban Decay Perversion Mascara , £17, creates thick, bold, black as night lashes and has a clever flexible cream texture and high tech brush that allow you to apply with abandon with not a flake, blob or lump in sight. For a thicket of lashes effect before you’ve even applied your product, prep with weighty, conditioning  Subversion Lash Primer , £15. Marketed as ‘foreplay for your lashes’ it’s not far off- it adds instant impact and sex appeal and makes your mascara formulation of choice perform at its peak.

Girl with a curl

Another doe-eyed pre-requisite is an eyelash curler. Squeezing your lashes with a scary looking implement will seriously pay off- it will make you look miraculously wide awake (especially useful on dark January mornings), takes seconds and is a makeup artist’s first port of call when it comes to making models look lively, mascara or no mascara. Being experts in the eye department, Eyeko’s non-fiddly  Lash Curler , £12, is a cut above more flimsy models; it curls and lifts with minimal effort or faff and has a pleasingly wieldy blue velvet handle. Follow the lead of makeup artist Miranda Joyce at Sibling and make dramatically curled lashes your calling card- she curled lashes three times: an initial curl, curling post false lash application and a final curl after whopping amounts of mascara was applied. If this curling method is a little too heavy duty for your average night out,  Dior Iconic Overcurl Mascara , £24.50, has a wand that mimics the effect and shape of an eyelash curler and catches lashes at the root to give the illusion of volume and help the curl to hold. If twirly whirly lashes lure you in, mark March in your diary- there's an exciting launch afoot from a particularly lash savvy brand.

Light as a feather

If throwing the kitchen sink at your lashes isn’t quite your style, Lucia Pieroni’s ‘feathery layer’ of mascara at Moschino is modern, understated and fairy-like.  Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara , £18, lifts and separates lashes like magic while seemingly not weighing them down at all. For similarly ethereal fairytale lashes and a much coveted daily lie-in, invest in semi-permanent fasle eyelashes or extension from the expert team at  Flutter .

Centre stage

For an unusual take on false lashes and to make small eyes look bigger, make like Tom Pecheux’s ‘doll with a sick mind’ muse at Altuzarra and apply extra lashes to the centre of the eye rather than the corner. Eyelash maestro  Shu Uemura’s Partial Flare False Eyelashes , £16, allow you to create length and density in the centre of the eye without the need for forensic scissor work on your part. Isolated volume will also be a doddle to create when new  Givenchy  Phenomen’Eyes Mascara, £23, launches this February- its cult spiky, circular brush allows you to zoom into the lashline and its redesigned formula contains amino-acid coated pigments and multi-action polymers to ensure that both colour and shape hold strong.

Pretty punk

Conforming to mascara’s breakaway from all things prim and proper, Rochas’ spiky, rebellious lashes set the tone for a more texturized, daring approach to eyelash adornment.  L’Oréal Miss Manga Punky , £5.99, is designed to help you to rock it like Rochas- widely-spaced bristles create a jagged, too cool for school effect. Use the tip of the brush to dot pigment under the centre of the eye à la Lucia Pieroni for additional rule-breaker street cred.

Naked ambition

If you have a few sparse lashes trembling at the thought of the sudden mascara onslaught, bear in mind that “no makeup” is in fact a trend by itself (models didn’t wear a scrap of the stiff at Marc Jacobs). Skipping mascara and opting for edgy eye gloss (eyes peeled for  Paul & Joe  Spring eye glosses launching mid-February) or choppy, painterly black liner is equally ‘fashion’. Subtle brown mascara taps into the widespread early 70s references observed at many a show, and if you’re tempted to load up your wand but worried your lashes can’t handly it,  Rapidlash Eyelash Enhancing Serum , £39.99, claims to boost lash volume by 75% and length by 50% is just 30 days. I’m on the Rapidlash recovery programme as I speak and will report back in spring. I’m anticipating a full on hedge of lashes by April.