MASSIVE DETAILS #2
I woke up on Friday, June 28th, the morning after the Biden-Trump debate, and declared that the aesthetic code for the remainder of summer would be: unbothered. Not effortless and carefree, but literally, as in ‘cannot be bothered.’ From a macro perspective, we must conserve energy and maximize comfort in preparation for a turbulent future. We must relish these last warm days of democracy, and not waste a calorie on superfluous routines. Mascara has no place in these plans.
Don’t feel attacked. I am a huge proponent of mascara and have tons of friends who are mascara wearers. This isn’t a condemnation of mascara as much as it is a celebration of lashes and lids, which are MASSIVE DETAILS indeed.
To some of you I know this is sick, but I’ve always felt that there’s nothing chicer than a stripped-back lash—especially today, when lash technology is its own trade school category to feed what is truly an epidemic. The fetishization of extreme lashes has risen hand-in-hand with clownish lip filler as a sort of non-invasive body modification. You can get your lashes dyed, lifted, curled, laminated, and you can have extensions applied with surgical glue bonded to the root of your natural lashes. Maintenance is exhausting (lash extensions can’t get wet), time consuming, and expensive. Social media abounds with videos of pained clients prostrate on their lash tech’s service chair, with weepy, red eyeballs, not even able to open their lids for the weight of the hairs and glue on their eyelids.
Black, thick, and curled has become such a homogenous ideal that some women won’t run even the most mundane errand without combing on a quick coat of mascara. Naked lashes—intentionally naked—can feel like a flash of nudity. They imply that you’re down for anything.
You are free to cry, swim, steam; you’re free to wash your face with hand soap or a swipe of micellar water if you can’t be bothered to double-cleanse before bed. I love the effects that swimming in the ocean has on skin and hair, especially when bits of sand and salt accumulate at the roots of eyelashes like organic glitter. And don’t get me started on wet lashes…so lush, so delicate. The inspiration for Glossier’s Lash Slick was post-shower lashes: sleek, spiky clusters.
It will take about a week off of mascara to notice the benefits to your eye comfort and energy levels. You’ll experience less irritating debris, less lash fallout, whiter whites, and less crust and goo in the mornings. Your lids won’t be weighed down, and it will be easier to open them. You’ll see the world a little clearer without the clutter in your line of vision. Things will begin to add up to make going about your day easier, and before long, your life overall will begin to improve, and things will finally start going your way. I swear.
From a pure aesthetic standpoint, if your lashes are short, or sparse, or light, that’s even better. So rare. You can have them dyed if you must, but this extra work really goes against the “unbothered” ethos. This is about editing, restraint. Not wearing mascara is about opening things up, taking away.
I sometimes even cut my lashes shorter on the bottom. It creates a contrast with the top row of lashes, making the entire brow look more lifted. Though I always end up preferring the look of natural hair ends from brows and lashes; a blunt end from trimming always looks out of place.
Years of beauty photography and hd video have made me an expert on the details of natural lids and lashes. It’s like seeing a bug in Nat Geo—most of them are gorgeous up close.
The natural shading of eyelid skin is a beauty feature people don’t take enough credit for. It’s so thin, so the purples and pinks and browns created from blood vessels and follicles shows through. For much of my time at Glossier, we didn’t make eye color products, so I loved finding models with natural shading to their eyelids.
No-mascara looks are a good time to try eye makeup formulas which are wet and shiny, but don’t dry down: the mythical eye gloss. It’s a look we’ve seen in countless editorials and runways since the late 90s, but which simply cannot be in real life. A glossy eyeshadow formula, by nature, embodies every complaint one could possibly have about a cosmetic product for the eye: it moves, it melts, it collects in the crease, it ruins all the makeup around it, and disappears over the course of an hour. Only those willing to embrace the wabi-sabi lifestyle are truly capable of pulling off a glossed lid under real world circumstances.
I like Surrat’s Lid Lacquer $36, for a glistening smokey look, and some chaotic shades floating around different retailers; Byredo’s Colour Sticks $40 are a good alternative; they’re sheer as well, a little less glossy, but slightly less tacky on skin. These Addiction Tokyo Multi Tints $22 (select “Multi Tint” formula from the options presented by the shade range) are on my list for things to try next. I love the idea of a glazed wood stain finish.
“In my experience there are two types of makeup wearer. There are those that will only accept pristine, polished and perfectly placed. There are also many to whom this is a cardinal sin. Neither is particularly wrong or right of course, it’s just a difference in attitude.” —@terrybarberonbeauty
If you still want to do a darkened lash line, try colors which are no darker than your lashes, so even without mascara, they can still stand out comparatively. My favorite makeup to use with naked mascara is a creamy formula so I don’t have to worry about any fallout on the lashes. I am building a never-ending library of shadow sticks, like Laura Mercier’s Caviar Sticks $33, (in matte or shimmer), Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks $13.50, and Bobbi Brown’s version $34. Until I’m shown evidence to the contrary, these are the exact same products; but each brand has their own color takes, so I’m buying! They won’t give a glossy finish, but you will have more control in applying, and they’ll generally stay put.
I don’t even like curling my lashes most days—it’s nice to see the lid when looking straight, and to keep the lashes sleek. You can still create a lifted look through blending a bit of sheer shadow out from the crease, using the Armani Eye Tint $38 in Cashew (this is, by my estimations, a perfect cosmetic product). Curling, though, is doing too much.
There is a strong argument for a graphic black line set off by straight, naked lashes:
Redness-reducing eye drops are essential for no-mascara looks. I like maximum-strength Rohto $7 (with the red cap), because nothing makes you feel alive like dropping menthol into your eyeballs.
MASSIVE DETAILS is a production of All Of My Opinions Are Your Own. All products recommended at my own free will and without collusion.
I've been feeling the same way the past few months. Nothing says MAKEUP!! like mascara. Which isn't a bad thing. For me, I hated seeing a smudge of mascara below my eyes at work. Fine for a party - who cares? - but felt too fussy to wear day after day. I didn't want to bring eye makeup remover to the office nor worry about my eyes watering over "constructive" criticism. The final straw was getting an eye infection from (not even that old) mascara. Sayonara, mascara! Good riddance for now.
I have blonde lashes and never wear mascara (maybe like 2 or 3x/year for some event, but I often do events mascara-free). It looks way better. Ethereal even. I receive many complements on my lashes even though I can barely see them. They are quite long though so that’s a plus. Praise to the naked lash