How to dilute mascara | 7 ways

Girls who regularly use cosmetics have repeatedly faced such a problem as drying out mascara. In this case, many people simply throw away the deteriorated decorative cosmetics and buy a new one. But what if the ink was bought quite recently, and even more expensive? Make-up experts assure that it is real to revive a dried cosmetic product. They shared with reporters the simplest and most effective recipes that will dilute the mascara and restore its consistency and texture.

The most popular ways to thin out mascara

Before diluting a cosmetic product, you need to make sure that the solvent you are going to use meets the following requirements:

1. It is harmless to the mucous membranes of the eyes, skin and eyelash hairs.

2. Will not cause you an allergic reaction or irritation.

Our experts have selected several options that will help restore the structure of a cosmetic product for eye makeup:

1. Bottled or boiled drinking water cooled to room temperature. It is better not to use tap water, as it contains chlorine, which will irritate the mucous membrane and negatively affect the hairs of the eyelashes. You will need 1-1.5 teaspoons of water, which can be poured into the opening of the bottle with a pipette. If you don't have a pipette at hand, you can use a life hack from experts. The fact is that at the end of almost any tube of mascara there is a plastic stop, which is designed to remove excess mascara from the brush when you take it out of the bottle. Just pull out this stopper, the bottle opening will become wider, and it will be easier to fill the liquid. After adding water, insert the brush into the tube and move it up and down several times to mix the liquid and mascara to the desired consistency.

2. Eye drops or eye lens storage liquid. These drugs have been tested so you can be sure they won't harm your lashes or eyes. It will take 5-10 drops of liquid – the amount depends on the degree of thickening of the cosmetic. The sequence of actions is the same as described in the previous paragraph. The advantages of eye drops for dilution of mascara are that the vial of the drug is already equipped with a pipette tip, which simplifies the process of adding solvent to the vial of mascara. The disadvantage of drops is that after you add them to mascara, you can use it for no longer than 14 days. This is how much open eye drops are usually kept.

3. Tea brew – add a few drops to the tube itself. You need to dip the washed mascara brush into the remains of the tea leaves and then return it to the bottle. Tea is good because it has anti-inflammatory properties, helps to reduce the vital activity of bacteria. The main condition for using the infuser is that it must be made from pure (no additives) black, green tea and must be strong. Some people advise adding some sugar to the tea. But sugar is food for microorganisms, moreover, it contributes to the fact that eyelashes stick together, you should not use it.

4. Special lotion for eye makeup remover. Such preparations for removing make-up from the skin may not be suitable for these purposes, since they often contain alcohol and other components harmful to the mucous membrane. It is advisable that the lotion used is from the same brand as the mascara.

5. Inglot's product called Duraline. The product contains silicone polymers and is used to dilute dry cosmetics. Usually Duraline bottles are equipped with special pipettes, so it will be easy to dilute the mascara.

6. Any vegetable oil. For example, sunflower oil, olive oil, almond oil. The main thing is that it does not contain components that can cause tearing and irritation. For example, peppermint, lemon, or spruce oil is not suitable for thinning mascara.

7. Baby oil, such as baby oil from Johnson Baby. The oil must be free of any flavoring, coloring, or other additives.

Whatever method you use to restore the consistency of the mascara, you need to store it after such a procedure in the refrigerator and not for long – up to 4 weeks. Before each use it will have to be warmed up in a glass of warm water.

If you thinned mascara, but the result was unsatisfactory, you should not try the following methods. However, you can regularly use the same method of diluting cosmetics if it has been effective, but the result is short-lived.

However, before trying to thin out mascara, try another proven way to make your makeup more pliable. To do this, you need to take any container that is larger than the length of the tube of the cosmetic product. You need to pour plain hot water into the container, but not boiling water. The tube of mascara should be closed as tightly as possible and immersed in water for 10 minutes. If the tube pops up, you can press it down with something heavy.

Also, before taking any action, it will not be superfluous to make sure that the mascara is really dry or thickened. Maybe it's all about the brush, on which too much mascara has accumulated during use. Remove the brush from the tube, rinse under running water, treat with soap or makeup remover, wipe the nap with paper towels or cotton pads.

If it becomes necessary to dilute the mascara, and at the same time the smell of the cosmetic has changed, this means that it has completely deteriorated. In this case, it will not be possible to restore the structure of the cosmetics; it is better to replace the mascara.

What can not be used to thin out mascara

On the Internet, you can find information about other ways to dilute dried cosmetics. But experts do not recommend the use of such solvents, as they can not only ruin the mascara, but also harm health.

What is not suitable for thinning mascara:

1. Saliva. Many girls, following the example of their mothers and grandmothers, try to dilute mascara with saliva. Of course, during the youth of the older generation there was no alternative, only dry 'Leningradskaya' mascara could be found on sale, which was diluted with saliva to soak it. But this option is no longer necessary to use in our time. Saliva contains a large number of bacteria and other microorganisms, which will only accelerate the deterioration of cosmetics. In addition, there is a possibility of infection on the mucous membrane of the eye.

2. Hydrogen peroxide or, in simple terms, peroxide. It is unknown where the advice to use this substance to dilute mascara came from, but you definitely do not need to follow them. First, you can get a serious burn of the mucous membrane of the eyes. Secondly, it is not known how the peroxide will interact with the composition of the cosmetic product, it can finally thicken, or curl up into balls.

3. Any preparations containing alcohol. Just like peroxide, alcohol irritates the mucous membranes and can cause burns or severe irritation, and eyelashes can begin to fall out. Plus, alcohol evaporates even faster than water. Therefore, perfume, cologne, vodka, and other alcoholic beverages are not suitable for thinning mascara.

Why does mascara dry out before its expiration date

Mascara can dry out for various reasons, one of which is improper storage conditions. For example, after using cosmetics, a girl forgets to tighten the cap tightly. As a result, air enters the tube, and moisture evaporates from its contents, as a result of which it begins to dry out.

Another common reason for the need to thin out mascara is the accumulation of excess makeup on the thread of the hole on the tube. The fact is that many girls, before starting to dye their eyelashes, brush along the outer edge of the tube opening in order to slightly clean the villi from the mascara. This excess, which hardens strongly over time, does not allow the cap to be tightened tightly, no matter how hard it is.

Also, the reason for the drying of the carcass can be its composition. For example, a product for adding extra volume to eyelashes is thick in itself. In the composition of such mascara there are special components – waxes, which contribute to the visual thickening of the eyelash hairs. With each contact with air, such mascara becomes even thicker, it dries faster than conventional counterparts.

Sometimes the structure of the carcass changes due to the vital activity of bacteria that multiply in it. Bacteria enter the tube of brasmatik during the process of applying it to the eyelashes, or when the brush is placed on the table after use, rather than returned to the tube.

How to prevent premature thickening and drying of mascara

You can store and use mascara for about six months. It is during this period that it is safe to use and cannot harm health. But usually the need to dilute mascara arises after 2-3 months of operation. To prevent this from happening, you can take preventive measures to prevent the drying of cosmetics:

1. Read the information on the packaging of the mascara. It should indicate in what conditions it should be stored so that it does not deteriorate. In most cases, the manufacturer advises to keep the mascara tightly closed, in a dry and cool place.

2. If you buy several tubes of mascara at the same time, do not unpack all the products at once. The mascara begins to thicken as soon as you open the tube for the first time, whether you use it or not. Therefore, if you do not plan to use a specific mascara yet, unpack it as late as possible. And the one that has already been opened, try to apply as often as possible, so that you can use it completely before it starts to dry out.

3. Do not keep the tube open when dyeing your lashes. Be sure to cover the opening with your finger or silicone cap. This will limit the contact of the cosmetic with air.

4. When picking up cosmetics on the brush, do not move it up and down too much. By performing such actions, you are, as it were, pumping a tube of cosmetic product with air, which should be avoided. It is better to insert the brush into the bottle at a shallow depth in smooth circular movements.

5. Regularly clean the threads of the ink tube tip to remove dried cosmetic residues. This can be done with a cotton pad soaked in hot water. If the mascara is waterproof, a permanent eye make-up remover or micellar water can help remove residues, even heavily hardened ones.

6. Try to buy cosmetics that are oil-based rather than water-based. Water evaporates over time, but oil does not, the oil-based product does not change its structure. Therefore, there will be no need to dilute the cosmetics.

7. Always clean your eyelashes before applying makeup. To do this, simply wash with soap or use a special product to cleanse the skin and eyelashes.

8. Buy cosmetics from well-known and reliable brands. Large companies are responsible for the development of formulas, the selection of the component composition of their products. The high quality of the cosmetic increases the chances that the mascara will not need to be thinned during use. There are cases when high-quality mascara did not lose its consistency even after several years, during which it was not used, but was simply stored in a home cosmetic bag.

9. Buy beauty products from trusted specialized stores. In this case, the likelihood of purchasing counterfeit products, which, naturally, will be of inferior quality than the original, decreases.

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