Apply several coats of black mascara until you reach optimal consistency. Two to three coats are simply inadequate for most Asian eyelashes. For those of us with shorter lashes that are sparsely spread, applying a lash primer underneath mascara helps achieve longer, thicker-looking lashes.

It wasn't until 1915 a mascara was invented in the U.S. Today mascaras can lengthen, color, thicken, separate and even curl. For those of us who have shorter, straighter lashes, mascaras that can curl, thicken and lengthen are true magic wands. Trick: Apply a couple of strokes, wait a few seconds and reapply for quicker volume builder, until you get the desired result. Color: Most colorful mascaras add only a hint of color so the net effect is very subtle. For the weak hearted, though, stay with black. Great for sparsely spread lashes.