Clumped lashes are rarely the mascara's fault. Four things cause almost all of it, and three are free to fix.

1. Too much product on the brush

The most common cause. Wipe the wand on the neck of the tube before applying — there is far more product on it than you need, and the excess is what bridges lashes together.

2. Pumping the wand

Pushing the wand in and out forces air into the tube. Air dries the formula, and dried formula clumps. It is also why a mascara that worked in March is unusable by June.

Twist the wand instead as you pull it out.

3. Applying a second coat too late

Layering over a coat that has already dried drags the dry product into clumps. Apply the second coat while the first is still slightly damp — within a minute or so.

4. The tube is finished

Mascara has a life of about three months. After that it thickens, and no technique compensates. Adding water or any other liquid does not revive it; it introduces bacteria next to your eye and makes the texture worse.

The application itself

  • Start at the base of the lashes and wiggle slightly as you draw upward. The density at the roots creates the impression of fullness
  • Two thin coats, not one thick one
  • Comb through with the tip of the brush to separate anything that stuck
  • Curl before applying, never after — a curler on coated lashes breaks them
  • Bottom lashes need a fraction of what you use on top, applied with the tip

If it still clumps

A spoolie or a clean dry mascara wand, run through the lashes immediately after applying, separates almost anything. It is the single most useful tool for this and costs very little.

Choosing a lengthening formula also helps: thinner textures with fine brushes clump less than dense volume formulas, which are working against you by design.

Removal matters too

Held against closed lashes for a few seconds, micellar water or a cleansing milk loosens mascara before you wipe. Rubbing pulls lashes out, and thinning lashes make every subsequent application look worse.

For choosing between volume, lengthening and curling formulas, see the mascara guide.