Quick answer: The viral lower-lash mascara hack, made famous by Selena Gomez, uses a pair of angled tweezers instead of the wand. You coat the tweezers with waterproof mascara, place them at the base of your bottom lashes, and gently squeeze so each lash is coated precisely, no smudges under the eyes.
Key takeaways
- Coat angled tweezers with waterproof mascara, then squeeze at the base of your lower lashes for clean, separated definition.
- Waterproof formula on the bottom lashes prevents the transfer and smudging most of us deal with.
- Curl and lift your top lashes first so your eyes instantly look more awake.
- A soft, glowy base and a warm eyeshadow keep this a wearable, everyday "high-low" look.
- If your hands are shaky, this squeeze-and-release technique may not be for you, and that is okay.
Hey ladies, welcome back! In this tutorial I'm walking you through the lower-lash mascara hack that went completely viral on TikTok, the one Selena Gomez shared. I genuinely think it's incredible, and it pairs with a simple, glowy day face I built as a fun high-low mix of splurge and drugstore. Let's get this beauty started.
How does the viral lower mascara hack work?
This is the star of the whole look, and it's the technique I saw Selena Gomez share on TikTok. During the day most of us skip bottom-lash mascara because it transfers and ends up everywhere. The tweezer trick fixes exactly that. Here's how I do it:
- Curl and lift your top lashes first (more on that below) and apply your regular mascara up top.
- Pick up your waterproof mascara and a pair of angled tweezers.
- Coat the tweezers with a really good layer of mascara.
- Place the tweezers at the very base of your lower lashes.
- Gently squeeze the tweezers closed on the lashes, then release. The lashes come together looking beautifully coated and separated.
- If anything looks clumpy, run a clean spoolie through, and if a little mascara lands up top, spritz a cotton bud with water and tidy it.
It looks a little scary the first time, but it's surprisingly gentle and precise. You're placing the color exactly where you want it instead of dragging a heavy wand across delicate lashes.
Why curl and lift your lashes first?
Before any mascara, I curl with a Shu Uemura lash curler, and a heated curler works beautifully too. Use whatever combo you like. Lifting really matters: everyone feels like they have no lashes until they actually curl and lift them up. Once your top lashes are lifted and coated at the base, your eyes look instantly awake, like you did a full, gorgeous makeup job even on a simple day.
How do I prep skin and eyes for this look?
I kept skincare simple so we could get to the hack faster. I start with a spritz of Avene Thermal Water (I keep one in the fridge for after spin class, it feels amazing), then Caudalie's Vinoperfect Brightening Serum, which you've seen me use a hundred times. Next is Embryolisse, a French, makeup-artist cult favorite originally made for burns; it works as a mask, moisturizer, or primer and gives the prettiest glow. I finish with La Roche-Posay Mineral SPF 50, because yes, we always wear sunscreen head to toe, even when I'm not filming it.
On the eyes, I start with an eye primer to neutralize the lids. I used a Tom Ford palette, pressing the shadow into the brush first to control fallout, washing the lightest shade over the lid, then pressing the darkest chocolate shade right into the lash line with a tapered blending brush so it doubles as a soft liner. Using eyeshadow as your liner is such an easy, softer option, especially for summer days.
How do I finish the base, cheeks, brows, and lips?
For under-eyes I tried Laura Geller's Cool Concealer in Light, which has a cooling feel that's lovely if you have puffiness or dryness, then buffed it in. For foundation I stayed high-low: Wet n Wild Photo Focus Dewy Foundation in Soft Beige mixed with L'Oreal Lumi Glotion to warm and add glow, blended down the neck and even over the lips.
For cheeks I mixed two cream shades, a carnation pink and an apricot, for a custom flush. Nikol's own Cream Blush Stick in a shade like Palm Beach gives that same soft, hydrated flush over a dewy base. I groomed brows with Brow Fixx Clear Brow Gel, brushing them up, then added Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Deep, pressed into the brush and tapped off so it stays sheer, placed from the top of the ear straight down or in a soft backwards-three. For lips I lined with Cameo waterproof lip liner and topped with Chanel Lip Gloss in 722, my everyday staple. A little Kerastase Elixir Ultime, Big Sexy Hair spray, and Byredo Rose of No Man's Land hair mist finished everything off.
The bottom line
This lower mascara hack is a tiny trick that makes a big difference. It keeps bottom lashes clean, separated, and defined without the smudging, so you can wear them even on an easy daytime look. Ready to build your own version? Explore our best sellers and shop the full makeup collection to recreate this glow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lower mascara hack?
It's a technique Selena Gomez made viral on TikTok for coating your bottom lashes. Instead of using the mascara wand, you coat a pair of angled tweezers with mascara, place them at the base of your lower lashes, and gently squeeze so each lash is defined precisely, without smudging mascara under your eyes.
Should I use waterproof mascara on my bottom lashes?
Yes. Most of us avoid bottom-lash mascara because it transfers and smudges throughout the day. Switching to a waterproof formula only on the lower lashes solves that. You can keep your regular mascara on top for easier removal, and reserve the waterproof one for the tweezer technique on the bottom.
Do I need to curl my lashes before applying mascara?
Curling makes a real difference. Everyone feels like they have no lashes until they lift them, so curl your top lashes with a manual or heated lash curler first. Lifting from the base opens up the eyes and makes you look instantly more awake before you even reach for mascara.
Is bottom-lash mascara okay for daytime?
Absolutely. It used to feel like a nighttime-only thing, but because the tweezer method is so precise, it never looks heavy or overdone. Paired with a glowy base and a soft cream blush, a little definition on the lower lashes reads as a wearable, elevated everyday look rather than full glam.
What if I have shaky hands?
This technique may not be the best fit for you. You have to squeeze the tweezers on the actual lash and then release, which takes a steady hand near the eye. If that feels risky, stick with a fine mascara wand or a small precision brush for your lower lashes instead, so you stay comfortable and safe.
