A Guide to Tubing Mascara Application

Most mascaras rely on pigments suspended in wax or oil, which often smudge when met with facial oils or humidity. Tubing formulas function differently by employing film-forming polymers that wrap around each lash hair as a distinct cylinder. These tubes stay intact until they encounter a specific combination of warm water and gentle pressure.

Transitioning to a tubing formula requires a change in your removal technique. You must abandon traditional oil-based cleansers, which are ineffective against these synthetic polymers, and instead rely on the mechanics of saturation and sliding.

Clean the lash base. Ensure your eyelids are free of oils, creams, or residual concealer. Any lipid-based product on the skin can interfere with the way the polymers adhere to the lash roots. Use a damp cotton pad to swipe across the lash line and allow it to air dry for thirty seconds.
Apply with a wiggling motion. Load the brush and start at the very base of your lashes. Wiggle the wand side-to-side to anchor the polymers firmly. Pull the brush straight through to the tips in one fluid motion to build the uniform tube structure.
Apply a secondary coat. If you desire more length, apply your second coat while the first is still damp. Waiting for the formula to dry will result in clumping, as the drying polymers are difficult to layer over once set. Stop at two coats to prevent the tubes from becoming too heavy.
Saturate with warm water. To remove the mascara at the end of the day, splash warm water directly onto your closed eyelids. You must wait for the water to soak into the tubes for at least thirty seconds. You will feel the tubes soften significantly.
Slide the tubes away. Using your index finger and thumb, gently pinch the damp lashes and slide your fingers toward the tips. The tubes will slide off in one piece. Do not pull or tug harshly; the tubes should release with almost zero resistance.

The efficacy of a tubing formula is found in its water-based removal, not its application.