I've always wondered why women (myself included) tend to open their mouths when applying mascara. Any idea?

It stretches the skin around the eyes, making it taught and preventing it from moving with the utensil. This allows a much more precise application.

While it’s hard to imagine anyone more uniquely unqualified to answer this question (unless maybe it’s Jayne up there), I do have a theory:

I think it has to do with the position of the head. Women crane the head forward to bring the head closer to the mirror. This stretches the throat, creating a tension that’s relieved by opening the mouth. Now slide your head back to a neutral position and you’ll see that your mouth closes easily.

You ca see this for yourself by reaching far forward with your chin. The mouth naturally wants to open to relieve that stretch in the throat, and it feels a bit strained to keep it forcibly closed.

Because they are shocked at the fact at how prettyful they become.

I have no clue. I’m a guy.

When I go birding with binoculars, I find that I always open my mouth. it is related to tipping my head back (and also makes it easier for the mosquitoes to fly in).

Hehe because it’s a must do :)

::taut::
:)

@Grisaille : i love the word prettyful, can i use it? :D

Just out of curiosity, @Jayne and @Harp, has either of you ever applied mascara to yourself before in your lives?

As far as the question, I don’t really know, I’m pretty sure I don’t do that.

@gailcalled : I laughed out loud.

@La_chica_gomela No, but I carefully observed my mother perform the ritual which is more than Jayne can say

@sanari Sure :]

Just don’t use it all in one place, now.

I always open my mouth when I put in contacts.

I was just going on the basis that opening your mouth does definitely have the effect of stretching the skin, and it is very annoying to paint/pencil/whatever anything onto a non-rigid surface. However, now that I have googled mascara, I realize that I was actually thinking more of eyeliner, so I guess I retract my previous answer.

@Jayne: lol

Mmmm good question not sure why but I think it may be age dependent? My mum does it but I don’t I tend to clench my teeth??
Laughed out loud over some of the guys comments I reckon you should film yourselves putting mascara on then we can check out your techniques!!

I used to wonder this. Try doing it with your mouth closed. Just doesn’t work right, does it?

Put it down as one of those things that carry an absolute and inexplicable rightness about them, like any religious ritual: it just has to be done that way or the magic doesn’t work.

If you apply mascara with your mouth closed, you obviously belong to a different sect. There’s no accounting for differences in people’s absolute truths.

its strange how each person is different thats 2 things now on fluther that make me thing I’m strange coz I’m not like other people!!

@sakura Thats a good thing :)

@Tink1113 thanks hun that makes me feel a little better :)

@sakura Your very welcome :)

sakura is feeling the lurve :)

hehe

getting side tracked now!! hehe as another make up thought how many people out there rub their lips together after putting on lipstick/lip gloss?? Does any body still blot?? and which do you put on first mascara or eyeshadow??

@sakura: I always put on mascara last of the eye makeup, because it makes my lashes longer, more curled upward, and more rigid, so it’s just about impossible to get to my eyelid after applying mascara with messing it up.

what happens when you catch your eye lid with your mascara wand and end up with a black smudge across your eye…that really annoys me!!

I wipe the smudges off? What else would you do?

I only wear mascara, eye liner feels too chunky on my eyes

@La_chica_gomela does this nt remove your eyeshadow though??

@sakura: I don’t know what you mean. What does nt mean?

Oh, I understand. Usually when my mascara smudges, it’s on the skin below my eyes not above. If it does get on my eyelid, I’m usually not that concerned because I tend to wear smoke-colored eyeshadows, so I usually kind of just blend it in. If for some reason it really sticks out, I just wipe it off, and then put on a little more eyeshadow if necessary.

oops sorry my bad typing too late I should be in bed! You must be better at applying make up than me!! :)

@jmah sorry for hijaking your original question

I’ve had some practice. What time is it where you are? It’s barely 6:00 pm here!

Its 21:45 late for me I’m normally asleep on the sofa by now but we are watching Harry Potter on DVD!

My best friend always purses her lips while brushing her hair. It’s like she’s about to kiss the mirror. She never noticed until I pointed it out to her. Does anyone else do that?

I don’t open my mouth…

@augustlan, is she now paralyzed when she tries to brush her hair?

@Jeruba Narcissus she is not. :D