Though just about everyone knows what mascara is, exactly how it works remains a mystery to some. There are a number of claims that are made on the labels of mascara bottles that can be difficult to decipher, leaving you to wonder whether the mascara that you buy is really doing what it is supposed to. If you have ever found yourself wondering what some of these terms mean then you are certainly not alone. In order to help you better understand what it is that your mascara is actually supposed to do, explanations of some of the most common claims found on mascara labels can be found below

One aspect that is important to keep in mind is that many of these claims work in much the same way, meaning that you should not be surprised when a bottle of mascara that claims that it will plump your eyelashes ends up making them look thicker or longer. It is also important to keep in mind that the desired effects can sometimes depend just as much (if not more) on the application brush and technique as it can on the mascara itself; innovative brush designs help to ensure that more eyelashes are given their own applications and can help to make your eyelashes look fuller or more separate even without the special properties of the mascara.

Plumping

"Plumping" mascara is designed to make individual lashes look larger and fuller. This effect can generally be accomplished in two ways. The mascara itself can be slightly thicker than other mascara formulas, giving each lash a thicker coating and making it thus appear larger overall. The brush of the mascara can also be designed to promote a limited amount of clumping among smaller lashes, causing two small lashes that are very close together to appear to be one larger and fuller lash. Both of these methods can make your eyelashes appear to be fuller and more impressive, though the former method tends to be more common than the latter due to its relative ease.

Lengthening

If a mascara claims to give your lashes length, this most likely means that the mascara contains very small polymer chains that will cling to your eyelashes when applied and make them appear slightly longer as a result. The increased length is a mix of the polymer chains themselves and the mascara that clings to them; though the increase will not be substantial, it will generally be enough to make the lashes more noticeable. Many lengthening mascaras are quick-drying as a result of having slightly less liquid in them because of the polymer chain addition; this means that you won’t have to wait for an extended period of time for the mascara to dry and that the length isn’t going to be accidentally brushed away by blinking or gently rubbing your eyes.

Thickening

Thickening mascaras work in a method similar to plumping mascara, using the thickness of the mascara itself to make the individual lashes seem thicker because of the layer of mascara that is on them. Thickening mascaras often are designed to accentuate the lashes if they are too thin to draw attention normally or if they have little color because of how thin they are. It may have a bit more pigment in it than other forms of mascara, and often will have a bit more emphasis on making the lashes larger overall than plumping mascaras will. In many situations, however, the terms "thickening" and "plumping" can be used all but interchangeably since the differences between the two techniques are relatively minor.

Separating

If mascara is labeled as "separating" then the applicator is going to play a large part in helping the product live up to that claim. Separating mascaras often use a number of creative brush designs in order to physically separate as many of the individual eyelashes as possible. These brush designs also coat eyelashes in a thin layer of mascara that keeps the lashes from clumping and also provides the eyelashes with color and texture. Using separating mascara can make eyelashes seem fuller simply by making the lashes more noticeable while keeping them separate for as long as possible.

Clump-Free

Mascara that claims to be clump-free is often very similar to separating mascara, since its main goal is to keep individual lashes from clumping together so that your eyelashes as a whole seem fuller. The applicator brush can play a large part in this, with the bristles often being designed to deliver only a small amount of mascara at a time while stripping off any extra that may be clinging to the lashes. In many cases the bottle will have a special design as well, brushing through the bristles as the brush is removed to prevent excess mascara from building up on them in the first place.