5 Uses for Disposable Mascara Wands(That Have Nothing to Do with Mascara)

The other day whilst applying my makeup, it occurred to me that there is a tool I use daily that, unless you're a professional makeup artist, you probably don't even have in your arsenal. It's cheap, easy to find, and has a myriad of uses: a disposable mascara wand. Yes, I'm aware that you can buy a non-disposable version (a lash or "spoolie" brush) but don't do it. Mascara wands pick up everything-they get dirty and linty extremely fast & aren't the easiest thing to clean, plus if you're actually using them in mascara, the disposable ones are easier to fit in the tube, less messy, and (of course) more sanitary.

But what else can you do with these little buggers? Here are a few uses I've discovered over the years:

• Brushing eyebrows after makeup application- This would be the "daily use" that I mentioned above. You know those people that have harsh, penciled-in, "old-lady brows"? 9 times out of 10 that look can be remedied by simply brushing through the brows after filling them. This softens the lines and assures there aren't any brow hairs clumped together from a wax, pencil or gel. I always, always, ALWAYS brush through my brows as a finishing step.
• Exfoliating lips- sugar scrubs are great, but not always handy. Yes, a toothbrush will work too, but leftover toothpaste residue can irritate. Instead, put a little lotion, lip balm, or plain Vaseline on a disposable wand and lightly buff over your lips for a few seconds.

• Taming hair flyaways- spritz a little hairspray on the wand (or directly on your head, whatevs...) and use the wand to brush the stragglers back into place. The fine, closely placed bristles on the wand grab tiny, fine flyaways better than a brush, and they don't leave tell-tale "track marks" like a comb.

• Root touch-ups- for those of us that color our hair, these wands can be a god-send for quick root jobs. For me anyway, the long brush I use for my whole head can get unwieldy if I'm only doing roots; the tiny wands place color exactly where you need it without glopping extra product all over. If you color your brows, these work great for that too (of course, I would never recommend doing something so silly, since you could go blind, but if you happen to choose to of your own accord, I happen to know it works!)

• Removing cuticles- Apply a little cuticle remover cream, or just a bit of plain ol' olive oil, let it sit for a bit, then lightly buff at the base of your nails to remove softened bits.

And here's a little bonus tip that has a little to do with mascara (or lashes anyway). The non-bristled end of a disposable wand is the perfect for applying glue to strip lashes. Instead of applying glue to the lash straight from the tube (which can put too much glue on) I put a bead of glue on the plastic handle of the wand and run the lash through the bead. Wipe the excess glue off of the handle, place the lash, and use the end of the handle (again, the end opposite the bristles) to lightly push the lashes into place. Much more precise than your finger!