It’s a make-up must have all year round, but in summer, mascara really comes into its own. Heat and humidity (oh please God, let it happen) are rarely eye shadow friendly. Who wants to faff around with colour when you could be out enjoying the fresh air?

There’s a bewildering choice of brush shapes and finishes bent on confusing the shopper: volumising, lengthening, nourishing, curling – there’s even one designed especially for bottom lashes.

What we want is all of the above benefits in one product please, with one vital extra: in summer it has to be waterproof.

I only ever wear waterproof mascara as it defies the watery eye syndrome that’s so prevalent in the over 50s – why bother with anything less than a belt and braces approach?

Okay, it does have a bad rep for damaging lashes, but that’s not the mascara itself, it’s the method of removing it, as you’ll have to work hard rubbing the delicate eye area to get it off with anything less than a dedicated waterproof eye make up remover.

My other lash “must have” is RevitaLash, €78, a wonder for combating dry and brittle lashes, conditioning them and making them longer and fuller. It’s not cheap, but it does what it says on the tin. Available from elysianbrows.ie

LASH IT ON

Left to right: Clinique Lash Power Waterproof €20 a stand out from a brand with a great range of mascaras; Estée Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge €25 A good curling mascara; YSL Volume Effect Cils Waterproof mascara, €31, Volume, length, and staying power; Hypnôse Doll Eyes €26 Waterproof mascara with an angled brush that allows you to coat even the smallest inner lashes; Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Very Black Waterproof €7.49 Unbeatable for performance and value.

TAKE IT OFF

Not a product you need to spend a lot on, as long as it does the job
Left to right: Nivea Visage Double Effect eye make up remover, €5.49; Vichy Pureté Thermale waterproof eye make up remover for sensitive eyes, €13.95; The Body Shop Camomile waterproof eye and lip make up remover, €13.50 pclarke@irishtimes.com