Geoffrey Rodriguez has been a leading makeup artist for more than 20 years. With an eye for new trends and enduring styles, his distinctive approach has been sought after by everyone from Anna Wintour to Victoria Beckham and Padma Lakshmi, as well as prestigious companies such as Vincent Longo and Ford Models. In our weekly Beauty Guru series, Rodriguez will take us through all the essential tips of mascara and its application.

Mascara has evolved from a last minute purchase at the drugstore to a staple sought from an endless sea of choices at virtually every level of retail. With catch-terms such as volumizing, lengthening, curling, strengthening and conditioning—words traditionally reserved for hair products, but bolstered by the most advanced technological claims ever seen in the cosmetics industry— it’s hard to know which mascaras really do the job. The following are the tried and true products that I regularly use in my work. From the most particular and knowledgeable celebrity clients for red carpet events to photo shoots under extremely harsh lights to any other challenging conditions, the following recommendations will not disappoint!

Exceptionnel de Chanel
The light, mousse-like texture of this mascara delivers beautiful lashes, but, more importantly, extremely long-lasting volume and curl. Depending on you eye color, the beautiful and subtle “smoky” shades—smoky noir, brun, marine and violine—can be extremely complementary.

Diorshow Blackout
For those who love the deep, dark and dramatic, this ultra rich and creamy formula provides pigments that replicate the intense blackness of a kohl pencil. An added thickening powder creates tremendous volume combined with an extract of Arabic Gum that delivers a durable and longwearing finish.

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill
Armani has created an exclusive Microfil technology that creates maximum fullness and volume combined with micro-waxes for a smooth and easy application. Eyes to Kill is also available in more fantastical shades such as brown-copper and rouge-icon.

Also from Giorgio Armani is Soft Lash, which is the perfect mascara for the less daring. The gentle formula is also a plus if you happen to have sensitive eyes. Its demure and romantic subtlety make it the perfect daytime mascara.

Givenchy Phenomen’ Eyes
The unique design of the patented spherical brush is worth checking out alone—not just for the novelty and cleverness, but also for the truly flawless and precise application it provides. This little brush literally gets every single lash, even those really hard to reach strands deep in the corners of your eyes. The result yields perfectly defined, lengthened and curled lashes.

L’Oreal Voluminous
Never assume that all good things—especially mascara—have to be expensive! Voluminous is a foolproof formula that never seems to disappoint and has long been a favorite among makeup artists. It’s also available practically everywhere and remains a bargain at well under $10. The waterproof formula is also great, especially for weddings or humid weather.

Final Tip: If you haven’t changed your mascara in say the last six months, or if you don’t recall when you last purchased a new tube, do so ASAP! A tube of mascara that you use daily should never be used for more than three months. Bacteria that can develop in a contaminated tube may in fact cause a variety of irritations. Simply buy new mascara as the seasons change.

—Geoffrey Rodriguez