Did you know that there are a wide variety of mascara wands out there? You may not have thought about it, but when it comes to the effect that your mascara has on your lashes, it’s not just about the type of formula you’re using, whether it’s volumizing, lengthening or defining. It’s got a lot to do with the way the wand is made!

According to The Beauty Department, there are three main wand types that you should be on the lookout for. That’s combs, natural bristles and plastic bristles. In an experiment on the site, the beauty editors found that combs give you darker lashes that are longer and very separated. Natural bristles provide a soft, full effect that’s very volumizing. Plastic bristles resulted in dark, long and full lashes that were stiffer than the lashes achieved by the natural bristles.

All three effects are useful for different makeup looks, so it’s up to you to find mascaras that have the type of wand you’re looking for. Some mascaras has a hollow fiber brush that may be worth trying out, while others comes with a wand that’s specially made to separate and lengthen lashes.