Don't toss your dried out mascara. Fix it with these 5+ easy solutions

We've all done it. One day you're doing your makeup and everything goes as planned. The next day, you discover you didn't tighten the cap on the mascara tube, and it seems completely useless. Before you chuck that tube in the trash, you may want to try one of these solutions.
Most dried mascara can be revived, even if only temporarily. If you don't have a backup in your makeup stash, these five options may come in handy. As emphasized throughout, it's important you only add sterile products to the mascara tube. These are your eyes, after all, and you don't want to risk a potential infection.
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1. Contact solution
Finding that your mascara is dried up is a terrible way to start your day. If you wear contact lenses, however, you can fix the problem in no time. In this short video, you'll see that adding sterile contact lens solution to the mascara tube quickly and safely thins out the dried mascara. Tip: Do not be tempted to use regular water because this could lead to infection. Get the full tutorial here.
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2. Hot water clump prevention
Clumps are the worst. You can try to remove them from lashes with a spoolie or mascara comb, but wouldn't it be better to avoid them altogether? Believe it or not, there's a hack for that. All you need is hot water, a coffee mug and patience. Check out the video to see the before and after images. You'll also learn how long you'll need to heat the mascara tube to ensure a clump-free application.
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3. Hot water moisture loss
Sometimes all you need is a little heat to free up what seems like a dried-out tube of mascara. Don't put it in the microwave. (You'll melt the tube and ruin the product inside.) Put water in a kettle instead and bring it to a boil while you watch this short video. It will show you how a little warming soak can restore lost moisture to mascara and get you out the door in no time.
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4. Olive oil
This hack sounds a little silly but it works, and if you're in a jam, it's a good quick fix. The key is to remove the oil from the bottle without touching the inner spout. In the video you'll see the best method, which requires an eye dropper. Once you've added the oil, you'll need to use the wand to stir it in. The mascara will apply better but it may not be entirely smudge-proof because of the added oil.
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5. Aloe vera
Among its many uses, aloe vera can revive dried mascara like magic. It's important to use a hygienic product, so don't squeeze gel into your makeup if you regularly put your fingers in that same jar. As you'll see in this video, the gel restores the creamy texture easily, but you should double-check the aloe vera product before using it because it may contain preservatives that aren't regularly found in mascara. You may also find that the rejuvenated mascara doesn't dry as fast.
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