Sofia Vergara on Her Big Mascara Move, Her Secret Eye Makeup Trick, and More!

In honor of its new LashBlast Bombshell Volume Mascara, CoverGirl hooked me up with brand ambassador and best-friend-in-my-head Sofia Vergara to get a few questions answered about her secrets to looking like a, well, bombshell (get it?). Here’s what she spilled, to be read in her fabulous Colombian accent, naturally.

GIBD: What three makeup or hair items are must-haves for you when you’re getting totally bombshelling (a.k.a. getting glammed up)?

Sofia: First, I LOVE big, bold lashes so the new CoverGirl Bombshell Volume mascara is a must. It has two mascaras in one double-ended tube for volume and intensity so your lashes look 10 times more noticeable. Second, I never leave the house without lipstick —my mother is the same; it’s a Latin thing—I love a bold hue, which can work for both day and night. Last, I like a concealer for touch-ups.

GIBD: How do you apply your mascara when you put it on yourself?

Sofia: For me, you can never have too much volume! I use three coats of mascara on my top lashes and one on the bottom. The best trick I have is to start as close to the base of lashes as you can—and then wiggle back and forth and move up and out through the lashes. Using an eyelash curler also makes a huge difference. I clamp at the base of my top lashes and hold for five seconds on each eye before applying mascara.

GIBD: Your hair is naturally light—do you feel like that makes mascara extra important for you look?

Sofia: A lot of people don’t know that I’m actually a natural blond—but I change up my look quite a bit. I have been working on sets for many years, so there are so many tricks I have picked up for really making my eyes pop against my lighter hair. My favorite trick is to use mascara on the lashes to accentuate the cat-eye look – which is actually quite easy to get by just extending your pencil just beyond the lash line. It really helps the eyes look big and bright.

GIBD: Have there ever been a hair or makeup trend you’ve gone for in the past or growing up that you look back on now and laugh about?

Sofia: Honestly, there’s not a lot I won’t wear or haven’t tried. But I don’t have a lot of regrets. I’m a bold-brow girl, so when everyone had these skinny, overplucked brows, or they were penciled on—I wasn’t into that so much. I also can’t really do the pastel eyeshadows—they just don’t work with my coloring. I tried big bangs once and didn’t really love them. I probably wouldn’t do that again.

GIBD: What one beauty trend are you really into right now? Bold brows, bold lips, big hair?

Well, honestly I’m into all those things! I like bold brows and lips and, of course, big hair! I would say my favorite look right now is the cat-eye—which you’ll see me wearing a lot on the red carpet. CoverGirl has this new Bombshell Intensity Liner that is part of the new Bombshell collection. It has a felt tip so it is really easy to put on.

GIBD: You seem so confident now! Was there anything you remember being self-conscious about as a kid? And how do you feel about it now?

Sofia: I’ve always been pretty confident. I grew up in a family of strong women, so I was always taught to be proud of who I am, the way I am. Beauty is different in Colombia—they like voluptuous curves and big hair—so it was weird when I got to Hollywood and everyone was so tall and so skinny. But to me, beauty is really all about confidence. If you feel beautiful, then you are beautiful. Of course I love to wear makeup and nice clothes, but at the end of the day, you have to feel good on the inside.

Amen, Sofia. Amen.