An applicator for cosmetic material such as
mascara, including an applicator head for transporting and applying the cosmetic material, a
handle, a stem bearing the applicator head and received in and guided by the
handle so as to be longitudinally reciprocable relative thereto, and actuating mechanism carried by the
handle for moving the stem longitudinally back and forth relative to the handle. The actuating mechanism may have a rotary drive, a
cam member rotated by the drive, and a
cam follower slidingly engaging the
cam member and connected to the stem, the cam member and
cam follower being mutually shaped to cause the stem to reciprocate longitudinally as the drive rotates the cam member. Alternatively the actuating mechanism may be an inertial drive including a weight connected to the stem and disposed between compressible coil springs, or a solenoid. The handle may be a cap for a cosmetic container, the cap and container together constituting a dispenser for the cosmetic. The applicator head may be a
brush mounted on the stem, or a flexible
helical member with opposite ends respectively secured to the tip of the stem and to the handle so as to contract and extend axially as the stem moves back and forth.