Beauty and Bentley

I recently wrote up a review of the Red Cherry Eyelashes (link here) and it got me thinking that I should really create a post with some advice on how to apply false eyelashes.....so....that's what I'm doing today. False eyelashes like winged eyeliner are notoriously tricky to master and part of it just comes down to practise but of course, there are some things you can do to make the whole process a little easier.

The first and probably most important piece of advice I can give is to trim your false eyelashes. Most of the time lash bands are too long for our eyes and if you don't cut them to fit your own eye they sit too close to the inner corner of the eye which is often irritating and can cause the lashes to start lifting. To trim lashes, peel carefully from the tray and hold against your own eye, place the lash where you want them to start (where the bulk of your own lashes start at the inner corner) then see how much excess you need to remove from the outer corner.

Be careful! before you cut anything from your false eyelashes check which are for your left eye and which are for your right eye. Many times the box/tray won't tell you which is which but take a few minutes to figure it out, most of the time it's the side with the shorter lashes that is intended for your inner corners. It's always very important to cut from the outside edge of the lash band, if you trim them at inner corner then you won't get a natural blend between your own lashes and the false eyelashes. Finally, when cutting be careful not to cut the lashes, only cut through the actual band.

If you are new to applying lashes start with a more natural style, these will be easier to apply and feel more comfortable on the eyes.

If you want your lashes to look natural and seamless and you're not confident applying them close to the lash line without a thick/winged eyeliner the first thing you want to do is learn to tightline your eyes (applying eyeliner to the top waterline), this can feel a bit weird but it does make a difference. You can also work a little black eyeliner or eyeshadow along the lashline as close to the roots as possible, taking the time to cover any skin showing between eyelashes. This will make your eyelashes look more natural if you haven't mastered applying false eyelashes super close to the lash line.

1. Bare lid without any eyeliner or mascara
2. Tightlined with black kohl liner
3. Black kohl liner and black powder smudged into the lashline
4. One layer of mascara

After eyelash application

Apply a thin layer of lash glue along the lash band then allow it to go tacky, wait 20-30 seconds, don't be tempted to place them on the eye straight away as they will slip/move and be more difficult to keep on the eye.

For the application, you want to find what works for you, some people prefer to apply lashes with a pair of tweezers I prefer applying them with my hands. The easiest way to apply lashes is to hold a mirror under your face and look down into the mirror, place the centre of the lash in the middle of your eye as close to the lashline as possible then start with the outer edge and get the placement right before moving to the inner corner and gently pressing it down into place.

Once the eyelashes are in place gently pinch the false lash and natural lash together to blend them together and avoid gaps between the lash band and lashline. You can use tweezers, lash applicators or your fingertips.

Once the glue is dry and you are happy with the results, take some liquid liner or black eyeshadow and carefully go over the lash band, this will hide any shine from the glue and make the lashes look more natural. You can buy black glue but I think this could be quite messy especially if you are new to applying lashes and may need to move things around, I always pick up a lash glue that dries clear and this works best for me.

Extra Tips

• If you have a fresh pair of lashes and the band is thick or not very flexible bend wrap the lash around something like a make-up brush for a few minutes to help soften the band and make application easier.
• Be delicate with your lashes and you'll be able to reuse them for longer if they start to look grubby take a little micellar water and a cotton bud and gently swipe over the lashes removing excess glue and make-up, finish by brushing through the lashes with a spoolie and place on lash tray to dry and help keep the shape.