Reader question: Can you explain how to apply fake lashes and make them look natural? —Reagan Fowler As someone who has clearly loved all things beauty for a long time, I will say that the thing that took me the longest to learn was falsies. Those hairy strips are the most frustrating buggers when they don’t go down—or stay down—the way you want them to (those ends are cursed), not to mention the fact that sticking glue so close to your eyeball feels downright terrifying. But don’t fret, because I now LOVE fake lashes—catch me in my fave wispies 24/7 (I sometimes forget to take them off because they’re so comfortable)—and if I can do it with my tiny, shaky hands, so can you. To help, I also brought in two falsie experts, celebrity makeup artists Renny Vasquez and Joanna Simkin, so you can slap on those eyeball bangs in a blink.
Step One: Choose your lashes
There are three main types of lashes: individual, clusters, and strip lashes. Individual lashes are ideal if you’re just looking to fill in sparse areas of the lashes. They’re applied one hair at a time and when applied properly, can blend in seamlessly so they look like you’re not wearing anything at all. The customization options are endless with this one—you’ll be surprised how much an inch to the left or right can make a difference. A cluster is exactly what it sounds like—a cluster of lash hairs that aren’t as long as a full strip, but more lengthy than an individual lash. Although it’s a popular option for adding some subtle dimension (i.e. added at the outer ends for a cat-eye look), they can look kind of wonky when not snuggled properly into the natural lash line, so make sure to apply eyeliner and/or a coat of mascara to blend everything together. A strip lash is a full strip meant to be measured and matched to your upper lash line. The pro is that you don’t have to worry about blending (since they’ll likely cover your natural lashes, you usually don’t even need any mascara), but a con is that they can often appear too dramatic and, well, fake. Not necessarily a bad thing if you’re going glam, but maybe not ideal if you’re shooting for a subtle look. That being said, there are lots of different strip options that are designed wispier to look more natural, so scroll to the end if you’re in need of recommendations.
Step Two: Remove the lashes
You wouldn’t want to mess up your expensive eye wig before you’ve even had a chance to wear them, would you? That’s why you want to proceed with caution here, almost like you’re handling a fragile flower. To remove a strip, always peel gently from the outer edge of the lash. You never want to come in from the inner corner in case you bend or break off a section of lash—the outer corner doesn’t matter since you’ll likely be trimming it off anyway.
Step Three: Fit your lashes
False eyelashes aren’t one-size-fits-all (we all have different eyes after all), so you can’t just smear on some glue and stick them on straight from the box. “Hold the center of the lashes and place the start of the lash band to the inner corner of the eye,” advises Vasquez. “Then, hold the band against your lash line. If the end of the lash band goes past the end of your lash line, you’ll need to cut off the excess.” Simkin adds that leaving too much at the end can weigh the outside edges of your eyes down, so make sure to be exact.
Step Four: Apply your lashes
Once you’ve got your fitted lashes, lash glue, tweezers, and mirror, it’s go time.
Most Natural False Lashes
To buy: $52, doebeauty.com. To buy: $12, target.com. To buy: $9, kissusa.com. To buy: $15, maccosmetics.com. To buy: $13, ulta.com.
