Happy Friday! How is it possible that another week has passed? So excited to be back with you for another Frequently Asked Friday.
As a professional makeup artist, I often apply false lashes - most frequently, I apply strip lashes because they are the quickest and are best if I'm crunched for time. Let me preface by saying that there are days when I STILL struggle with applying false lashes on myself...I swear, they can smell fear. But I have picked up some tricks to making false lash application a bit easier that I will pass on to you today.
1. Choose a strip lash with a flexible band (especially if you are a beginner.)
Opt for strip lashes that have a clear, easy to bend strip rather than a thick, blank band. Think drugstore, Ardell lashes. You will have an easier time manipulating the band to fit the contours of your eyes and and it is likely that the lash band will lift off of the eye after placement. Bonus, they are more comfortable to wear, too.
2. Pick the right glue!
Your falsies are only EVER as good as the glue you use. It doesn't matter how beautiful and well made your lashes are if they're falling off your eyeballs because the glue you used isn't cutting it. Find a glue that adheres well, won't irritate your eyes, and dries down quickly (more on this in tip #3.) My personal favorite is Ardell's Duo Brush-On Adhesive With Vitamins.
3. Wait until your lash glue is almost dry before applying lashes.
This is where most people run into problems. They buy the lashes, are super pumped to wear them after applying a beautiful face of makeup, carefully line the band with their lash glue, try to apply the false lash with wet glue, and then get completely frustrated when the lashes won't stay put on their eye. WAIT FOR THE GLUE TO GET TACKY (ALMOST DRY) BEFORE YOU TRY TO APPLY YOUR LASHES. I'll say it again. Wait for the glue to get tacky before you try to apply your lashes. I love the Duo lash glue (recommended in tip #2) because it dries a lot quicker than traditional thick, white lash glues. If you want to speed up the glue drying process and be extra like me, you can order a handheld fan to expedite the process.
4. Use a tweezer to apply your lashes. This is an optional step. I see some women apply lashes with their fingers like pros. But I need a little bit more control and something a bit smaller to apply my lashes so that I can get my lash band tight against my lash line.
5. Cut the lashes down to fit your eye. Obviously, some people have smaller eyes and some people have bigger eyes. When a company designs false lashes, they want to make sure that the lashes they create fit all eye sizes. With that said, unless you have very big eyes, it is likely that you will have to trim down the size of your lashes. Hold the lash up to your eye, notice how far the lash band extends past the outer corner of your eye, and trim accordingly. *TWO IMPORTANT NOTES: 1. DO NOT EVER try to trim down lashes that are already glued to your eye. Always do any altering before you apply your false lashes. 2. Always cut excess off from the outer corner of the false lashes. Do not trim off excess from the part of the lash your are gluing to the inner corner of your eye. Many strip lashes get longer on the outer corner of the eye and taper down on the inner corner. Cutting a strip lash from the inner corner will disrupt the design of the lash and make the lash look awkward on the eye.
The only other advice I can offer is practice, practice, practice. Give it a go a few times before you have an event and things turn high-stakes and your are racing the clock. Or, shameless plug, hire a makeup artist to do your makeup and false lash application for you. Click here to contact me for your next event or to book a private makeup lesson. Thank you so much for reading, drop any questions you may have down below, and I will see you all again next week! XO, Rachel