False lashes can look intimidating, but once you know the technique, applying them takes minutes. Follow this step-by-step tutorial and you’ll be applying falsies like a pro in no time.
What You’ll Need
Your favourite pair of strip lashes (Ardell’s natural styles are perfect for learning), a quality lash glue — clear for beginners, or black if you want eyeliner-like definition — plus tweezers or a lash applicator, small scissors, an eyelash curler and your everyday mascara.
Step 1: Prep Your Natural Lashes
Start with clean, dry lashes — remove all old mascara and eye makeup, as residue stops glue bonding properly. Curl your natural lashes and apply a light coat of mascara; this gives the falsies something to grip and helps them blend seamlessly later.
Step 2: Measure and Trim
Hold the lash strip against your lash line to check the fit. The inner corner should begin where your natural lashes start — trim any excess from the outer corner, snipping between the lash clusters to preserve the shape. Remember: you can always trim more, but you can’t add length back.
Step 3: Apply the Glue
Squeeze a thin, even line of glue along the lash band, adding a tiny extra dab at each end (these are the spots most likely to lift). Now the crucial part: wait 20–30 seconds until the glue turns tacky. Applying too soon is the number one reason lashes slide around.
Step 4: Place the Lashes
Looking down into a mirror, use tweezers or an applicator to position the band as close to your natural lash line as possible. Start with the centre, then press down the inner corner, then the outer corner. Gently pinch your natural lashes and the falsies together to bond them.
Step 5: Blend and Finish
Once secure, apply another light coat of mascara to fuse everything together, and run a fine line of liquid eyeliner along the base to conceal the band. A final gentle squeeze with an eyelash curler marries the two sets of lashes into one.
How to Remove False Lashes
Never pull lashes off dry — you’ll take your natural lashes with them. Soak a cotton pad in oil-free makeup remover or micellar water, hold it over your closed eye for 20–30 seconds to dissolve the glue, then gently peel the strip away from the outer corner inward. Cleanse the eye area afterwards.
Reusing Your Lashes
Quality strip lashes can be worn 5–10 times with proper care. After each wear, gently peel dried glue from the band with tweezers, remove mascara residue with a cotton bud dampened in micellar water, and store lashes in their original tray to hold their shape. Bin any pair that’s lost its curl, smells odd or causes irritation.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Corners lifting: add a touch more glue at the ends and press for 10 seconds. Lashes look crooked: you placed them before the glue was tacky — wait longer next time. Visible band: hide it with eyeliner, and choose lashes with a band style that suits your eye shape. Irritation: you may be sensitive to latex — switch to a latex-free glue.
Like any skill, lash application gets easier every time you do it. Practise on a quiet evening before the big event, and soon it’ll be second nature. Shop premium lashes, glues and applicators at Sophia’s Beauty LTD.