My First Time with False Lashes

Wearing false lashes has been a great fear of mine. You'd think since I love makeup so much that I would be familiar with them but, boy, do I avoid these at all costs! I envy everyone that can perfectly apply these and make their lashes look butterfly-like. 

I thought I would take it upon myself and try to attempt them. Based off of many Youtube tutorials and advice, I have tried to at least get the lashes on my eyelid and nowhere else on my face. I thought this would be a very open and honest experience and wanted to do this for all of you (like me) who are scared or skeptical about trying false lashes for the first time.

When I walked into my local CVS Pharmacy to get these lashes, I was a bit overwhelmed with the different types and sizes. I knew, though, that I wanted "natural", or whatever that meant because they're obviously not natural. I wanted to try a couple different types to see how the cheaper ones compare to the more expensive ones. 

The Lashes

e.l.f. Natural Lash Kit- $2.00

My first thought of these lashes was that they did not, whatsoever, look like "natural" lashes. These were the ones I used in the picture below. For two dollar lashes, I guess I expected them to not be as high quality compared to the Ardell lashes; the lashes looked like cellophane almost and the band was very flimsy and hard to apply glue on. It did include glue but, I was a bit skeptical about the quality of it. I would say, though, that these would work well if you wanted to achieve some type of costume/Halloween look. I don't think these are worth it if you are wanting a natural eye look.

MUA Natural Volumizing Lashes- $5.00

These Makeup Academy lashes actually really impressed me. They were a bit more expensive than the elf ones but, really looked natural. They felt real and looked real. I actually used these ones for a Fawn makeup look over Halloween a couple weeks ago. I think these are really worth the extra three bucks! I would wear these every day if I could.

Ardell Deluxe Pack Lashes- $7.99 ($4.99 ea)

I have heard raves about these lashes and I wanted to see what it was all about! I bought this deluxe pack because I think you really do get more for your money. You get two sets of lashes, really handy tweezers, and a mini bottle of Duo glue which I thought was better than using the elf glue that came with those lashes. I think these could also be great to use to create a natural and more amped up look. For the same price as the MUA lashes, these are another great alternative. 

The Application

For my first try, I think I did a pretty good job. It took a while to figure out the right way to do it and I am not exactly sure that I did it the right way but, let me explain what I did. I just used the elf lashes for my absolute first try so I wouldn't waste the other ones. However, I did use the Ardell tweezers and the Duo lash glue. 

So, after watching some tutorials, the first thing I was told to do was to make sure you had the right glue and the right lashes for each eye. Check. Then it said to make sure the lashes fit your eye and cut off the ends so they are easily matched up. Check. Then, with your lash glue, it said to carefully add a thin layer of glue and wait for about 30 seconds for it to get "tacky" or whatever that's supposed to mean. Check. 

After I waited a couple seconds, I lined up the lashes on the center of my lid closest to my upper lash line. I used the really helpful tweezers I got and pushed them down a bit. I noticed that the ends were coming up so I could have trimmed them down more and i didn't get very close to the lash line because my arm was in the way as I was struggling to see where I was applying it. 

The Final Thoughts

I have only thought of false lashes and their correlation with beauty pageants and costume makeup. Never did I ever think that they could be worn during the day on a normal basis. This experience has opened my eyes (literally) and I think that they aren't that scary to use, even if they seem intimidating at first. 

With practice, I think they can actually be fun to use to add a little drama to your look. Do I think they look natural? No. But, I think they're fun when used correctly. Even if you're not that psyched about the big lashes, try individual lashes to start and add a tiny bit of volume to your lashes.

Would I wear these on the daily? Eh, probably not. I know for a fact that I am not scared to use these more often now, especially for events and performances. I hope that I get better at applying them and I can continue to find better options for you guys! 

If you have used lashes before, let me know in the comments what your favorite lashes are and your story with using them for the first time! If you're new to lashes, I hope you know that you are definitely not alone. They're not easy to start using so please don't feel bad if you're having trouble with them.

On a very different note (lashes aside), I hope everybody has a great day, and the results of the election (if you are a US citizen) does not affect the love and hope I have for every one of you. Please know that I am here to talk to if you would like to chat and please feel free to email me.

Xoxo, Nat