This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Irvine chapter.
Every one of you makeup junkies has been introduced to falsies aka false eyelashes. Whether you’ve mastered the technique is a whole other story. I’ve noticed that while most of my fellow collegiettes are obsessed with the sultry look of falsies, they don’t know how to properly apply them, so they give up and apply one too many coats of mascara instead. Like some of them, I also used to be a hopeless falsie junkie. My first time applying falsies ended in a fit of frustration and, believe it or not, tears. We’re all a little scared of the unknown, but I’m here to be your falsie savior, so don’t dismiss them just yet!
My attempt to spell Her Campus with my falsies collection.
Where to buy: You can grab a pair of falsies at just about any beauty store. Sephora sells quirky lashes by Makeup Forever, some pink with black dots or black with crystals. At Sally’s Beauty Supply, you’ll find an array of ATM-friendly falsies by Ardell. If you’re willing to spend more, check out lavish falsies on House of Lashes or Velour lashes online. Falsies run anywhere from $1 to $35. My personal favorite falsies are by brands Red Cherry and Miss Adoro, which sell for $1.99 online. If you’re ever in the Los Angeles area, my one stop shop for falsies is a tiny beauty-packed store near the fashion district in Downtown Los Angeles, where I obsessively buy 15 pairs for $1 each.
Tools you’ll need: an eyelash curler, false eyelashes, DUO eyelash adhesive (in clear or black finish), a small palette, a pair of tweezers, a bobby pin, or makeup brush; black gel or liquid liner; and a small pair of scissors (optional).
7 Steps:
1. Gently peel the falsies off of the tray either with your fingers or tweezers. To keep your falsies clean, make sure your eyeshadow is applied before you continue these steps.
2. Try your falsies on for size. “How in the world do I do this”, you ask? Simply take one of the lashes and place it near the baseline of your lash. Fresh falsies have just enough stickiness to try on for size and style. I often do this after I’ve applied my eyeshadow and liner to decide which pair I’m going to rock that day. This step is crucial because you want to get a feel for your falsies and make sure they aren’t too big for your eye size before gluing them in place. If the falsies feel too big, don’t sweat it! Simply use a small pair of scissors to snip the excess lash. This step is optional depending on your eye size.
3. Next, curl your bare lashes to ensure they will blend nicely with your falsies.
4. Pour less than a dime-size of DUO eyelash adhesive onto a small palette. If I’m extra lazy, I use the surface of a closed eyeshadow palette or something that the glue can be easily wiped off of. If you want to avoid a sticky mess, don’t apply the glue directly from the tube onto the lashes. Instead, take the back of tweezers, the end of a bobby pin, or the opposite end of a thin makeup brush and dab your tool of choice into the glue. Apply a light, even coat of glue onto the falsie bands, with just a smidge more on the outer corners. This is to ensure your falsies don’t go flying off when you’re running to class or dancing with your crush.
5. Once you’ve applied glue to your falsies, wait! Most hopeless falsie users miss this step, which results in frustration and dismissal of falsies for good! Wait at least 45 seconds to allow the glue to become sticky yet still adjustable for placement on your lash line. If you’ve ever gotten your makeup done, you’ve probably noticed makeup artists gently blowing on or waving the lashes to speed this step up.
6. Here comes what seems the hardest part: applying the falsies. Your first thought is, “I’m going to mess this up.” Not so fast! Take a deep breath and using your pointed finger and thumb, apply the inner and outer corners as close to your natural lash line. Then, gently press the falsie band onto the middle of your natural lash line. Wait a few seconds for the glue to set and voilà! Okay, so you notice a little bit of space between the falsies and your natural lash line. No biggie! Take some gel or liquid black liner and glide a coat over your new lash line. You should do this step anyway to completely conceal any harsh or uneven lines from the falsies.
7. Lastly, apply a light coat of mascara beginning from the base of your natural lashes to the end of the falsies. This will guarantee a harmonious blend of faux and natural lashes. And yes, it’s totally safe to use mascara on falsies!
Follow these steps and soon falsies will adorn your eyes seven days a week!
Below are pictures of my own falsies makeup looks! #NoFilter