There's nothing like mascara to make your whole face look more awake. Lashes can define your eyes in the most simple way without making you look too over-done. And for special occasions it can be nice to don a pair of full falsies. But for everyday wear it's not practical time-wise nor natural looking. If your lashes are sparse or short to begin with it can be particularly frustrating.
Enter semi-permanent individual eyelash extensions. They're becoming the rage in high end salons but can cost anywhere from $100-$500+ in addition to the cost of touch-ups and new sets.
But with the supplies at home you can apply them yourself with a steady hand or a steady friend. The great news is they can last 3 weeks or more and have become a great addition to our beauty routine.
The only supplies you'll need to buy are the individual lashes (we like using two lengths for a more natural look: Ardell Duralash in short and medium), the semi-permanent lash glue (we like this brand in black which blends well with the fake and your natural lashes), and the glue remover (this is important when you're ready to remove those that look less-than-fabulous and start a new set).
Consider what you want to achieve with the false lashes--the size and shape of the lashes, full length of the eye or outer edge, how much space between the lashes, etc. Start with a makeup-free, clean face.
You can apply the lashes with tweezers or your own hand--whichever you're more comfortable with. I also have on
hand a safety pin for precise movements.
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| {start in the middle of your eye and work towards the corners} |
Dispense a small dot of glue on to a disposable surface (a square of tin foil works well) and squeeze out more as needed. Using your tweezers, dip the base/bottom of a single lash clump in the glue and wait a few seconds to let the glue get slightly tacky--it will adhere better. With the eye closed begin laying the lash directly into your natural lash. Apply directly where the roots of the lashes meet the skin.
Start from the middle of the eyelid and
work towards the outside corner of your eye with the medium length
lashes. Repeat on the outside half of your other eye. Then return to the
first eye and work from the middle of your eye to the inside corner with short length lashes. Repeat on the other eye to finish. For this look we used about 20 lashes per eye, placed relatively close. Don't go too close to the inside of your eye or too far on the outside corner. Always stop applying early and look in the mirror with your eyes open to determine if you need another lash.
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| {not too close to the edges of your eye} |
Make sure that they're in the right position before the glue dries and if necessary use the length of a pin to hold the lash in place while it forms the bond. The closer you place the lash to your own lash line, the more natural it will look. You should avoid getting the new lashes wet for the rest of the day or sleeping on them immediately.
About ten days after your initial application, you may need to add a little more glue to ensure you get the most wear out of the set. Again, use the length of a pin coated in glue and brush from the underside of the lashes (as if you were applying mascara). Use the point of the pin to separate any clumping.
With the lashes on you may find no need for mascara or even liner on your top lid. The darkness of the lashes provides great definition for everyday and normally a swipe of mascara or some liner on the bottom is all you need. Add some shadow or liquid liner to your top lid for a night time look.
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| {lashes only on top, blue liner and light mascara on bottom} |
Voila!
