I really struggled with false lashes when I started gyaru; I remember standing in the bathroom, leaning extremely close to the mirror and struggling to put on some lashes that I got from Poundland. It took me nearly half an hour to do it as they kept falling off, and my first few pictures are embarrassing to say the least. Nowadays it takes me a hot minute to put them on! So today I’m going to share with you everything you need to know about false lashes to help start your gyaru journey – from finding the right type, putting them on, and how to look after them.
How to find the right type
I’ve previously done a blog post all about false lashes and where to buy them so I would highly recommend reading that post, but if you’re a beginner I would otherwise suggest trying some out from your local Superdrug/Boots/makeup store. Eylure have really stepped up their game, and I would highly recommend this brand when you’re starting out because they have a very flexible lash band which makes them a lot easier to put on. If you don’t have Eylure then that’s totally fine – just look for lashes with a thin lash band.
How to put them on
Right, the hard part – how the hell do you put them on? Not everyone wants to spend half an hour trying to do it so here’s my step-by-step process to help you put your false lashes on as well as some tips and tricks:
- Put mascara on before your lashes to help blend them a bit better.
- If the lashes feel a bit stiff, hold onto each end and bend it to make it more flexible (see first image above). Wrapping it around your finger also helps.
- Do your eyeliner beforehand to use as a guide to where you can put your lashes.
- For newbies – I try and position my lashes before putting glue on so that I could get an idea of what they’d look like. It will take you a few times to get it right so don’t worry if it’s not perfect at first!
- Don’t put your lashes all of the way into the inner corner.
- When putting glue on, do a thin line and then wait for the glue to go tacky before putting them on (say around 30 seconds or something).
- Use latex-free glue if you have allergies. I personally use DUO (the green version). I’ve done a whole section on glues down below!
- After putting them on, wait for a few minutes and then gently push them upwards. This helps them curve a bit more and stand-out! (see pic).
- To give it more of a push, curl your lashes with an eyelash curler in the centre first and then at the outer corners. Or you could just curl it in the middle!
- Stack your lashes for more volume. Himena Ousaki used to do this all of the time, and I’ve included one of her tutorials below!
How to put on lower lashes
Lower lashes are a bit trickier to apply than upper lashes because of how much shorter they are! But don’t worry – here’s what you have to do…
- Apply mascara beforehand so that they can blend.
- Follow the same procedure as you would do when it comes to applying glue i.e. wait for it to become tacky before applying.
- Use tweezers to apply lower lashes, as they are quite fiddly to do with your hands.
- Follow the natural curve of your bottom waterline – but please do not put them on your waterline! You wanna tuck them just beneath your lower lashes underneath your waterline.
- When putting them on, stick it down from the centre first and gently push down the rest of the lash in place. You can use your fingers or your tweezer for the pushing down part.
- Optional: Put on some more mascara to blend them in more.
To trim or not to trim?
I’ve been asked a few times over on my insta if I had any advice on trimming lashes, and to be honest I don’t trim mine anymore. I like mine to be as long length-ways as possible because I like the fact that they extend past my natural eyes, and they make my eye makeup look super dramatic! What I will say though is if you do want to trim them, trim them so that they extend just past the outer corner of your eye.
How to take them off
- Use makeup remover to remove your eye makeup, and carefully go along the section just above your false lashes (aka the lash line). This helps to break down the glue a little bit. I use facial wipes but I’ve heard oil-based cleanser is really good for this.
- Gently peel off your false lashes from the outer corners.
(Sometimes I skip out on the first step if I’m feeling really lazy, and just gently peel them off from the outer corners but I do find that it helps!)
How to clean your lashes
I clean my lashes before every use (or every couple of uses), and just use my makeup wipes for this. I’ve seen people clean theirs with cotton buds and liquid makeup remover which also works really well! I also pluck off old glue with a pair of tweezers but you have to be very careful when doing this as it could ruin your lashes, so I’d recommend only do this when you feel like you need to. For lower lashes, however, simply using facial wipes will be okay and only pluck off old glue when necessary, as they are more fragile than upper lashes. I used to try and pluck off old glue on my lower lashes all of the time and then ended up ripping them in half. Eeek!
How to Store Your False Lashes
After I’m done, I put the false lashes back into their original packaging to help keep their shape (wherever possible). I have a box (which used to contain ten pairs of lashes) for my most-used lashes, and this is really handy for when I go abroad. It’s a little bit battered around the edges but it does the job! I have a draw specifically for all of the lashes that I wear the most, and the others I keep in a (very large) bag.
Types of Eyelash Glue
I’ve been through a fair amount of eyelash glues, especially when I first started developing allergies and eczema around the eyes. So here are the ones that I’ve tried and worked really well!
Eylure – This is by far the most popular choice, and was my most faithful lash glue until I started to develop an allergic reaction to it. However all of my gal friends use it so I’ve kept it on this list for those who don’t have allergies.
Revlon – This glue is stroooong. It was one of the first glues I tested out when I developed allergies and it worked okay on my skin but it was a bit tricky to remove… Let’s just say that your lashes will definitely stay on for the whole day!
DUO – This is the one I’m currently using and I’ve been using this brand for the past, maybe, 5 years? I haven’t had any problems with it at all and I think Primark store the version I use now (which is the green version – it’s clear and latex free!)
Using glues that come with the lashes – I wouldn’t recommend doing this as the glue that they include is often cheap, but it’s been many many years since I last tried this so they might’ve improved over time!
And that’s all for now! Is there anything else you’d want to learn?
Please let me know if you need anymore help with false lashes in the comments below!
Love,
Lizzie xx