Make Up Monday: How To Apply Fake Lashes

So for Halloween I wore some fake lashes and I decided to do a little how to on how to apply them. It's surprisingly simple and I did it in about 10 minutes. Now, let me tell you that it was so hard for me the first time that I had to have a friend apply eyelashes for me. But after reading a few other how-to's and watching countless youtube videos I was able to do it in a snap.

1. Eye Lash Glue - Duo $8 Sephora
2. Bobby Pins - $1
3. False Eyelashes - About $4 from Target
You'll also need a paper towel, qtips and eye make up remover.

 I use Duo eyelash glue that can be purchased at Sephora for $8, bobby pins cost about $1 per pack and these eyelashes are actually just accents that do not cover the full eye (which I highly recommend for new false eyelash wearers) that I purchased at Target for about $4.

First thing you want to do is clean your face and put NOTHING on. I mean it. No moisturizer, no foundation, nothing.  Then if you're like me and have bangs or hair that gets in the way, pin it off your face with the bobby pins. It's also helpful to do your hair after you do your make up.

Creepy eye close ups you guys, apparently I'm a fan? NOT!

 Next, remove your eye lash from the package and hold it over your paper towel or I had to use a Kleenex. You can either squirt the glue onto the towel or apply it directly to the eyelash. It doesn't really make a difference which eye lash you apply first. That is up to you. I always start with my left.

Look at the icky glue to the side. WTF?!

 I drag the part of the eye lash that will go on my eye through the glue so that it is very fine. Below you can see how there is more on one side than the other because of that. You can take a qtip or your finger and wipe the extra off the lash. Then just wipe your finger with some make up remover. If there is glue on your fingers and the eyelash and you go to apply it, it's going to stick somewhere and probably not your eye so be careful.

After you've applied a thin bead of glue, wait at least 15-30 seconds. You want the glue to start drying BEFORE you apply the lash. Otherwise it'll just slide around on your eye. This is also why you don't apply anything like moisturizer to your eyelids because the glue will adhere better to dry, clean skin.

This is the tricky part. If you're like me and you blink a lot you're going to have more issues with this. I'm a contact lens wearer so I've been able to train myself not to blink when things are coming straight for my eye. Yet, I still had some issues applying the first lash. It happens. Just keep trying.  Be sure to not close your eye fully.
Go at your eye gently, getting the fake lash as close to your natural lash line as possible. Hover just before making contact and then let it touch your skin and gently let it rest on your eyelid before gradually applying more pressure.

A tip: You'll probably have glue all over the eyelash and your fingers. Use a bobby pin to apply the pressure after you've placed the lash so that it doesn't stick to your finger and come off your eye.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN! If you close your eyes, the glue will reach your bottom eyelashes and before you know it you will have effectively glued your eye shut. If this happens don't panic. Make up removing wipes will get the glue off. Then you can wash your eye and try again.

Ok, see that horrible white stuff? Yeah, that's the glue. It's white in the bottle but it will dry clear I promise. I fully intend to cover it with black eyeliner and mascara anyways but if you don't then don't panic. It looks crappy now but it will change.

After you've applied one eyelash, you'll want to do the other. Unless you're going as a pirate and are covering your other eye. Just repeat the same steps as before. It should come a little easier than the last one now that you know what to expect.

As you can see, my right eye lash looks much better than my left. Mainly because I had less trouble with it. Not a big deal because like I said I'm going to cover them up with make up. Make sure you blink a bit so that your eyes get used to the foreign feeling. It'll feel really feathery, like there are butterfly wings attached to your eyes. If you have accents on like I do or fancy ones that protrude from your eye quite a bit you'll probably see them when you blink. Neat huh?

CREEPY EYE CLOSE UPS!

I actually didn't hold Ivory as much as I thought I would. This made my eyes feel extremely heavy. Almost like I taped my eyes slanted. You know, that horribly offensive thing little kids do to give themselves the shape of Asian eyes?  It felt like someone was doing that for a good hour after I have them on.

Next, do your make up. Add your eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara as usual. Make sure to still curl your eyelashes. Doing this and adding mascara will help blend your natural lashes with the fake ones and help to prevent the fake ones from falling off if you didn't use enough glue.

VIOLA! You are done. Cute little "bedroom eyes" from the 1950's. Forgive the rats nest that was my hair. I hadn't brushed it out after I took the bobby pins out. I ended up curling my bangs and such. Well, you remember right?

Now these were just little accents. Sara Lyon has a BEAUTIFULLY self-illustrated how-to apply lash extensions tutorial on her tumblr and by self-illustrated I mean she's a wonderful graphic designer who saved herself the creepy eye close ups by using photoshop to make illustrated graphics to go with her tutorial. It was a combination of her tutorial and Kandee Johnson's Youtube video tutorial on how to apply false eyelashes that helped me apply mine in record time and on the first try!

Do you like fake lashes or are they too complicated?