Let's be real: putting on falsies is a nightmare the first dozen times you try it. You've probably been there—standing over a bathroom sink, one eye watering, a strip of plastic hair hanging precariously off your eyelid while glue gets absolutely everywhere. It’s frustrating. But learning how to fake eyelashes isn't just about vanity; it’s about that instant shot of confidence when you catch your reflection in a store window.
Most people give up because they treat it like a craft project rather than a technical skill. It takes practice. Lots of it. Honestly, even the most seasoned makeup artists sometimes struggle with a stubborn inner corner that just won't stay down.
Why Your First Attempt at Faking Eyelashes Failed
You likely took the lashes straight out of the box and tried to stick them on. Big mistake. Huge.
The most common reason people fail at learning how to fake eyelashes is they don't trim the band. Our eyes aren't one-size-fits-all. If the strip is too long, it’ll poke the inner corner of your eye, causing it to water and dissolve the glue. Or it'll hang off the outer edge, making your eyes look droopy and tired instead of lifted and awake.
I’ve seen people try to use the glue that comes in the starter kit. Stop that. It’s usually low-quality. Buy a separate tube of DUO or House of Lashes glue. It makes a world of difference. Also, waiting is the secret ingredient. You can't just apply wet glue to your eye. It’ll slide around like a slip-and-slide. You have to wait about 30 to 45 seconds until the glue is "tacky." If it’s still blue or stark white, it’s too wet. When it starts to turn clear or iridescent, that's your window.
The Tools You Actually Need (And the Ones You Don't)
Forget those plastic lash applicators that look like giant tweezers. They’re often too clunky.
- Tweezers: Use your regular eyebrow tweezers. They allow for a much tighter grip.
- Small Scissors: Precision is everything. Use cuticle scissors to snip the ends.
- Hand Mirror: Don't look straight into the big bathroom mirror. Put a small mirror on the table below your face. Look down into it. This stretches your eyelid flat so you can see exactly where the lash line is.
- Eyeliner: A dark liquid or gel liner hides the "seam" where the fake lash meets your skin.
Applying mascara before the fake lashes gives the strip a little shelf to sit on. Some people do it after to blend them, but that makes your expensive falsies get gunky faster. If you want them to last, keep the mascara on your natural hairs only.
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Breaking Down the Technique: How to Fake Eyelashes Step-by-Step
First, wiggle the lash band. Seriously. Grab both ends and flex it back and forth like a little rainbow. This breaks the stiffness of the factory mold so the lash contours to your curved eyelid.
Measurement is next. Hold the dry lash up to your eye. Start the strip a few millimeters away from your tear duct. If it goes all the way to the end of your eye, it’s too long. Snip from the outer edge. If you snip from the inner edge, you lose that natural graduation of short-to-long hairs, and it looks weirdly blunt.
Now, the glue.
Apply a thin layer. Don't go overboard. Add a tiny bit extra to the very ends, because those are the "stress points" that pop up first. Wait. Count to forty. Breathe.
Using your tweezers, grab the lash in the very center. Look down into your mirror. Place the center of the strip onto the center of your lash line first. Once that's anchored, use the tweezers to tuck the outer corner down, then the inner corner.
What About Magnetic Lashes?
Magnetic lashes were supposed to be the "miracle" for people who hate glue. They’re... okay. There are two types: the sandwich kind and the magnetic liner kind.
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The sandwich ones (where two strips "click" together over your natural lashes) are notoriously difficult to get close to the lash line. You often end up with a visible gap that looks like a floating caterpillar. The magnetic liner version is much better. You draw on the liner, let it dry, and the lash snaps on. It’s a great entry point for beginners, but the liner can be thick and a bit difficult to remove at the end of the night.
The Secret World of Under-Lashing
If you want the most "natural" look possible, you have to try under-lashing (often called the DIY extension look). This is where you apply small clusters of lashes underneath your natural lashes rather than on top of the skin.
Brands like Lashify or Falscara popularized this. Because the glue never touches your eyelid skin, it’s often more comfortable for people with sensitive eyes. It also hides the band completely. It looks like you were born with perfect, fluttery lashes.
The trick here is placement. You have to stay about 1-2mm away from the "wet line" or waterline of your eye. If you get too close to the eye itself, you’ll feel it every time you blink. It shouldn't hurt. If it pokes, you’ve put it too close to the root.
Troubleshooting Common Lash Disasters
Sometimes things go south. It happens.
If the inner corner keeps popping up, it’s usually because the lash band is too stiff or you didn't wait long enough for the glue to get tacky. Take it off, scrape the dried glue off the band, and try again. Don't just keep adding more glue on top of wet glue; that creates a gloopy mess that will ruin your eyeshadow.
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What if you see a gap between your real lashes and the fakes? This is "the gap of shame." Take a black eyeliner pencil and carefully fill in the skin showing through. Or, use your tweezers to gently pinch your real lashes and the fake ones together while the glue is still slightly flexible.
Maintenance and Removal
Please, for the love of everything, do not just rip them off at the end of the night. You will pull out your real lashes.
Use an oil-based makeup remover on a Q-tip. Run it along the lash line until the glue dissolves. The strip should slide off with zero resistance. If you take care of them, a good pair of synthetic or mink-style lashes can last for 10 to 15 wears. Clean the glue off the band after every use with a little rubbing alcohol to keep bacteria at bay.
Actionable Next Steps for Lash Success
Ready to try it? Don't wait until five minutes before a big date. That’s a recipe for a meltdown.
- Buy a "practice" pair: Get a cheap multi-pack from the drugstore. You need to feel okay with "ruining" a few pairs while you learn the tension and placement.
- The "Tacky" Test: Put a dot of glue on the back of your hand. Watch it. Touch it every 10 seconds. You’ll eventually feel when it stops being wet and starts feeling like a Post-it note. That’s the texture you want on your eyelid.
- Trim More Than You Think: Most people leave the band too long. A shorter band is always easier to apply and much more comfortable for long-term wear.
- Start with Half-Lashes: If full strips are too intimidating, buy "accent" or "half" lashes. They only go on the outer half of your eye. They’re incredibly easy to apply and give you that cat-eye lift without the inner-corner struggle.
Learning how to fake eyelashes is a hand-eye coordination game. The first time is a mess. The fifth time is okay. The twentieth time? You’ll be doing it in the back of an Uber without a mirror. Stick with it. The results are worth the initial sticky fingers.