Let’s get lashed!

I love false lashes, I think they add glamour and drama to any look. Now, glamour and drama may not be what you’re looking for in an everyday look, but I would wear lashes all day everyday if I could. Lashes just add a certain level of elegance, whether worn with a full-blown smokey eye, or a simple winged black eyeliner, lashes can be dressed up for impact, and dressed down for subtlety.

We all want longer, thicker, fuller lashes that are just not achievable with mascara, so we turn to our trusted falsies. False lashes come in a wide variety of styles, lengths, thickness, etc. If you’re the kind of person who cringes at the idea of putting on your own lashes you should consider the semi permanent variety offered by beauticians. These are fantastic and really handy but today I want to discuss the lashes we buy and apply ourselves.

False lashes have become increasingly popular in recent years. We can have so much fun with lashes, I love going all out for a night out and wearing attention-grabbing lashes. My personal favourite in this respect is Sarah Harding’s contribution to the Girls Aloud collaboration with Eyelure lashes (see picture below). These are a really fun set with an amazing winged appearance, and a very subtle silver glitter running through them. Definitely not your everyday lashes, but great for a night out when you’re all dolled up! I bought my Sarah lashes in Boots several months ago, they were €8.39, but because they only get the odd outing they have lasted me very well and are still in great condition.

As I have said, I would wear lashes all day everyday, but as a glasses/contact lens wearer with extremely sensitive eyes, I try to avoid this. Having said that I have come across a fantastic brand of lashes that are super comfortable with contacts, and surprisingly manageable behind glasses. I am of course, talking about Ardell lashes. These beautiful lashes come in so many varieties; from extreme glamour to the most fluttering and pretty, the styles offer so much choice. I myself am a fan of the Demi Wispies (€7.39 in Boots) which would be considered part of the Ardell glamour range (see picture below), however, I wear these with every look. Ardell also sells accents, which are half the length of a normal strip of lashes so they are perfect for adding a winged effect without a full set. Individual lashes are also an option from Ardell for those of us who like to customize our look. The Ardell website is a lot of fun to browse through for a look at all the styles: www.ardelllashes.com These lashes also come with an adhesive which is very clean and easy to use.

I know many women who are afraid of trying false lashes, and the application process can be intimidating but after one or two practice runs, following some very simple steps, you’ll find applying the lashes effortless.

Rule 1: stay calm. If the process goes wrong, take them off and start again. That’s the joy of these lashes, they can be used again and again without any damage.

Rule 2: lash application will be the final step of your makeup routine. The last thing you want is to drop eye shadow powder on your beautiful falsies, this just makes them look messy.

Rule 3: personally I think you should always wear eyeliner with false lashes. This will make them blend with your eye makeup and not look obviously fake. I would always add a small amount of mascara to blend my own lashes with the false ones, again this just makes them sit better and look more natural.

Rule 3: less is more when it comes to the glue. Add a small line of glue along the lash strip of the fake lashes, not your eye. Wait 30 seconds for the glue to set and then apply them to our eye by sitting them on top of your own lashes and pressing the lash strip as close as possible to where your own lashes begin. You will need to try them out a few times before applying the glue so you have an idea as to where would be the best placement for them. The Ardell website has a guide for which of their lashes suit particular eye shapes. The Ardell website also has a ‘how to’ video.

Rule 5: always remember to clean your lashes once you remove them. There will be glue residue and your mascara will also be on them. Use what ever eye makeup remover you use to gently wipe the glue and mascara off. Keep the lashes in their original containers so they keep their shape. Taking care of your lashes will ensure a long lash life span.

And there you have it, five easy rules to help you apply, and maintain your lashes. Don’t be afraid of them, there are so many styles to suit every eye, every style, and every event!