Nothing is more annoying than prepping your look for camera only to find the lens dilutes your makeup to nothing. Avoid this and to add some instant glamour to your look by wearing strip eyelashes.
Not only do strip lashes frame your eyes and add pop on camera, but they’re extremely affordable, changeable and non-permanent. There are a wide variety of strips on the market. From super lush, double-layer faux mink ones for turbo glam sex kitten eyes to wild and funky feathered ones for a more fantasy or fetish look.
Literally, the possibilities are endless.
The problem with strip lashes is applying them can be tricky at first. Newbies to wearing them often struggle, and this puts them off. Fitting strips is easy though if you know the tricks and tips.
Here’s a little guide to the easiest way to apply strip lashes.
Make sure you have the right fit. Petite band strips for people with smaller eyes are available but the range is limited. Normal length strips are easily trimmed though so this is no drama.
Measure against your natural lash line and chip the desired amount from the inside edge of the lash band using nail scissors. Trim between flares (the little groups of lashes) to avoid damaging the look. A band which sits too close to the inside of your eye will feel spiky and uncomfortable.
Work that band, girl! A rigid band will make application extra tricky. Gently bend the band backwards ’til it curves. A good hack is to wrap them around an eyeliner or mascara tube. A bendy band will work much better.
Get the right glue. Often adhesive included with strip lashes is poor quality. This makes fitting them even harder. Invest in a tube of good quality lash glue. Sticking to the same adhesive means you get to know how it works.
Great choices here are DUO or Revlon lash glue.
Now that your lashes are prepped and you have the supplies, it’s time to stick!
Make up your eye and apply your liner. Only put mascara on your lower lashes, as this is tricky once the strips are in place.
Apply a thin band of glue to the band alone. Don’t be tempted to go mad here, or it’ll bleed into the lash length and ruin your strips! If the glue is good, it won’t take too much to stick.
Wait around 20 – 40 seconds before applying them. This is so important. The glue needs time to become tacky. If you whack them straight on, they’ll just ping off. The dryer the glue, the better the stick. Just before you apply them, add a tiny bit of extra adhesive to the ends of the band. These are the bits that will be stubborn!
Place a mirror flat on the table between your elbows. Yes, this sounds a little crazy but trust me. Looking down to fit the strips gives you a much better angle to see where you’re placing the band.
Holding the strip by the lengths gently place the outer edge just above your natural lash line and once this is in place follow the line of your natural lashes around. Still using the lengths press against the ends of the lashes to push the rest of the band into place. You can buy lash applicators to make this easier. Use the end of a makeup brush to press against either end of the band to ensure those pesky ends stay stuck.
Give the strip a minute to settle before applying a coat of mascara to your upper lashes to blend them.
Finally, flutter those false lashes and drive the crowd wild!
Strip lashes should last more than one wear. Remove them with a little makeup remover on a cotton bud — just gently soak the band off. Never just pull them off as this can tear your own lashes out at the same time.
Carefully remove any remaining glue from the lash band with some tweezers, and replace them back on the packaging card. Care for your lashes like this, and you’ll get plenty of wear out of them.
With party season upon us, you can really go wild and splash on some tinsel or diamante strips for a more festive feel. For an everyday-yet-more-defined cam look, try using Ardell Demi Wispies to inject a little natural glamour.
Practice makes perfect, so use December and New Year’s as an excuse to get your lash application down.
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Katy Seymour is a super-sex-positive writer in the U.K. who believes kink is life. Email her at katy@ynotcam.com.
Image via Marinela Prodan.
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