This year marks my 10th anniversary, as it’s an entire decade of my false lash-wearing. At this point, I’d say we were going pretty steady. I made the decision to shift from layers of mascara to strip lashes because my makeup routine was taking way too long.
Over the years I’ve mastered the craft and can apply my strip lashes in any given situation (and with one hand). Whether it’s on a plane, train or cramped in a pocket mirror. Bragging time over, but they’re really not as tricky to apply as you might think. It only requires practice, patience and good glue.
I have my go-to batch of lashes that I always use, so I thought I’d try out some of the false lashes that are on the market, to see which ones are the best. It has been 10 years after all and my routine needs spicing up. Keep scrolling to find out my top picks.
These are a look, I felt very at-home in these extra lashes that prioritise added length. The band was nice and flexible so the lashes were comfortable to wear but sturdy enough to use more than once. I’ll be adding these to my collection for the days when I want to bring the drama.
The quality of these lashes are absolutely incredible. They’re light, natural and fluffy and really opened up my eyes. It’s hard to strike the balance between a lash that looks bold enough to differentiate from your natural lashes but not too much that it looks like you’re an extra in the local theatre. These are the ideal in-between.
I’m all for some lash innovation and this one delivers. There’s a few steps to follow but it’s worth the effort. First, I applied the bond to my lashes (like mascara), then grabbed the nifty applicator, to apply the clusters. The difference to regular lashes is where you apply them. You apply the falsies underneath your lashes, just above the waterline. It was surprisingly easy, and I used the applicator or my finger to press the lashes onto my own. Next up is the sealant which goes on the false lashes and keeps it all in place.
The results? The most natural looking lashes one can find, without any obvious bands or strips. They won’t shift during the day either. I’ll definitely be trying some of the refill styles for a bolder look.
The graduation from longer lashes to shorter ones made for a realistic, “my lashes but so much better” look. I wore these with eyeliner and without and trust me, they look great in both situations. The lash line is thin to keep things looking natural, so a dark glue is a must when wearing with eyeliner.
These are the kind of lashes that I’d like to wake up with. Nothing obnoxious, just fluffy, plenty of volume and a good amount of length. Seeing as that’s not going to happen, these are my new favourite thing. They’re quite delicate as the band is clear but it helps to achieve a really natural look.
Fun fact: I was a vintage clothing model for a little minute. As you can imagine, this has given me a rather inflated estimation of my worthiness to call myself a pin-up. So, I was sold as soon as I saw these in the packet. They have a brown hue so I applied mascara to them. While they may not be as long as some of the other lashes I tried, they sure make up for it in volume.
No big deal or anything, but these are the best lashes I’ve tried in my 10 years of lash wearing. I feel like all of my lash shopping has brought me to this moment. They’re full, fluffy, thick and oh, so soft. I spent most of the day complimenting myself in the mirror and even gained a real-life compliment in my local shop. You know you’ve found a great strip lash when someone asks who does your eyelashes.
All I wanted to do when I wore these was flutter my eyelashes at someone. Instead, I settled for exaggerated blinks. These lengthy lashes are the equivalent of all the best mascaras rolled into one. The brand continued to impress me with the Studio Strip Lash Cleanser (£8), which removed lash glue, eyeshadow remnants and mascara, so I could get more wears from them. A dream duo.
This is a solid entry-level lash. You can’t go wrong with these classic strips if you want easy application, comfort and the ideal mix of volume and length. I always find myself coming back to these lashes, especially on the days when I’m going for a low-key, no eyeliner vibe. Also, the glue I use for every pair of lashes I wear is always DUO Striplash Adhesive Dark Tone (£6).
I have a very specific look for work Zoom calls. It involves eyelashes, lip balm, eyebrows and some concealer. All of this needs to be applied within 5 minutes. Some lashes are a bit much for said look, while others look like I should have just worn mascara. So, I present to you, the ultimate WFH lash. They’re speedy to apply, look incredible and last for multiple wears. Very into this.
