Wearing lashes can be a fantastic way to enhance your eyes as you get older, but if you’ve never worn them before and you’re not sure how to apply false lashes, it can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve asked the experts for some hints and tricks on how to get a seamless application so you’ll feel as confident applying them as everything else inside your makeup bag.
As we get older, our hair growth cycle tends to slow down. We may associate this with just the hairs on our heads, but it also affects the growth of our lashes, which can lead to fewer and thinner lashes as we age. While good-quality mascara can help older women add some va-va-voom back to their lashes and make them feel longer and more voluminous, they can’t fill in lashes that are starting to look sparse. That’s where false lashes will come in handy as they can be applied in strips along the lash line, or they come in individual clusters to fill in the gaps of your natural lashes.
Whether you’re a complete novice or have dabbled in lash application before, we’ve asked lash experts, Sophia Drozdowska, Director of Marketing and Education, and Taylor Murphy, Education and Content Manager at Velour Beauty for their advice on how to apply false lashes for mature women to make the application smooth and even enjoyable. With these top tips, you'll be mastering a new eye make-up look in no time at all.
How to apply false lashes - top tips:
• Proper application tools are just as important as high-quality lashes. Velour’s Too Easy Lash Applicator and White Latex-Free Lash Adhesive are perfect examples of this and provide the best lash application experience, especially for beginners!
• When applying falsies, it’s easiest to tilt your head back slightly and look downwards with your eyes. Whether there’s a mirror in front of you on the wall or a handheld mirror below your face, this will give you better visibility of where you’re applying the false lash along your lash line.
• If your false lash band is stiff, we recommend gently toggling/wiggling the band back and forth to loosen the shape which allows it to become more flexible for application.
If you're applying false lashes for the first time, the lash experts recommend you "Be patient with yourself! False lashes are meant to be fun, so they don’t need to be perfect right away. Take your time applying them and you will get better at it each time. Practice, practice, practice!"
Can you prep your natural lashes to make them blend with false lashes better?
"Yes, you can! The best way to do this is to gently curl your natural lashes first, then apply a thin coat of mascara – we recommend Velour Pretty Big Deal Mascara. Once these steps are done, feel free to apply your falsies! This gives your natural lashes extra hold, acting as a strong foundation for your false lashes to rest on throughout the day. The dark colour of mascara will also allow the fibres of the falsies to blend seamlessly into your natural lashes."
For older women, what would be the best kind of falsies for them to wear?
"If you’re experiencing fine lines and ageing around the eyes, we recommend a more natural lash style that isn’t too dense or long. A more natural-looking lash will enhance your own lashes and beautiful eyes, without drawing attention to the heaviness surrounding the eye area."
What are the best false eyelashes to wear daily when you've lost all of your natural lashes?
"In this case, a shorter, natural volume strip lash or lash clusters would be best. These will mimic the look of your natural lashes, even if you have lost many of your lashes or don't have natural hair along your lash line."
What are the best false lashes for sensitive eyes?
"If you have sensitive eyes, a latex-free lash adhesive will be your best friend paired with traditional false lashes. This will give you a gentle, lightweight lash experience."
Is there a method for applying false lashes when you have shaky hands?
"For those with shaky hands, using a lash applicator can definitely help with the application process. It acts as an extension of your own hands but allows more visibility and control where you're applying the false lash."
Tips and tricks for healthy lashes
While it's common to lose hair from your lashes as you get older, there are a couple of things you can do to help promote their growth, strength and overall appearance. Lash expert Melody Maglione, Director of Product Development at Babe Original has some tips and tricks for maintaining healthy lashes as well as brows.
• Look for ingredients in cosmetics, such as oils and butters, panthenol, biotin and peptides that condition the lashes while you are wearing makeup, like the Babe Original Volumizing Mascara
• Waterproof formulas can be dehydrating, so turn to water-resistant formulas that are still long-lasting, but less drying on lashes and brows.
• Remove makeup gently to not cause breakage or premature shedding.
• Be proactive by using a serum. Serums are packed with impactful ingredients that go straight to the source and nourish the follicle for lashes and brows that look thicker and longer.
• Drink plenty of water and eat a nutritious diet.
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Rosie Floyd is a Pets, Homes and Garden Product Writer for Yours, specialising in home appliances, décor and furnishings, as well as all things dogs. After completing her Journalism & Media degree from Coventry University back in 2015, she started her career writing about must-visit holiday destinations, moving on to creating content around outdoor living and garden buildings, before joining the team at Bauer.