How To Apply False Lashes - A Complete Step-By-Step Guide
Like any skill, you won’t master the art of lash application in one afternoon. It might look easy, but at Pretty Lashes, we can assure you that getting those fluttery falsies to sit just right takes a certain amount of preparation.
The first step to learning how to apply false eyelashes? Having a look in mind.
Are you mapping a custom set for a wedding? Individuals, it is. Office sirens who want a lash that lasts from morning meetings to after-work drinks need a fluffy strip set to see them through. Or, there are our subtle cluster sets for those grab-and-go makeup days.
If you don’t get the hang of it on the first try, don’t give up: lash application can be tough, even for seasoned MUAs. If you’re ever in doubt, just remember that your favourite artist struggled in the beginning, too.
Knowing how to put on fake eyelashes is an MUA rite of passage, one that (we promise) gets easier with time. Follow Pretty Lashes’ step-by-step guide to applying falsies, and you’ll be working at pro-level in no time.
How to apply false eyelashes
1. Choose your Pretty Lashes
Just like a painter needs a brush, the first step in learning how to apply fake eyelashes is having the right pair in front of you. When browsing for products, we’d keep two key things in mind: mood and makeup.
For your first look, are you going for soft and subtle, or more full-on drama? If you just want a gentle look for work or those no-makeup-makeup days, Pretty Lashes has natural, lightweight strips that give a ‘your lash but better’ look.
Building a bolder style (smoky liner, full contour, the whole night-out face)? You’ll want something with more volume: luckily, we stock fluffy, multi-length lashes that add depth and density.
You also want to think about shape. A cateye lash (shorter on the inner corner, longer towards the outer edge) lifts the eye, which is gorgeous with winged liner or when you’re leaning into a fox vibe.
More even, rounded lashes (where the longest fibres sit closer to the centre) open the eyes and make them look brighter, which can be especially flattering for MUAs with hooded lids.
If it’s becoming clearer that knowing how to put on false eyelashes is much more than just a stick-and-go moment, good! It’s definitely a hands-on process, but much of the final look is created before you even take your lashes out of the box.
2. Prepare your natural eyelashes
Get your own lashes ready – they’re the base your falsies will sit against. When you want to give your natural lashes a gentle curl, lifting them with a curler helps them follow the same curve as the strip lash, so the lashes can sit snugly along the line of your eye instead of pointing in a different direction.
(Having your curler, lash glue and a pair of tweezers or a lash applicator laid out before you start will stop you faffing around mid-application).
Next, it’s time to make sure the lash you’ve chosen actually fits. Rest the strip (without glue) along your upper lash line to see how much you need to remove, then trim the excess from the outer end (common sense, but never while it’s on your eye).
After trimming, flex the lash band a little to help it sit more naturally against your eyelid. You can do this by gently wrapping the band around a makeup brush handle, which will soften it and give it a more curved shape.
When you’re learning how to apply false eyelashes, these are the kind of tips you’ll only get from professionals. Once your natural lashes are curled and the falsies are sized, you’re ready for placement!
3. Apply lash glue and wait!
With sizing and shaping complete, it’s time to glue. During this step, focus on control, not speed: that’s very important. Brush a thin, even layer of lash glue along the band rather than dumping it on, and make sure you don’t miss the inner and outer corners.
Those are the areas most likely to lift throughout the day, so giving them a bit more adhesive helps the lash stay put. Now, here’s the part that most people rush (and regret later): you need to let the glue sit before you try to put the lash on.
Waiting about 30 seconds lets the glue go from wet to tacky. The band will actually grip when you place it (instead of sliding around on your eyelid and smearing everywhere!)
While you’re waiting, gently bend the lash into a curved ‘U’ shape or bring the two ends in so they almost meet. Doing this helps with two things: it distributes the glue to the ends, and it trains the band to sit in the same curve as your eye.
Understanding how to put on fake eyelashes is sometimes about manipulating the product to achieve your means – and that’s okay! Our lashes are made to withstand a certain amount of shaping (because no two eyes are exactly the same).
4. Place carefully
Now, for the moment of truth: you’re ready to place the lash on your eye.
Hold a mirror slightly below your face and look down into it rather than straight ahead (looking down stretches the lid so you can clearly see your lash line, without having to shut your eyes).
Using tweezers or a lash applicator, bring the strip in and lower it as close to your natural lash line as you can. Aim to place the centre of the band first, then gently press down on the inner and outer corners.
For long-lasting wear, the band should sit flush and feel secure, especially at the corners (as we’ve learnt in our how to apply fake eyelashes guide, those are the bits most likely to flick up later).
Once the lash is in place, pinch your natural lashes and the falsies together with clean fingers (or, if you’re careful, the tips of your tweezers).
5. Use eyeliner or add mascara (optional)
Once your Pretty Lashes are safely secured, it’s time to blend.
Running a black or dark brown liner along your waterline can disguise the strip: with this trick, you’re basically connecting the band to your natural lash line to avoid that ‘lash-glued-on-top’ look.
After liner, you can finish with mascara if you want everything to melt together. The goal here isn’t volume (you’ve already got that); it’s blending.
In many cases, knowing how to put on false eyelashes in a way that makes them sit as one, photo-ready set is about bridging the divide between where your own lashes stop and the strip starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you apply false lashes before or after makeup?
It depends on the type of lash you’re using. For classic strip lashes, you generally do the rest of your eye look first (e.g., eyeshadow, line, etc), and lashes go on near the end, as one of the final steps.
This way, once your shadow and liner are done, you won’t have to blend around them. The main exception is mascara. When learning how to apply false eyelashes, we don’t recommend applying a heavy coat of mascara before your falsies.
You follow Step 1 (preparing your lashes with a curler), then, at the end, if you want to merge your natural lashes with the falsies, apply a light layer of mascara. Individual / cluster lashes follow a very similar rule: do your eye makeup first, then add the lashes as the last step.
Do you apply false lashes to skin or lashes?
Strip lashes should sit on the skin right along your upper lash line (as close as possible), not directly on top of your natural lashes. The goal is to have the falsies hugging the roots of your real lashes without glueing to the lashes themselves.
Wear your luxury today with Pretty Lashes!
Now you know exactly how to apply fake lashes, there’s no better time to put your training into practice. The best part is that once you’ve done it a few times, it stops feeling fiddly: wearing your confidence comes easy, especially with the right products.
Pretty Lashes puts that finish in your hands. We focus on supplying MUAs of all abilities with soft, wearable, sustainable eyelashes. Get everyday enhancements with our natural lashes, or fluffy, high-volume drama for those big life moments. Make effortless beauty easy with Pretty Lashes' vegan, cruelty-free products.
