The 10 Best False Eyelashes
Special Honors
Esqido Smoke & Fire Consisting of handmade cotton bands and ultra-fine synthetic fibers, the Smoke & Fire are lightweight and comfortable, easy to apply, and natural-looking. They boast a multilayer design that adds volume without being over the top and are durable enough to be reworn multiple times. esqido.com
Huda Beauty Lottie #19 Created by award-winning beauty blogger and makeup artist Huda Kattan, the Lottie #19 are triple-stacked for extra drama and designed to give eyes incredible length and volume for a glamorous, but flirty, look. The lashes are made from 100 percent Korean silk and bound to soft cotton bands that are flexible and comfortable. shophudabeauty.com
Velour Would I Lie? Effortless Kit This convenient kit includes everything you need to apply your first pair of falsies without measuring or trimming. The set contains handcrafted, cruelty-free synthetic silk lashes on invisible bands that boast a flared and crisscross style that is natural-looking and not overly glam. You'll also receive a mini applicator and adhesive that's free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. sephora.com
Editor's Notes
October 10, 2019:
We updated this list considerably, removing the unavailable SocialEyes Vixen and supplanting it with popular brand Red Cherry. We scrapped the Miaa Premium Reusable in favor of an alternative magnetic selection, the Cutie Academy False. We also updated our Dolly Wink offering from the old Baby Girl #13, which was for the lower lid, to the more popular #01 Sweet, which is meant for the top lash line. Additionally, we swapped the Icona Love for Icona Happily Ever After and switched the Ardell Duralash Naturals to the easier-to-apply Ardell Demi Wispies.
We wanted this list to showcase at least one magnetic option for those allergic to glue, as well as silk, mink, and cruelty-free synthetic units. You'll find dramatic selections and subtle ones, resulting in a pair of lashes for every occasion, from weddings and other important social events to happy hour with coworkers and daily wear. Many of these selections can be worn with mascara if desired, but oftentimes it's not necessary.
With the proper care, the myriad reusable items on this list can last for a handful of wears before needing to be discarded. Be sure to always clean them properly, never sleep in them, and store them in a sterile, safe place.
Be aware that wearing falsies does not come without its drawbacks. Take care to completely read instructions, and don't take any shortcuts when it comes to application, removal, or hygiene. If a pair of lashes gets sweaty or dirty while you have them on, don't tough it out — you may damage your natural lashes or put yourself at risk of getting an eye infection. It can also be tempting to double up and wear multiple strips at once, but you risk stressing out and weakening your lashes when you do that, so avoid it.
How To Choose The Perfect Pair
If a low price point is important to you, then one of the many high-quality synthetic options on the market should work swimmingly.
If you’re seeking a fabulous pair of falsies, then you’ll need to consider the look you’re going for. A demure, flirtatious appearance is simple to achieve with accent lashes. Excellent for the day-to-day, these extensions aren’t as dramatic as a full strip and can work wonders to enhance your natural beauty. They draw attention to the outermost corners of your eyes, making them seem bigger and effectively creating a charming cat-eye. Pair them with a come-hither winged liner for a bold, yet functional, retro look.
You can easily add a touch of glamour with individual lashes. These take a fair amount of skill to apply, so try not to get too frustrated if things don’t go your way at first. Usually the domain of professional makeup artists, these feathery additions will boost your volume while maintaining a natural look, and are completely customizable depending on your mood. Most sets come with short, medium, and long lengths, so you have plenty to work with to make your peepers pop. They’re a great way to add a dash of mystique exactly where you want it.
Sometimes you want to bring serious intensity to your beauty routine. Whether it’s for a costume, big event, or you’re simply in the mood for a jaw-dropping makeover, a thick, voluminous pair of extensions will make even deep-set eyes appear bold and bright. Try to go for dense strips with lashes of alternating lengths, and don’t be afraid to complement them with a spectacular smokey eye. For the truly adventurous, look for brightly colored faux feather lashes, such as ostrich or peacock. Capable of conjuring an utterly breathtaking appearance, these outlandish styles come in both full strips or as corner accents.
It’s also important to consider the composition of your extensions. If a low price point is important to you, then one of the many high-quality synthetic options on the market should work swimmingly. These products are made with lightweight acrylic materials and are usually more durable than other types. However, they aren’t the most natural-looking choice out there. Mink fur is a favorite among celebrities, although it's not entirely cruelty-free unless you buy a manmade imitation. It also tends to have a longer application time and can get quite expensive. Silk provides a nice middle ground, as it boasts an attractive satin gloss and is light enough to seem genuine, plus it's relatively comfortable to wear.
Tips And Tricks For Flawless Application
Applying false lashes perfectly takes time and practice, and even the most experienced fashionista can benefit from a few hacks. Be sure to measure your strip so it fits properly, and don’t be afraid to trim the edges with scissors if necessary. Try giving them a natural curve by wrapping them around the base of a makeup brush for a few minutes — this way they’ll be easier to mold to the shape of your eyes. And when administering your glue, put it directly onto your eyelid instead of the extensions, this way you'll achieve accurate placement with much less mess.
There is a trade-off, however, as you cannot cut or customize them, and applying mascara is tricky, as they tend to slide off when pulled.
Not thrilled at the idea of getting gunk in your eyes? Fret not, because magnetic falsies are just as good as any other kind. These little beauties boast tiny magnets on each side that clamp over your lash line without the need for any adhesive. There is a trade-off, however, as you cannot cut or customize them, and applying mascara is tricky, as they tend to slide off when pulled.
When the time comes to peel them off, don’t tug on them and risk damaging your own precious lashes in the process. Instead, use an oil-free makeup remover and a cotton swab to gently massage them away from your eye. A dab of coconut oil will help remove any leftover adhesive. Afterward, you can wash your falsies in hot water with a drop of liquid soap so that they’re clean and ready for another round.
Batting Your Lashes: A Brief History
Believe it or not, women have been attempting to enhance their God-given lashes since antiquity. Ancient Romans correlated long lashes with chastity and youth. Pliny the Elder asserted that “sexual excess causes them to drop off, not undeservedly”, and thus women endeavored to prove their innocence by darkening their eyes with kohl and other substances.
As the decades wore on, falsies fell in and out of fashion, but still continued to evolve.
By 1899, a truly harrowing procedure had taken hold in fashion-forward cities like Paris. Specialists would transplant hair from a woman’s head and thread it through her eyelid with a needle after applying a generous amount of cocaine as an anesthetic. The recipient believed that these newly introduced hairs would take root and grow, thereby permanently enhancing her natural gifts.
The United States awarded the first patent for falsies to Anna Taylor in 1911. Her invention consisted of a crescent-shaped strip of fabric implanted with small hairs. A few years later, after prominent director D.W. Griffith demanded that his actress Seena Owen have outlandish lashes to match her Babylonian attire for his film Intolerance, the idea of extensions began to take root among the Hollywood set. Ladies would visit hairdressers and makeup artists throughout the 1920s in order to achieve the Flapper look they saw on-screen, though these manufactured extensions weren’t quite accepted as a cultural norm until Vogue gave its official stamp of approval in the 1930s.
As the decades wore on, falsies fell in and out of fashion, but still continued to evolve. They have undergone vast improvements and are now crafted with higher quality materials and applied with much safer adhesives than was available in the early 20th century. There is no limit to the type of false eyelash available on the market, whether you’re a man or a woman and desire something synthetic, real, dyed or magnetic.