The 9 Best False Eyelashes

Shorter at the inner corner and longer toward the outer edge, the Ardell Demi Wispies give a soft, flared shape that flatters many eyes and still looks like your own lashes. They're made of human hair on a thin band, and this box holds a dozen pairs, so each pair costs very little. Who What Wear named them its top drugstore choice. Glue isn't included, and a strip can start shedding hairs after a few wears.

For a first try at strip lashes, the Ardell Naked Lashes 421 are hard to spot once they're on. The band is fine and flexible, so it bends with the lid and doesn't leave a dark line, while the crisscross fibers add light fullness. The fibers are synthetic, which helps them keep their curl. Hold is the weak point: the thin band can lift at the corners unless the glue turns tacky first.

Bundled five pairs to a box, the Kiss So Wispy lashes mix short and long fibers in a crisscross pattern for a fluttery look that still passes as natural. They come with a full, bouncy curl. A pair tends to last three or four wears before the shape flattens, which keeps the cost of each wear low. Some wearers find them a little long for daytime, so trim the outer end of the band to fit your eye.

Worn only on the outer part of the eye, the Eylure Naturals Accent No. 003 lift the corners without adding a full row of fibers, so they're a gentle start for anyone nervous about falsies. The clear band hides against the lash line, and a small tube of latex-free glue comes in the box. The fibers are vegan. It's a single pair, and the short length can look sparse on someone who wants obvious volume.

Built for photos and nights out, the Ardell Mega Volume 252 stack straight and curled human hairs in layers so the lashes look thick from every angle. The fibers are set to keep their curl instead of flattening against the lid, and a box holds four pairs. They're heavy for a first-timer, and a few strips can come apart early, so place them gently and peel from the outer corner when you take them off.

Popular for wedding and formal photos, the Red Cherry #WSP uses fine human hair that is fullest in the middle and tapers at both ends, so the eye looks wider without a heavy edge. The lashes are latex-free, and with careful cleaning a pair often lasts five to ten wears. Copies of this style are common, so buy from a seller you trust. Some wearers also find them long for everyday use.

If you want lashes that look wet and spiky rather than soft, the Kiss Lash Drip Icy pulls its fibers into glossy points, like lashes just out of a pool. Kiss says a pair can be worn up to ten times, and it's sold as a single pair, which makes it a low-risk way to try a trend. The look is loud, though, and it won't pass for natural at the office.

With the Kiss imPRESS Falsies kit you skip glue entirely: each small cluster has a sticky backing, and you press it under your own lashes with the included applicator. Kiss says the box covers about six applications and a set holds for up to a day. Placing clusters takes practice, and the hold is uneven, since some wearers get days out of them while others see pieces slip within hours.

Clusters let you build fullness right where you want it, and the Kiss Lash Couture Venus tray holds short and medium synthetic pieces to mix along the lash line. Because each piece is tiny and light, the finished look comes closer to salon extensions than a full strip. You need a separate cluster glue, and Kiss says the look can last up to two weeks with it. Placing dozens of clusters takes patience.