Make a statement with your eye lashes this holiday season—because if there’s ever a time to play them up by going as long as you can go, it’s this month of non-stop parties and soirees. We’ve got your every lash wish covered in this DIY guide, from how to apply falsies like a pro to getting the right look for the occasion through your
mascara application.

How to go all out with false lashes

Don’t get intimidated by the delicate little bands of lashes. With a steady hand and a bit of practice,
applying false lashes will become as easy as slicking on your lip gloss. MAC makeup artist Melissa Gibson shares her top tips on applying falsies with ease.

Sit with a mirror at eye level to apply your false eye lashes

Your best spot to apply your lashes? With a mirror in front of you, at a spot where you can be seated and have a table on which you can rest your elbows so you can stabilize your arms, says Gibson.

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Use your fingers to apply your falsies

You might think that a pair of tweezers might be easier to handle the delicate band of false lashes, but Gibson says your fingers will give you more control. If you want something smaller than your fingers to help push the lash close to the lash line, she suggests carefully using the end of a
makeup brush handle.

Apply the glue sparingly

The hole of your tube of lash glue may glop on too much adhesive to your false lashes. She suggests putting the glue onto the end of a makeup brush handle and then brushing that along the lash band so that there is not an excessive amount of glue. “Dollop slightly more at each end of the lash—when false lashes lift, this is where they’ll lift, so you want a little more at the ends,” says Gibson. Also, she suggests letting the glue rest for about 20 seconds so that it dries a bit and gets tacky before applying the false lash.

Start with a half lash

If you’ve never applied false lashes, begin with a half lash. “This is the easiest to apply and it’ll help you get used to the feeling of the glue, and the feeling of wearing lashes with the emphasis on the outer corner—it’s more subtle and an easy place to start before graduating to a full lash,” says Gibson.

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Apply a full lash in two pieces

Once you’ve grown used to wearing a half lash on the outer corners and feel ready to apply a full lash, she recommends applying the lash in two pieces (you’ve already mastered applying them at this length already, after all)—go ahead and snip a full lash in half. Start with the outer corner and apply slowly towards the centre of the eye, pushing the band as close to the lash line as possible. Then move onto the second piece, applying it so it meets where the first piece ends.

Want a more natural look? We have your lashes covered on the next page …
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Natural, flirty, sexy—how to get the look with mascara

Whether you want to go natural, flirty or sexy, here are the pros’
mascara application tips that’ll get you the lash look you want.

If the look you’re after is more nice than naughty, go natural

Maybe it’s a daytime holiday party or you’re playing up another feature on your face and you just want a soft natural look, you want your eye lashes to look like yours, only better. Toronto-based makeup artist Diana Carreiro says that best way to get a natural lash look is to wipe off excess product onto a paper towel (“Don’t use a tissue, it’ll shred!” she says)—this will give you a drier application. Her personal mascara favourite for a natural-looking lash: Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara.

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Get your flirt on with long lashes

For an innocent flirty look, Carreiro suggests “minking” your eye lashes. “To mink your lashes, apply brown first as brown
mascara creates the look of thicker lashes, then coat the ends with black to give the illusion of longer lashes,” she says. The term comes from the two-tone effect of mink fur in which the fur is darker at the roots and lighter towards the ends, she explains.

Get your sexy eye lashes to bring all the boys to the yard

“Mascara is a best friend for women,” says L’Oreal Paris makeup artist Karim Rahman. For a sexy look, he recommends using a mascara with a curved brush that’ll help emphasize the outer lashes (try L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara Custom Curved Brush). “Apply an extra one or two coats of mascara to the outer lashes to really play them up and give a butterfly effect,” he says.

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Invest in an eyelash comb and use it

“A good eyelash comb is essential to getting clump-free lashes and you should always use one no matter what look you’re going for—unless it’s Tammy Faye,” says Carreiro.

Always curl your lashes first

Uncurled mascara-laden lashes will look heavy and will close the eye and while lashes can be curled after mascara is applied, it’s best to curl before to prevent lashes from sticking to the curler, which can pull out lashes,” she says.

What to do if you’re prone to mascara smudges

You may be applying too much mascara all at once, or it may be excess oil in the eye area causing your smudging, says Carriero. So apply with a lighter hand to see if that’ll help; dusting on a bit of loose powder around the eye area may help control oil if that’s at the root of your smudging. She also notes that not all mascaras perform the same on everyone, and recommends trying out a few to narrow down what smudges on you or not.