How-to: fake a lash extension look

When it comes to a woman’s lashes, there’s not much she won’t do to try lengthen, thicken and enhance them. I mean, just take one look at your own mascara collection and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about.

And that’s exactly why some women turn to lash extensions, a process where synthetic lashes are applied with glue one-by-one to natural lashes to give eyelashes a fuller and more luscious appearance.

The thing is, it takes some time, effort and money to invest in such a process, meaning it’s just not an option for some. The good news, though, is that you can easily fake a lash extension-look without putting in much effort at all.

Here are a few clever tricks you can try to fake your own lash extension look:

STEP ONE: ENHANCE YOUR LASH LINE

Look closely at your lashes. See where the lash meets your lid at the root of your lash? In between the roots there are tiny areas of skin, and that’s exactly where you want to apply your liner. By filling in these teeny spots, you’re creating an illusion of thicker, more voluminous lashes.

Try:

Clarins 3-Dot Liner, $38, 02 9663 4277

Apply:

This eyeliner-meets-liquid-liner has been designed for this very purpose. Working from the outer corner of your lash line, dab the liner alone the lash line. Each dab will create three dots between each lash. Keep dabbing until you’ve reached the inner corner and you’ve got a solid black line.

STEP TWO: APPLY CORNER LASHES

Applying individual lashes on to the corners of your eyes will help extend your lashes and make them appear denser and fuller. Using individual ones, as opposed to a full false lash, keeps your look a little more on the natural side and will give your lashes that little bit of oomph they need.

Try:

Ardell Duralash Starter Kit

Apply:

Using tweezers, pick up one of the groups of lashes and dip the end into a tiny bit of glue. Close your eye and apply the lash onto your lash line at the outer corner, ensuring that the curl of the lash follows your own natural curl. Depending on how big your eye is, apply another one or two lash clusters, working your way towards the inner corner of your eye. Make sure you leave enough time for the glue to dry before going onto the next steps.

STEP THREE: CURL YOUR LASHES

Curling your lashes may not seem like such an essential step, but it’ll actually work wonders to enhance your lashes. First off, curling them helps give lashes (especially straighter lashes) that extra bit of curve, and secondly, curling will help open up your eyes and make them look a little bigger.

Try:

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Apply:

Apply the curler at the base of your lashes and clamp it shut, making sure to squeeze tight. As you’re squeezing, tilt the curler upwards as this will lift your lashes a little more.

STEP FOUR: FINISH WITH MASCARA

For the last step, use a mascara that lengthens, defines, and adds volume to your lashes. This will bring all the other steps together wonderfully to leave your lashes looking fuller and more glamorous.

Try:

Avon Mega Effects Mascara

Apply:

Adjust the nifty-looking brush to the angle that works best for you to get the bristles as close as possible the base of your eyelashes. Apply the mascara upwards, making sure to wiggle it from side-to-side as you go up. This will help lift and separate your lashes, while coating them in the defining and volumising formula. Then, apply the mascara on the top of your lashes to really build the volume. The brilliant thing about this mascara is that it won’t clump, so you can be sure that a couple of layers won’t compromise your lash look. To finish off, apply one-to-two coats to your bottom lashes. Don’t be afraid to adjust the angle of the brush as you need – that’s the whole point of the innovative Wonderbrush.

What tricks do you use to fake a lash extension-look? Have you tried any of these handy tricks before?