How to apply false eyelashes, according to beauty experts

Applying false lashes can be an uphill battle — especially if you want them to look as natural as possible. While you can pay for extensions or beg your friend to help you, knowing how to apply them yourself is a vital skill to have in your beauty arsenal. To help you out a bit, we’ve enlisted several makeup gurus for their tips on how to apply fake lashes yourself and which tools to use.

Celebrity makeup artist Jamie Greenberg says to start by getting the fit right. "Before you do anything, I would measure [the lash] to make sure it fits your eye," she says. "You never want the outside of the lash to be too long or it will drag your eye down." Placement on the inner corners is important, too. Greenberg says that "lashes should never stop too close to your inner eye, think 2 millimeters" from your tear duct, or else they will annoy you all day. Once you’ve measured, you can trim the length of the eyelash strips.

Another easy way to ensure any lashes will fit your eye shape is to cut them into two or three sections. "I always cut lashes," says makeup artist Amanda Wilson. "I find they’re easier to apply and you can control them a lot easier when they fit your eye."

To prep the fake lashes for application, Wilson recommends loosening up the band a bit so it won't be as stiff right out of the box. "First, curl it with a lash curler, then, bend your faux lash, rocking it back and forth to kind of break up the shape it has straight out of the package," she says. "You won't hurt the lash — you just need it to not fight you back. You can also prepare your natural lashes by curling them and applying some mascara — Greenberg says this creates a foundation for the fake lashes to rest on.

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When you’re ready to apply the strip, makeup artist Carly Jo says to apply a thin layer of lash glue to the band. "We want the glue to get tacky within 15 to 30 seconds to ensure the longevity of the wear," she says. Wilson also notes the importance of waiting for the glue to get tacky or else "if it's too wet it will just slide all over your eye."

After 30 seconds, apply the lash onto your lash line. "The easiest way to see where you’re applying the lash is to look down into a mirror versus straight forward," Jo says. "It's up to you whether you want to use tweezers, a lash applicator or simply your fingers to apply."

She likes to place the middle of the lash down, then secure the outer and inner corners. Once in place, she says that you can press the fake lashes to your real ones with your fingers to blend them together and close any gaps.

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To apply individual or cluster lashes, Jo recommends first using mascara on your natural lashes. Then, starting with the outer corner cluster, apply the glue and let it get tacky as you would when applying strips — this usually takes about 30 seconds. Place the outer corner lash on the outer corner of your eye.

"After you apply the first lash, mirror that same lash on the other eye — and continue with every lash. I recommend bouncing between both eyes versus working on one eye, then the other, so you can make the lashes look as cohesive as possible," she explains. Once you get the outer and middle lashes placed, you’ll want to add in shorter and lighter clusters toward the inner corner of your eye.

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"During and after the application, it helps to have a clean spoolie on hand to brush through the lashes. This helps separate the lashes if they get clumped in one spot, as well as fanning out the lash to look more realistic," says Jo. She advises making sure the glue is almost completely dry before you brush, though, and adding a thin layer of mascara at the end to blend your real and individual lashes.

How should you make your lashes last beyond one wear? Jo says to remove any leftover glue from the band so you don't have any remaining residue. "To clean them, I like to soak them in micellar water for five minutes and then run a clean spoolie through them to remove any product," she says, adding that you can use your fingers to gently remove any additional glue still on the band. "Once all of the product is removed, pat off any excess micellar water and use the spoolie to brush the lashes back to their original shape. Let them air-dry and they’ll be good as new!"

While you can also check out this list of 11 best fake eyelashes, according to experts, we’ve highlighted some additional favorites here. From natural to dramatic, the below picks give an overview of the different types of fake lashes to try.